The Reverend Mason Betha Devotional: Moses, Aaron, and Blinky Blink

Every Monday I will share an anecdote and/or existential life lesson based on teachings from your favorite rapper’s favorite pastor, Ma$e. This week’s installment is a day late but never a dollar short. “Now Angelica’s the one with all the exposure. Dil is the one who drop in the stroller. Tommy got the whole world […]

The Reverend Mason Betha Devotional: Book of Life After Death, Chapter 10

Every Monday I will share an anecdote and/or existential life lesson based on teachings from your favorite rapper’s favorite pastor, Ma$e. “Stay humble, stay low, blow like Hootie.” Prosperity preachers often get a bad rap. The public perceive them as pompous and pious people who pillage Peter to pay themselves. Most miss the undercurrent of […]

Thinking B.I.G.

“Biggie got killed,” were my mother’s first words to me on the morning of March 9, 1997. Somewhere between shock and déjà vu, the moment felt surreal. The passing of both B.I.G. and Pac felt like the end of childhood innocence. My world was beginning to expand in sixth grade: I went to middle school […]

The Mason Betha Devotional: Book of Harlem World, Chapter Six

Every Monday I will share an anecdote and/or existential life lesson based on teachings from your favorite rapper’s favorite pastor, Ma$e. “If you got a girl, don’t be real committed. ‘Cause Ma$e will hit it. You got-ta deal with it.” In 1997, the Player Hater’s Parable, also known as “Lookin’ At Me,” was considered groundbreaking. […]