Childhood Bonds and Early Beginnings
Harlem rappers Cam’ron and Mase have had a tumultuous friendship over the years, but their reconciliation eventually brought them unexpected success with their own sports talk show.[1] Before their decades-long feud, Cameron Giles and rapper-turned-pastor Mason Betha grew up in the same circles. Before the two joined rap group Children of the Corn (comprised of late Big L, Herb McGruff, the late Bloodshed, Six Figga Digga, and DukeDaGod), the two played basketball together at Manhattan Center High School located in East Harlem, New York. [2] [3]
Breaking into the Rap Scene
In 1997, Killa Cam made his debut on BET’s Rap City with the help of Mase.[4] During the interview, Cam’ron stated, “I do a lot of writing. I’m not gonna say who I write for.” When the interviewer requested names, Mase responded, “We can’t do that.”
Mase also introduced him to The Notorious B.I.G. who then linked him with Lance “Un” Rivera.[6]
The Rise of Cam’ron
During his first MTV interview in 1998, Cam broke down the story.
“I used to go to a junior college in Texas and then when I came back, Mase was like, ‘Yo, you start writing and I will put you on again.’ You know what I’m saying?”
So I started writing again, and he took me over to Notorious B.I.G.’s house. And I rapped from Biggie and Biggie was like, ‘Yo, you nice. You know what I’m saying? I want to put you on, you know what I’m saying?’ And I was like, of course, this is B.I.G., I would love to be put on. So he called his partner, Un Rivera, like, ‘I got this kid sitting at my house, I want to sign him.’ And Un was like, ‘I’ll sign him.’ You know what I’m saying? He didn’t even hear me rhyme, he just respected Big’s opinion that much. After Big passed away, he got a new label called Untertainment and he wanted to make me the first artist, for the simple fact that Big wanted to sign me. And that is how I got a deal with Untertainment,” he shared.
The “Horse & Carriage Video Controversy
Cam’s debut album Confessions of Fire was released on Rivera’s Untertainment label, with its lead single “Horse & Carriage” featuring Mase. However, the Harlem World founder demanded $50,000 to appear in the song’s video, so Cam’ron hired a body double to stand in as Mase. [7] [8]
When asked by MTV why he wasn’t in the video, Cam’ron explained, “He had some family business to attend to and family always comes before music at any time.” [9]
Mase’s Departure and Return
In a 1999 interview with Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97, Mase announced his retirement from rap to pursue a career as a pastor.[10] At the time, some speculated that Mase’s newfound spirituality and his move from Harlem to Atlanta were actually driven by an ongoing feud with Baby Maine.[11]
When he announced his return to the rap game five years later with an album entitled Welcome Back, Cam and Jim Jones dialed in to radio station Hot 97 to call him a “fraud.” [12]
The Height of Their Feud
In retrospect, Cam admitted that their beef stemmed from his misunderstanding of the Bad Boy rapper’s new religious transformation.
“He went to church. I kinda didn’t understand it at the time because that’s my man all day and I’m like, where church come from?” he told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s on their All the Smoke podcast.[13] “So I started bugging out on him because of that. So to be honest with you, the whole sh*t was my fault and just not understanding the kind of path he was on at the time.”
In 2004, Cam’ron and Juelz Santana also dissed Mase on “Take Em To Church” from Killa’s Purple Haze album,[14] and in 2006, he told XXL, “I’ll never speak to Mase again.”[15]
The beef was revived over a decade later in 2017.[16] During an Instagram Live session, Cam’ron shared his own perspective on why he believed Mase chose to become a pastor. “See, that’s what Mase did,” he said. “Mase went real wild. He said, ‘Yo, they can’t beef with me, they can’t ask me for nothing. I’m gonna throw on the Rev. Run collar and get the heck out of here.'”
Later that November, he threw shots at Mase again on “It’s Killa” off of his The Program mixtape. Mase finally responded with “The Oracle” and elaborated on the stories behind the lyrics via Genius.[17]
The night after Mase dropped, Cam fired back with “Dinner Time” and exchanged words on Instagram.[18]
Steps Toward Reconciliation
Mase and Cam’ron had differences until August 2022, when the former pastor appeared on Gillie Da Kid and Wallo’s Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast and expressed regret about their beef.[19]
After signing to Death Row Records that same year, Mase was featured in a video posted by the rapper’s sister, Stason. [20] [21] In the footage, he is seen making amends with Cam’ron during a phone call.”Killa, what’s good? Where’s Mr. Petty at these days?” he asked jokingly.
Stason recorded the video, exclaiming, “Ok now @rsvpmase and @mr_camron I DEFINITELY DID NOT SEE THIS COMING but I’m here for it!!!! Smh y’all gotta stop with this nonsense or I’m swinging on both of y’all!!!”[22]
The Birth of It Is What It Is
In late February of 2023, the Harlem rappers reunited for an online-only sports talk show called It Is What It Is, which premiered on YouTube and initially received little recognition.
“Ma$e got me my first record deal ever,” Cam told Good Day New York’s Rosanna Scotto. “Doing this show, creating this show and having him be a part of it, it felt like I’m giving back to him for helping me even be an entertainer.” [23]
The show went on to garner viral success and interest from potential buyers, and the duo signed a lucrative $30 million with Underdog Fantasy in August of 2023.[24] Despite their turbulent past, the evolution of Cam’ron and Mase—from childhood friends to rap rivals and ultimately sports co-hosts—exemplifies growth, forgiveness, and entrepreneurial achievement.
SOURCES:
[1] https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/756782-camron-mase-beef-it-is-what-it-is-hip-hop-news
[2] https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/27/camron-mase-beef-history
[3] https://www.complex.com/music/a/markelibert/camron-big-l-popularity-rose-following-his-murder
[4] https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/27/camron-mase-beef-history
[5] https://genius.com/Camron-never-before-seen-camron-raw-and-uncut-interview-annotated
[6] Ibid.
[7] https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/27/camron-mase-beef-history
[8]https://www.google.com/books/edition/Vibe/hS9LAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mase%20camron%20horse%20and%20carriage%20video&dq=mase%20camron%20horse%20and%20carriage%20video&printsec=frontcover
[9] Ibid.
[10] https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/756782-camron-mase-beef-it-is-what-it-is-hip-hop-news
[11] Ibid.
[12] https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/27/camron-mase-beef-history
[13] https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/camron-admits-fall-out-mase-religious-path-1234836132/
[14] https://genius.com/Camron-take-em-to-church-lyrics
[15] https://www.xxlmag.com/files/2017/10/CamronMoneyonmyMind-Copy.pdf
[16] https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/756782-camron-mase-beef-it-is-what-it-is-hip-hop-news
[17] https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/27/camron-mase-beef-history
[18] Ibid.
[19] https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/camron-admits-fall-out-mase-religious-path-1234836132/
[20] https://www.okayplayer.com/music/mase-is-signing-to-death-row-records.html
[21] https://uproxx.com/music/mase-camron-settle-feud/
[22] Ibid.
[23] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/13/it-is-what-it-is-camron-mase-sports-talk-show-youtube
[24] https://hiphopdx.com/news/camron-mase-deal-underdog-fantasy
