''Harlem World'' is the debut album by American hip hop recording artist

Mase Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...

, released on October 28, 1997, by

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...

and

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

. The album was nominated at the

41st Annual Grammy Awards The 41st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1999, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998. Lauryn Hill received the most nominations with 10, setting a record for the most no ...

for

Best Rap Album The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...

. It went on to sell 4.8 million copies in the United States, going quadruple Platinum in the United States. ''Harlem World'' sold nearly 273,000 copies during its first week.

Background

Seen as

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks * PUF ...

's new protégé since the passing of

The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

, Mase rose to fame after being a member of Children of the Corn with fellow Harlem rappers

Big L Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record executive. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Coleman became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ...

and

Cam'ron Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron, is an American rapper, record executive, and actor from Harlem, New York City. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed to Lance "Un" ...

. After the death of Bloodshed and the subsequent disbanding of the group, Mase was signed to Bad Boy, catching the public eye when appearing on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems" from Biggie's 1997 album ''

Life After Death The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving ess ...

''. Puff Daddy began to promote Mase as the new premier act of Bad Boy and within a year had released "Harlem World", a successful album spawning hits such as "Feel So Good" (U.S. #5), "What You Want" (U.S. #6), and "Lookin' at Me" (U.S. #8). Mase released his first solo LP, ''Harlem World'', which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Pop and R&B LP charts selling over 175,000 copies in the U.S. its first week of release; it has since gone on to sell 4.8 million copies in the United States. Joining Mase on his solo LP was a long list of rap elite including

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

8Ball & MJG 8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee. They met at Ridgeway Middle School (Memphis, Tennessee) in 1984. In 1993, the duo released their debut album ''Comin' Out Hard''. They went on to release ''On the Outside Looking In ...

The Lox The Lox (stylized The LOX or The L.O.X.) is an American hip hop group from Yonkers, New York, formed in 1994. The group is composed of East Coast rappers Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss. They had originally signed to Puff Daddy's Bad Boy R ...

, Total, and his close friend DMX. The album featured production by Combs, Steven "Stevie J" Jordan,

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ. Early life Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...

Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence Val Anthony Ronald Lawrence (born November 14, 1965), known professionally as Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, is an American record producer. Early life Lawrence was born on the island of Dominica. In 1970, his family immigrated to the United States, ...

Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, and (then unknowns)

The Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos, ...

. Mase told MTV about his first solo effort: "Well, basically what I'm trying to establish is a strong identity and foundation for Mase so a lot of people could know that Mase is his own person and Mase can do other things besides rap and music and things in that nature."

Reception

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' said of the album: "...creatively refreshing, well-crafted lyrics... rap's newest bad boy more than holds his own on his solo debut... his distinctive marble-mouthed drawl... creates a regular-guy persona all too rare in hip-hop."Muzik (4/9, p.84) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...Harlem on the rise? Most definitely." Rap Pages (1/98, p.105) - Solid Material - "...Creatively refreshing, well-crafted lyrics and a high-energy track over a hyped beat easily make this..." In 2008, the single "Feel So Good" was ranked number 67 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

Track listing

Sample credits * "Do You Wanna Get $" sampled "

Do Ya Wanna Get Funky with Me "Do Ya Wanna Get Funky with Me" is a 1977 single recorded by Peter Brown. The record sold more than one million copies. It was his first hit song. Backing vocals were provided by Wildflower. The song reached #18 in the U.S. and #3 R&B.''Joel ...

" by Peter Brown. * "Feel So Good" sampled "

Hollywood Swinging "Hollywood Swinging" is a 1974 song by R&B/ funk band Kool & the Gang from their album '' Wild and Peaceful''. It was written by Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell, George M. Brown, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Claydes Charles Smith, Dennis R. Thomas an ...

" by

Kool & The Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...

and " Bad Boy" by

Miami Sound Machine Miami Sound Machine was an American band of Latin-influenced music that had featured the vocals of Cuban-born recording artist Gloria Estefan (née Fajardo). Established in 1975 by Emilio Estefan Jr., the band was originally known as the Miami ...

. * "Love You So" sampled "

Square Biz "Square Biz" is a 1981 song by American R&B singer, Teena Marie. Bass player and frequent collaborator Allen McGrier is credited as the co-writer along with Marie. The song was released as a single from the album ''It Must Be Magic'', and became on ...

" by

Teena Marie Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...

and "

Ooh Boy "Ooh Boy" (sometimes known as "Ooh Boy (I Love You So)") is a song written by Norman Whitfield and originally recorded by American soul and R&B group Rose Royce for their second album, '' In Full Bloom'' (1977). It was released as the third si ...

" by

Rose Royce Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including "Car Wash", " I Wanna Get Next to You", " I'm Going Down", "Wishing on a Star", and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore". Career Th ...

. * "Jealous Guy" sampled "

Jealous Girl "Popcorn Love" is a single by New Edition, released on August 6, 1983. It was released as the third and final single from their debut album, '' Candy Girl'' on the Streetwise label. The single read #25 on the R&B chart. Charts Another Bad Cr ...

" by

New Edition New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 198 ...

& by

Another Bad Creation Another Bad Creation (sometimes called ABC for short) Overview )))"> allmusic ((( Another Bad Creation > Overview ))) Retrieved November 7, 2007. Demetrius and Marliss ("Red" and "Mark", respectively) Pugh, as well as Adrian "G.A." (General Austi ...

. * "Will They Die 4 U?" sampled "Everything Good to You (Ain't Always Good for You)" by B.T. Express. * "Puff's Intro" sampled "Joy" by

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

. * "Wanna Hurt Mase?" sampled "

Do You Really Want to Hurt Me "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is a song written and performed by English new wave band Culture Club. Released as a single in September 1982 from the group's platinum-selling debut album, '' Kissing to Be Clever'' (1982), it was the band's fir ...

" by

Culture Club Culture Club are an English pop band formed in London in 1981. The band comprises Boy George (lead vocals), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Mikey Craig (bass guitar) and formerly included Jon Moss (drums and percussion). Emerging in the New ...

. * "I Need to Be" sampled "Tomorrow" by

The Brothers Johnson The Brothers Johnson were an American funk and R&B band consisting of American musicians and brothers George ("Lightnin' Licks") and Louis E. Johnson ("Thunder Thumbs"). They achieved their greatest success from the mid-1970s to early 1980s, ...

. * "24 Hrs. to Live" sampled "Moses Theme" by Frankie Bleu. * "What You Want" sampled "Right on for the Darkness" by

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

. * "Cheat on You" sampled "

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is a single written and recorded by American singer Michael Jackson. Released under Epic Records on July 10, 1979, the song is the first track on Jackson's fifth studio album ''Off the Wall'' (1979). It was the ...

" by

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

. * "Lookin' at Me" interpolated "Illegal Search" by

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

Personnel

*Barry White – Grooming *Eightball & MJG – Performer *Billy Lawrence – Performer *Busta Rhymes – Performer *Sean "Diddy" Combs – Producer, Mixing, Performer, Executive Producer *DMX – Performer *Jermaine Dupri – Producer, Mixing *Kelis – Performer *Ben Garrison – Engineer *Tony Maserati – Mixing *Michael Patterson – Engineer, Mixing *Herb Powers – Mastering *Phil Tan – Engineer, Mixing *Doug Wilson – Engineer *Total – Performer *Nasheim Myrick – Producer *Monifah – Performer *112 – Performer *Jay–Z – Performer *Lil' Kim – Performer *Deric Angelettie – Producer, Associate Executive Producer *MJG – Performer *

Prince Charles Alexander Charles Alexander (born April 2, 1958), known professionally as Prince Charles Alexander, is an American record producer and audio engineer. He received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 2003. Background Alexander was born in B ...

– Mixing *Carlos "6 July" Broady – Piano, Producer *Lisa Peardon – Photography *Kelly Price – Vocals *Lane Craven – Mixing *Groovy Lew – Stylist *Marcus Logan – Marketing *Mase – Rap *LOX – Performer *Pharrell Williams – Producer *Stephen Dent – Engineer *Jimmie Wilson – Engineer *

– Producer *J–Dub – Programming *Chad Hugo – Producer *Dame Grease – Producer *DJ DeVonte Luv – Scratching * Richard "Younglord" Frierson – Producer *Lil' Cease – Performer *Black Rob – Performer *Cudda Love– Manager *Kelly Mack– Road Manager *Supa Sam– Road DJ

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1997 debut albums Albums produced by Sean Combs Albums produced by Dame Grease Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri Albums produced by the Neptunes Bad Boy Records albums Mase albums

Background

Reception

Track listing

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

See also

References