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Double Up (Mase album)

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Double Up
Studio album by
Mase
ReleasedJune 15, 1999 (1999-06-15)
GenreHip hop
Length64:23
Label
Producer
Mase chronology
Harlem World
(1997) 		Double Up
(1999) 		Welcome Back
(2004)
Singles from Double Up
  1. "Get Ready"
    Released: May 25, 1999

Double Up is the second studio album by American rapper Mase. It was released on June 15, 1999,[1] by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records.[2] Mase reunited with many of his previous collaborators on Double Up, including Sean Combs, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Deric "D-Dot", Angelettie, while also bringing in new contributions from Andreao "Fanatic" Heard, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Nashiem Myrick, Robert "Shim" Kirkland, Righteous Funk Boogie, Buckwild, and Mario Winans.

The album received mostly mixed reviews from music critics, with some ranking it among the best hip-hop albums of the year, while others deemed it inferior to Harlem World. Commercially, the album failed to reprise the success of his debut: It opened and peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) exactly one month after its release on July 15, 1999. Two months before the release, Mase announced his retirement from rapping to become a Christian pastor.[3] Thus, Double Up would mark his latest release until 2004's Welcome Back.[4]

Background

[edit]

Mase's debut album Harlem World (1997) opened at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling over 270,000 copies in its first week and later going 4× Platinum.[5] Chiefly produced by Bad Boy Records's rooster of frequent collaborators or inhouse producers D-Dot, The Hitmen, Stevie J., Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Chucky Thompson, the album spawned three consecutive top ten hits, including like "Feel So Good", "What You Want" and "Lookin' at Me."[6] Also in 1997, Mase was also featured on tracks with Bad Boy head Puff Daddy as well as Mariah Carey ("Honey"), Brian McKnight ("You Should Be Mine"), and Brandy ("Top of the World").[6] For his next project with Bad Boy, Mase reteamed with the majority of his former collaborators, with additinal help from Andreao "Fanatic" Heard, Buckwild, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Nashiem Myrick, and Mario Winans.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[8]
Q[9]
Rolling Stone[10]
The Source[11]
The Village Voice(dud)[12]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Double Up a "good sequel to a promising debut [that] pretty much recycles the same hooktastic pop-rap formulas as Harlem World, following Puff Daddy's design of borrowing the best, regardless of the source, and turning it into radio-ready party music. While this is pleasing to the ear, it tends to be a little monotonous and too predictable, especially when compared to Mase's raps."[7] Similarly, Entertainment Weekly's Tom Sinclair wrote: "In the grand tradition of his mentor, Puff Daddy, Mase cannily packs his tracks with can’t-miss samples for maximum ear appeal. But it’s his words, delivered with chilling, methodical clarity, that cut deepest. His disenchantment with hip-hop hypocrisy is a recurring theme, and his holy dissatisfaction is wholly convincing."[8]

BBC News wrote: "If this really is it, then in Double Up he has left a lasting legacy, with his use of beats and samples as fresh and innovative as ever [...] And what an album it is – maybe not quite as tight as Harlem World, but certainly up there with Eminem as one of the hip hop compositions of the year."[13] Less impressed, Kris Ex from Rolling Stone declared the album a "predictable collection of richer-than-thou tales of girls, jewels and cars, and woe-is-me lamentations of jealously, back-stabbing and alienation. In trying to distance himself from Puff Daddy, Mase has fallen well short of his former Svengeli's slick standardes – you can't even dance to Double Up."[10] XXL later referred to the album as his weakest release.[4]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Double Up debuted and peaked at number eleven the US Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[14] selling 107,000 copies in its first week.[15] It was a considerable decline from his previous album Harlem World, which had debuted with twice as many units sold.[5] On July 15, 1999, Double Up was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[16] In January 2009, Billboard reported that the album had sold 425,000 copies domestically, making it Mase's lowest-selling album to date.[17]

Track listing

[edit]
Double Up track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Puff Daddy (Intro)"
Winans0:59
2."Stay Out of My Way" (featuring Total)
  • Lawrence
  • Combs
3:49
3."Get Ready" (featuring Blackstreet)
  • Heard
  • Combs
4:20
4."Make Me Cry"
  • Pierre
  • Foote
4:14
5."Awards Show" (Interlude)BethaMase1:48
6."Same Niggas"
Myrick5:19
7."No Matter What"
  • Vanderpool
  • Combs
3:57
8."If You Want to Party"
Vanderpool4:05
9."Jail Visit" (Interlude)BethaMase2:04
10."Fuck Me, Fuck You" (featuring Mysonne)
  • Angelettie
  • Combs
4:14
11."Do It Again" (featuring Puff Daddy)
  • Vanderpool
  • Combs
3:21
12."Another Story to Tell"
Buckwild3:07
13."Blood is Thicker"BethaRighteous Funk Boogie4:02
14."You Ain't Smart"
  • Betha
  • Myrick
  • Combs
  • Myrick
  • Combs
4:08
15."All I Ever Wanted"
Myrick4:02
16."Mad Rapper" (Interlude)AngelettieAngelettie0:35
17."From Scratch" (featuring Shyne, Harlem World & Mysonne)
Winans4:36
18."Gettin' It" (featuring Funkmaster Flex)
  • Betha
  • Barrows
  • Robert "Shim" Kirkland
Kirkland0:56
Total length:64:23

Sample credits

  • "Stay Out of My Way" contains replayed elements from "Joy" by Public Enemy and "Justify My Love" by Madonna.
  • "Get Ready" contains excerpts from "A Night to Remember" as performed by Shalamar.
  • "Make Me Cry" contains excerpts from "Oh Daddy" as performed by Fleetwood Mac.
  • "Same Niggas" contains resung elements of "The Way It Is" as written and performed by Bruce Hornsby.
  • "No Matter What" contains excerpts and samples from "Cars" as written and performed by Gary Numan.
  • "If You Want to Party" contains replayed elements from "Feel Up" as written and performed by Grace Jones.
  • "Fuck Me, Fuck You" contains excerpts and samples from "(Theme from) Untouchables" as written by Ennio Morricone.
  • "Do It Again" contains replayed elements from ""The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" as performed by Dominatrix.
  • "Another Story to Tell" contains excerpts and samples of "In the Middle of the Feeling" as performed by Three Ounces of Love.
  • "All I Ever Wanted" contains excerpts and samples of "San Francisco Bay" as performed by Lee Oskar.

Charts

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Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Double Up
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[16] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Mase On His Faith, Retirement: "The Realest Thing You've Ever Seen"". MTV. April 26, 1999. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Bad Boy Readies New Albums From Puff Daddy, Mase, And Biggie". MTV. March 24, 1999. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  3. ^ Ellis, Marginee (November 2002). "Ma$e Doesn't Want To Go Back To Rap". XXL. New York. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "14 Weakest Albums by Great Rappers". XXL. November 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Mase's 'World' Makes Its Way Straight to Top". Los Angeles Times. November 6, 1997. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Ro, Ronin (2001). Bad boy: the influence of Sean "Puffy" Combs on the music industry. New York City: Simon and Schuster. pp. 87–88. ISBN 0-7434-2823-4.
  7. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Double Up – Mase". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Sinclair, Tom (June 18, 1999). "Double Up". Entertainment Weekly. New York. p. 77. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "Re-Releases". Q. April 2002. p. 133.
  10. ^ a b Ex, Kris (July 8, 1999). "Recordings: Mase – Double Up". Rolling Stone. No. 816/817. New York. p. 143. Archived from the original on November 18, 2007. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  11. ^ Osorio, Kim (July 1999). "Record Report: Mase – Double Up". The Source. No. 118. New York. p. 185.
  12. ^ Christgau, Robert (September 7, 1999). "Consumer Guide: African Connection". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  13. ^ "Entertainment: New Music Releases – CD Review: Ma$e". BBC News. July 18, 1999. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Mase Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "McGraw's 'Live' Powers To No. 1". Billboard. September 1, 2004. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "American album certifications – Mase – Double Up". Recording Industry Association of America.
  17. ^ Concepcion, Mariel (January 7, 2009). "Mase Making Comeback, Inspired By Michael Jackson". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  18. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Ma$e – Double Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ma$e – Double Up" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  20. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ma$e – Double Up" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  21. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  22. ^ "Mase Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  23. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
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