Mase was my favorite rapper in 1997, when I was 12, LOVE Harlem World.
Didn't get into Reasonable Doubt until later, like 1999 or later, but I heard In My Lifetime around the time it was hot. Probably bought that in 1998 too.
That is probably the better comparison. The sound in the game switched so much back, Jay's debut, was like an elegant mediation on hustling and drug trafficking, the streets, and searching for more in the rap game. The production is lower profile, takes a background to the intricate lyrics, even the most commercial track would hardly qualify compared to the smashes from Mase's debut.
Mase debut was Bad Boy at it's absolute prime. Right before it fell wildly off, when the sound changed again in 1998. It's glossy and gaudy, like a big budget movie, very commercial production, 20 plus songs, skits, splashy guest appearances, the subject matter is mostly lifestyle raps and flossing, what people in 2020 would call a "vibe". There's no real theme or narrative he's expressing besides basking in success and fame as Bad Boy's prince, and being from Harlem. But, he never really showcases what Harlem is or was, or meant to him, maybe because he is defining that.
Didn't get into Reasonable Doubt until later, like 1999 or later, but I heard In My Lifetime around the time it was hot. Probably bought that in 1998 too.
That is probably the better comparison. The sound in the game switched so much back, Jay's debut, was like an elegant mediation on hustling and drug trafficking, the streets, and searching for more in the rap game. The production is lower profile, takes a background to the intricate lyrics, even the most commercial track would hardly qualify compared to the smashes from Mase's debut.
Mase debut was Bad Boy at it's absolute prime. Right before it fell wildly off, when the sound changed again in 1998. It's glossy and gaudy, like a big budget movie, very commercial production, 20 plus songs, skits, splashy guest appearances, the subject matter is mostly lifestyle raps and flossing, what people in 2020 would call a "vibe". There's no real theme or narrative he's expressing besides basking in success and fame as Bad Boy's prince, and being from Harlem. But, he never really showcases what Harlem is or was, or meant to him, maybe because he is defining that.
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