Ma$e is calling foul on Diddy’s recent comments at the Clive Davis’ recent pre-Grammys gala, essentially calling the Bad Boy Records founder a hypocrite.
Days after Diddy called out the Recording Academy for its treatment of Hip Hop artists, the former Bad Boys signee took to Instagram to put Diddy on blast for the way he’s treated him over the years. In his lengthy caption, Ma$e accuses the Hip Hop mogul of snatching his publishing for way less than it’s worth.
“@diddy I heard your #Grammy speech about how u are now for the artist and about how the artist must take back control,” he began. “So I will be the first to take that initiative. Also, before we ask of other ethnicities to do us right we should do us as black people better. Especially the creators. I heard u loud and clear when u said that u are now for the artist and to that my response is if u want to see change you can make a change today by starting with yourself.
“Your past business practices knowingly has continued purposely starved your artist and been extremely unfair to the very same artist that helped u obtain that Icon Award on the iconic Badboy label. For example, u still got my publishing from 24 years ago in which u gave me $20k. Which makes me never want to work w/ u as any artist wouldn’t after u know someone is robbing you & tarnishing your name when u don’t want to comply w/ his horrendous business model.”
The 44-year-old MC says he wanted to stay silent until he was financially stable. He then reveals he recently offered Diddy $2 million cash to buy back his publishing, but Diddy said he’d have to match “what the European guy” offered him.
“However, people would always ask what’s up w/ Mase? So I would be forced to still perform to not look crazy when I was getting peanuts and the robbery would continue. So many great moments and people lives in music were lost. But again, I rode with u in the face of death without flinching & u still wouldn’t do right. I never said anything because I wanted to wait until I was financially great so I can ensured that I was addressing this from a pure place and not out of spite. To add insult, u keep screaming black excellence and love but I know love isn’t free.”
“So I offered u 2m in cash just a few days ago to sell me back my publishing(as his biggest artist alive) that always show u respect for u giving me an opportunity at 19 yrs old. Your response was if I can match what the EUROPEAN GUY OFFER him that would be the only way I can get it back. Or else I can wait until I’m 50 years old and it will revert back to me from when I was 19 years old. You bought it for about 20k & I offered you 2m in cash. This is not black excellence at all. When our own race is enslaving us. If it’s about us owning, it can’t be about us owning each other. No More Hiding Behind “Love”. U CHANGED? GIVE THE ARTIST BACK THEIR $$$. So they can take care of their families.”
Ma$e signed to Bad Boy Records in the late 90s. Between 1996 and 1999, he racked up six Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles and five No. 1 singles on the U.S. Rap chart. In 1997, he dropped the Grammy-nominated album Harlem World, which was ultimately certified 4x-platinum by RIAA.
On January 20, he released The Complete Albums project, which boasts a staggering 50 tracks and clocks in at just under three hours.
Interestingly enough, he also performed during the Pre-Grammy Gala and Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honoring Diddy on January 25 in Beverly Hills.