Prior to joining Bad Boy, Ma$e was a bigger fan of 2Pac than Biggie

He also talked about Biggie giving him a massive co-sign.

Even though Ma$e was a key member of Bad Boy in their heyday, he still had preferences for other musicians before joining the group. The 49-year-old rapper recently stood next to the late Brooklyn rapper, revealing that he prefers 2Pac to The Notorious B.I.G.

In a recent episode of It Is What It Is, the artist of “Feel So Good” talked candidly about his early rap career. He studied greats like LL Cool J, Method Man, and Nas to improve his flow, delivery, and bars before signing with Bad Boy. He attributes his waves to Nas, his bounce to Meth, and his songwriting to LL, but there was one artist in particular that he really liked listening to.

At first, I wasn’t paying attention to Big. He said, “I was more of a 2Pac fan.” “I thought, ‘Now I’m with Bad Boy, but [I’m] really a 2Pac fan,'” when I signed with the label. However, Biggie’s support greatly enhanced his craft and overall star power. “I was listening to Biggie’s raps. And that taught me a lot about rap,” Ma$e continued. “And then he brought me out one day while he was performing at the Apollo, and that was the moment that completely changed everything.”

Ma$e would later collaborate with The Notorious B.I.G. on songs including “Only You,” “Been Around The World,” and “Mo Money Mo Problems.” Under Bad Boy Records, he also released his three studio albums: Welcome Back, Double Up, and Harlem World.

His career most recently took off as a sports and cultural analyst on It’s What It Is with Cam’ron. They have a sizable fan base thanks to their wit and humor, but there are also some rivalries. The veteran rapper was recently body-shamed by Jim Jones, who is still at odds with Killa Cam.

Jones told XXL, “He needs to go on a diet.” “He needs to organize his life.” He needs to obtain a physical and see a doctor. He looks awful. Nia has a huge neck and a crazy waist. This nia is being body-shamed by me. If you’re playing with me, he should go get his act together, go on the treadmill, do some push-ups, or do anything else. You will require it.