After Mase’s “The Official Welcome Back Concert” was highly touted by promoters, the Bad Boy rapper proved to be a no-show only on [September 25], to be replaced by rivals Cam’Ron and The Diplomats.
After other similar occurrences, the missed shows have fueled fierce speculation that the Harlem rapper has retired from rap once again.
“Mase has retired as of tonight and he ain’t coming,” Cam’ron told AllHipHop.com, insisting that his former comrade had again left Hip-Hop. “I got the inside scoop. I don’t know why, but he’s pulling another Michael Jordan, for like the fifth time.”
Bad Boy reps vehemently denied that their marquee artist was hanging up his mic.
“Mase is not retiring or pulling any Michael Jordan,” said Hen Roc, National Director of Mixshow and Club Promotion for Bad Boy. “He has family business and is still promoting the album, Welcome Back.”
Sunday, the show took place at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY and was attended by thousands of fans to embrace Mase, who returned to rap this year after a five year hiatus. Yet after the show began, rumor rapidly spread that the rapper wasn’t going to show.
While the wait commenced, other rappers picked up the pieces of the show. Fat Joe electrified the crowd with a performance of “Lean Back” and Ja Rule performed his new mixtape banger “New York” with Joe.
Alchemist and cohorts Mobb Deep rocked the song “Hold You Down.” Finally, Mase’s Harlem World rivals Cam’Ron and The Diplomats replaced the minister as the headlining act.
Thinking Mase retired, performer Lil’ Flip said, “I mean, that’s Mase. It was a good look for him to come back, because he dropped the album. Ain’t nothing but some positive s**t on there.” What would a “Welcome Back” tour be without [Mase]?”
Upset, show promoter Mike Green of Big League Entertainment said, “I gave Mase 100% of the money and [he] backed out at the last minute.”
Hen Roc has a different account of the cancellation. “The promoter and Mase had a misunderstanding. Mase had confirmed about 2 weeks ago that he was not going to perform.” Seemingly, the promoter could have gotten a new act to fill in but he kept promoting it as a ‘Mase Welcome Back’ tour with Mase as the headliner. Henroc continues, “Paid date[s] that are between the promoter, management and Mase.”
Perhaps the fans were the ones that truly missed out by not seeing their favorite rapper-turned-reverend-turned-rapper again.
Jay Thomas, a fan of Mase was incensed that the ordained minister missed, whether it was with or without sufficient warning. “I just wanted to say that it’s not right for Mase to do this at his headlining concert and then the crew he has beef with is in place of him and takes his spot. That’s bulls**t,” Thomas said.