Harlem World

Harlem World
Studio album by Mase
Released October 28, 1997 (US)
Recorded 1996–1997
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length 66:04
Label Bad Boy Records
Producer Sean "Puffy" Combs (Exec.), The Hitmen (Including Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie(Exec.), Steven "Stevie J" Jordan & Nashiem Myrick), Jermaine Dupri, The Neptunes, Dame Grease, Mo-Suave-A
Mase chronology
Harlem World
(1997)		 Double Up
(1999)
Singles from Harlem World
  1. "Feel So Good"
    Released: October 14, 1997
  2. "What You Want"
    Released: January 13, 1998
  3. "24 Hrs. to Live"
    Released: February 20, 1998
  4. "Lookin' at Me"
    Released: July 7, 1998

Harlem World is the critically acclaimed multi-platinum debut album by American hip hop recording artist Mase, released October 28, 1997. The album was nominated at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album.

Background

Seen as Puff Daddy's new protégé 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 Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Busta Rhymes, The Lox, Total, and his close friend DMX. The album featured production by Combs, Steven "Stevie J" Jordan, Jermaine Dupri, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, 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."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Robert Christgau(A-) link
Entertainment Weekly(B+) link
Los Angeles Times link
Muzik link
Rap Pages(favorable) link
RapReviews.com link

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.

Track listing

# Name Producer(s) Featured Guest(s) Time
1 "Puff's Intro" Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen 1:40
2 "Do You Wanna Get $?" Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen Puff Daddy 3:49
3 "Take What's Yours" Nashiem Myrick & Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen DMX 3:45
4 "Mad Rapper (Interlude)" 1:13
5 "Will They Die 4 U?" Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen Puff Daddy & Lil' Kim 4:04
6 "Lookin' at Me" The Neptunes Puff Daddy 4:15
7 "White Girl (Interlude)" 0:52
8 "Love U So" Steven "Stevie J" Jordan for The Hitmen Billy Lawrence 3:12
9 "The Player Way" Mo-Suave-A, T-Mix 8Ball & MJG 4:13
10 "Hater (Interlude)" 1:00
11 "Niggaz Wanna Act" Dame Grease Busta Rhymes 4:09
12 "Feel So Good" Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen Kelly Price 3:24
13 "What You Want" Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen Total 4:02
14 "Phone Conversation (Interlude)" 1:49
15 "Cheat on You" Jermaine Dupri Lil' Cease, Jay-Z & 112 3:15
16 "24 Hrs. to Live" Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen The LOX, Black Rob & DMX 4:16
17 "I Need to Be" Carl "Chucky" Thompson for The Hitmen Monifah 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 & Puff Daddy 6:25

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 & by Another Bad Creation

"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

Chart positions

Chart Position
U.S. Billboard 200 1
U.S. Top Rap Albums 1
Canadian Album chart 55

Singles

Single Information
"Feel So Good"
  • Released: October 14, 1997
  • Billboard Hot 100: #5
  • Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #5
  • Hot Rap Singles: #1
"What You Want"
  • Released: January 13, 1998
  • Billboard Hot 100: #6
  • Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #3
  • Hot Rap Singles: #3
"Lookin' at Me"
  • Released: July 7, 1998
  • Billboard Hot 100: #8
  • Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #8
  • Hot Rap Singles: #1

Personnel

See also

Preceded by
The Album by The Firm		 Billboard 200 number-one album
November 15–28, 1997 		Succeeded by
Higher Ground by Barbra Streisand
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