Welcome Back (Mase album)

Welcome Back
Studio album by
Mase
ReleasedAugust 24, 2004
GenreHip hop
Length49:30
Label
Producer
Mase chronology
Double Up
(1999) 		Welcome Back
(2004)
Singles from Welcome Back
  1. "Welcome Back"
    Released: May 25, 2004
  2. "Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
    Released: September 14, 2004
  3. "Keep It On"
    Released: 2004

Welcome Back is the third studio album by American rapper Mase. It was released on August 24, 2004, by Bad Boy Records, Fo'Reel Entertainment and Universal Records. His first album since 1999's Double Up, Welcome Back was coneceived after a five-year break spent pursuing religion. Mase consulted a variety of musicians to work with him on the album, including Rick Rock, Tyrice Jones, Brass 'n Blues, Park Jin-Young, Chad Hamilton, and Ryan Presson as well as James Bunton and Corron Cole from The Movement.

The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, selling 188,000 copies in the first week. The album received gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying sales of 559,000 copies in the United States. Welcome Back was prededed by its same-titled lead single, which samples the Welcome Back, Kotter theme song. This was Mase's first album to not have a Parental Advisory warning, and his first official studio release since 1999's Double Up.

Background

In June 1999, Mase released his second album, Double Up, on Bad Boy and Arista Records. The album sold 107,000 copies in its first week,[1] debuting 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.[2] Two months before the release, Mase announced his retirement from rapping to become a Christian pastor.[3] After a five-year break spent pursuing religion, he announced in summer 2004 that he would release a new album, Welcome Back, via Fo’ Reel Entertainment and Bad Boy.[4]

Promotion

Welcome Back was preceded by its same-titled lead single which samples "Welcome Back," the theme song to the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. The song peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Hot Rap Songs chart.[4] Released to international success, it also peaked at number four on the New Zealand Singles Chart, while also reaching number 25 in Switzerland and number 29 in the United Kingdom..[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic57/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Blender[5]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[7]
HipHopDX[8]
PopMatters[5][9]
RapReviews5.5/10[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
Tiny Mix Tapes[12]
USA Today[13]

Welcome Back received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 57, based on 11 reviews.[5] Tiny Mix Tapes wrote that "fortunately, Mase does us one better by dusting the magnetic dust off the microphone and showing us that he can still hang with the rest of the industry. The style hasn't changed, the lyrics haven't suffered, and the charm and charisma is still clearly evident."[12] Fiore Raymond from Entertainment Weekly concluded that "the newly redeemed MC hasn't given up preaching completely; and righteousness is most un-Welcome."[7] Billboard complimented songs such as "Welcome Back" and "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" that recalled "Mase's earlier material. Unfortunately, the rest of the album isn't nearly as catchy. Songs like "Do You Remember" and "Wasting My Time" are tolerable but don't require repeated listening."[14]

AllMusic's David Jeffries said, "Welcome Back runs out of steam toward the end, and spreading out some of the "don't sleep on this" material from the beginning would've worked wonders. It makes this the least necessary Mase album, but half the tracks point to a future that is brighter than ever."[6] Jon Caramanica, writing for Rolling Stone, found that Mase's delivery was lacking in quality after years away from the rap game and focusing on religion.[11] Kelefa Sanneh from The New York Times said that despite the production in "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" and "Do You Remember" giving him support to lace his flow on the beat, he felt Mase's religious outlook held him back when delivering "lousy similes" about the Bible and brushing women and former friends aside without a response, calling Welcome Back "a surprisingly tepid collection that might have benefited from a bit more preaching, or at least a bit more passion."[15]

Commercial performance

Welcome Back debuted and peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[16] selling 188,000 copies in its first week of release.[17] On November 1, 2004, Welcome Back was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[18] By January 2009, Billboard reported that the album had sold 559,000 units domestically.[19]

Track listing

Welcome Back track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Welcome Back"John SebastianThe Movement4:22
2."Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
Rick Rock3:17
3."Keep It On"
Jones3:34
4."My Harlem Lullaby"
  • Betha
  • James "JB" Bunton
  • Corron Cole
The Movement3:54
5."I Owe"
  • Betha
  • Thomas
Rock3:49
6."Wasting My Time"
  • Betha
  • Samuel Gerongco
  • Robert Gerongco
Brass 'n Blues4:01
7."Gotta Survive"
  • Betha
  • Cole
  • Erica Dymakkus
The Movement4:42
8."The Love You Need" (featuring Rashad)
  • Jin-Young
  • The Movement[a]
4:06
9."Money Comes and Goes"
  • Hamilton
  • Presson
4:16
10."I Wanna Go"
Jones3:52
11."Into What You Say"
  • Betha
  • Thomas
Rock4:04
12."Do You Remember" (featuring Cardan)
  • Betha
  • Cole
  • Dymakkus
The Movement5:01
Total length:49:30

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies co-producers

Sample credits

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Welcome Back
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[18] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "McGraw's 'Live' Powers To No. 1". Billboard. September 1, 2004. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  2. ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  3. ^ Ellis, Marginee (November 2002). "Ma$e Doesn't Want To Go Back To Rap". XXL. New York. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Mase Is 'Back' After Five-Year Break". Billboard. July 15, 2004. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "Critic Reviews for Welcome Back by Mase". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Welcome Back - Mase". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Fiore, Raymond (August 20, 2004). "Welcome Back". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  8. ^ Koslow, Jessica (September 14, 2004). "Mase - Welcome Back". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  9. ^ Ozga, Matthew (November 22, 2004). "Mase: Welcome Back". PopMatters. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  10. ^ Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 24, 2004). "Ma$e :: Welcome Back :: Bad Boy Records/Universal". RapReviews. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
  11. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (September 30, 2004). "Mase: Welcome Back". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Chadwicked (December 14, 2006). "Mase - Welcome Back". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  13. ^ Jones, Steve (August 23, 2004). "Welcome prodigal son Mase; Steve Earle's 'Revolution'". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  14. ^ "Mase, Welcome Comeback". Billboard. September 11, 2004. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  15. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (August 30, 2004). "Critic's Choice/New CD's; Rap Beats: Preachy, Snarly or Sweet". The New York Times. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Mase Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  17. ^ Gallo, Phil (September 1, 2004). "McGraw living large atop charts". Variety . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "American album certifications – Mase – Welcome Back". Recording Industry Association of America.
  19. ^ Concepcion, Mariel (January 7, 2009). "Mase Making Comeback, Inspired By Michael Jackson". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  20. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 178.
  21. ^ "Mase Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  22. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. October 7, 2004. Archived from the original on October 10, 2004. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "Lescharts.com – Ma$e – Welcome Back". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ma$e – Welcome Back" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  25. ^ "Charts.nz – Ma$e – Welcome Back". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Ma$e – Welcome Back". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  28. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  29. ^ "Mase Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  30. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  31. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
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