Harlem World
Encyclopedia
Harlem World is the critically acclaimed multi-platinum debut album by Harlem
rapper Mase
, released October 28, 1997.
's new protege since the passing of The Notorious B.I.G.
, Mase rose to fame after being a member of Children of the Corn with fellow Harlem rappers Big L
and Cam'ron
. 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
. 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 270,000 copies in the U.S. its first week of release; it has since gone on to sell 3.3 million copies in the United States. Joining Mase on his solo LP was a long list of rap elite including Busta Rhymes
, Jay-Z
, The Lox
, Lil' Kim
, Total
, and his close friend DMX
. The album featured production by Combs, Jermaine Dupri
, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie
, Steven "Stevie J" Jordan
and (then unknowns) The Neptunes
. 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." Entertainment Weekly
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.
Samples=
"Do You Wanna Get $" By Peter Brown
"Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me"
"Feel So Good" By Kool & The Gang
"Hollywood Swingin" and Bad Boy by Miami Sound Machine
"Love You So" by Teena Marie
"Square Biz" and "Ooh Boy" by Rose Royce
"Jealous Guy" sampled "Jealous Girl" by New Edition
"Will They Die 4 U?" sampled "Everything Good to You (Ain't Always Good for You)" by B.T. Express
"Puff's Intro" sampled "Joy" by Isaac Hayes
"Wanna Hurt Mase?" sampled "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club
"I Need to Be" sampled "Tomorrow" by The Brothers Johnson
"24 Hrs. To Live" sampled "Moses Theme" by Frankie Bleu
"What You Want" sampled "Right on for the Darkness" by Curtis Mayfield
"Cheat on You" sampled "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson
"Lookin' at Me" sampled "Illegal Search" by LL Cool J
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
rapper Mase
Mase
Mason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...
, released October 28, 1997.
Background
Seen as Puff DaddySean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
's new protege since the passing of The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
, Mase rose to fame after being a member of Children of the Corn with fellow Harlem rappers Big L
Big L (rapper)
Lamont Coleman , better known by his stage name Big L, was an American rapper. Coleman was born and raised in Harlem, New York, where he started his rap career with Three the Hard Way. He founded the group Children of the Corn and was a member of the Diggin' in the Crates Crew before pursuing a...
and Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
. After the death of Bloodshed and the subsequent disbanding of the group, Mase was signed to Bad Boy
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
, catching the public eye when appearing on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems" from Biggie's 1997 album Life After Death
Life After Death
Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997 and serves as his final studio album...
. 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 270,000 copies in the U.S. its first week of release; it has since gone on to sell 3.3 million copies in the United States. Joining Mase on his solo LP was a long list of rap elite including Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, The Lox
The LOX
The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records-Early career:...
, Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
, Total
Total (band)
Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
, and his close friend DMX
DMX (rapper)
Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
. The album featured production by Combs, Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie
Deric Angelettie
Deric Michael Angelettie , otherwise known as D-Dot, Papa Dot and The Madd Rapper, is a rapper, record producer, CEO and entrepreneur. He graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in 1986. He then attended Howard University from 1986-1989. He dropped out to pursue a music career...
, Steven "Stevie J" Jordan
Stevie J
--MSGOLDBERG1 23:09, 23 November 2011 Stevie J. is an American musician, singer, record producer and songwriter. This upstate New Yorker is the leader of the Bad Boy Entertainment Hitmen roster of in-house producers and writers during the 90s and thus worked often with the label's owner Sean...
and (then unknowns) The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
. 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." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
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
| # | Name | Producer(s) | Featured Guest(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Puff's Intro" | Sean "Puffy" Combs Sean Combs Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally... for The Hitmen The Hitmen (production team) The Hitmen is a production team formed by Sean "Diddy" Combs to produce hip hop and R&B records for his Bad Boy label's recording artists. Because of its great success, the group has also been hired for projects outside of Bad Boy-Production:... |
Puff Daddy | 1:40 |
| 2 | "Do You Wanna Get $?" | Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie Deric Angelettie Deric Michael Angelettie , otherwise known as D-Dot, Papa Dot and The Madd Rapper, is a rapper, record producer, CEO and entrepreneur. He graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in 1986. He then attended Howard University from 1986-1989. He dropped out to pursue a music career... for The Hitmen |
Kelis | 3:49 |
| 3 | "Take What's Yours" | Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen | DMX DMX (rapper) Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's... |
3:45 |
| 4 | "Mad Rapper (Interlude)" | The Madd Rapper Deric Angelettie Deric Michael Angelettie , otherwise known as D-Dot, Papa Dot and The Madd Rapper, is a rapper, record producer, CEO and entrepreneur. He graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in 1986. He then attended Howard University from 1986-1989. He dropped out to pursue a music career... |
1:13 | |
| 5 | "Will They Die 4 U?" | Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen | Puff Daddy Sean Combs Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally... & Lil' Kim Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A..... |
4:04 |
| 6 | "Lookin' at Me Lookin' at Me "Lookin' at Me" was the third and final single released from Mase's debut album, Harlem World. The song was produced by The Neptunes and featured Puff Daddy. The single was yet another success for Mase, becoming his third consecutive top 10 hit, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was... " |
The Neptunes The Neptunes The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s... |
Puff Daddy Sean Combs Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally... |
4:15 |
| 7 | "White Girl (Interlude)" | 0:52 | ||
| 8 | "Love U So" | Steven "Stevie J" Jordan Stevie J --MSGOLDBERG1 23:09, 23 November 2011 Stevie J. is an American musician, singer, record producer and songwriter. This upstate New Yorker is the leader of the Bad Boy Entertainment Hitmen roster of in-house producers and writers during the 90s and thus worked often with the label's owner Sean... for The Hitmen |
Billy Lawrence Billy Lawrence Billy Lawrence is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, record producer and arranger.-Biography:In 1992, Lawrence made her start in the music industry as a background singer for Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff... |
3:12 |
| 9 | "The Player Way" | Mo-Suave-A | 8Ball & MJG 8Ball & MJG 8Ball & MJG is an American Rap and Crunk duo from Memphis, Tennessee. The two rappers met at in 1980.They first appeared on the rap scene with their 1992 underground album Listen To The Lyrics... |
4:13 |
| 10 | "Hater (Interlude)" | 1:00 | ||
| 11 | "Niggaz Wanna Act" | Dame Grease Dame Grease Damon Blackmon, or Dame Grease, is a Harlem, New York based video and music producer.Before becoming a staple on every mixtape, The LOX relied on the sounds of Grease in order to acquire the street buzz that landed them their deal on Bad Boy Records in 1996... |
Busta Rhymes Busta Rhymes Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes... |
4:09 |
| 12 | "Feel So Good Feel So Good (song) "Feel So Good" was the first single released from Mase's debut album, Harlem World. The song was produced by D-Dot and Sean "Puffy" Combs and featured R&B singer Kelly Price on the chorus... " |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen | Kelly Price Kelly Price Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola... |
3:24 |
| 13 | "What You Want What You Want (Mase song) "What You Want" was the second single released from Mase's debut album, Harlem World. It was produced by Nashiem Myrick of the production team, The Hitmen and featured vocals by R&B group, Total... " |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen/Dj Iroc Dj Iroc Anthony Angelo, better known as DJ Iroc, is an American DJ and Producer from The Bronx, New York, and co-founder of the DJ groups Amerika's Most Wanted DJ's and Europe's Most Wanted DJs... Scratches |
Total Total (band) Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:... |
4:02 |
| 14 | "Phone Conversation (Interlude)" | 1:49 | ||
| 15 | "Cheat on You" | Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :... |
Lil' Cease Lil' Cease James Lloyd, is an American rapper and member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A..Cease's first album release was Conspiracy with the Junior M.A.F.I.A in 1995.... , Jay-Z Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010... & 112 112 Year 112 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Cornelius... |
3:15 |
| 16 | "24 Hrs. to Live" | Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen/Dame Grease | Black Rob Black Rob Black Rob is a rapper who was formerly signed to Bad Boy Records.-Music career:Black Rob began associating with the label as early as 1996, appearing on the Bad Boy remix to 112's "Come See Me"... , DMX DMX (rapper) Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's... & The LOX The LOX The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records-Early career:... |
4:16 |
| 17 | "I Need to Be" | Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen | Monifah Monifah Monifah is an American female R&B singer-songwriter.-Career:In 1996, her debut album, Moods...Moments was released. In 1997, she contributed the Heavy D. produced "I Still Love You" to the soundtrack of the film, Sprung. Monifah's second album was Mo'hogany. Released in the last quarter of 1998,... |
5:12 |
| 18 | "Watch Your Back (Interlude)" | 0:56 | ||
| 19 | "Wanna Hurt Mase?" | Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen | 4:23 | |
| 20 | "Jealous Guy" | Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen | 112 112 (band) 112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"... |
6:25 |
Samples=
"Do You Wanna Get $" By Peter Brown
Peter Brown
-Historical figures:*Peter Browne , also spelled Brown, , Pilgrim and English colonist, signer of the Mayflower Compact*Peter Brown -Historical figures:*Peter Browne (Mayflower Pilgrim), also spelled Brown, (1594–1633), Pilgrim and English colonist, signer of the Mayflower Compact*Peter Brown...
"Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me"
"Feel So Good" By Kool & The Gang
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
"Hollywood Swingin" and Bad Boy by Miami Sound Machine
"Love You So" by Teena Marie
Teena Marie
Mary Christine Brockert, better known by her stage name Teena Marie, was an American singer, songwriter and producer...
"Square Biz" and "Ooh Boy" by Rose Royce
Rose Royce
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:...
"Jealous Guy" sampled "Jealous Girl" by New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
"Will They Die 4 U?" sampled "Everything Good to You (Ain't Always Good for You)" by B.T. Express
B.T. Express
B.T. Express was an American funk/disco group, that had a number of successful songs during the 1970s.-Career:...
"Puff's Intro" sampled "Joy" by Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
"Wanna Hurt Mase?" sampled "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
"I Need to Be" sampled "Tomorrow" by The Brothers Johnson
"24 Hrs. To Live" sampled "Moses Theme" by Frankie Bleu
"What You Want" sampled "Right on for the Darkness" by Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
"Cheat on You" sampled "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
"Lookin' at Me" sampled "Illegal Search" by LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
Chart positions
| Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004.... |
1 |
| Canadian Album chart | 1 |
Singles
| Single Information |
|---|
"Feel So Good"
|
| "What You Want"
|
| "Lookin' at Me"
|
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
- 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 AlexanderPrince Charles AlexanderBorn Charles Alexander on April 2, 1958 in Boston, Massachusetts, Prince Charles Alexander is a Grammy Award winning American producer, audio engineer, recording artist and educator....
- 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
- Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence - Producer
- J-Dub - Programming
- Chad Hugo - Producer
- Dame Grease - Producer
- DJ Iroc - Scratching
- Richard "Younglord" Frierson - Producer
- Lil' Cease - Performer
- Black Rob - Performer
- Kelly Mack- Road Manager
See also
- List of number-one albums of 1997 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 (U.S.)