Ma$e was one the most impactful rappers of the Bad Boy Records era, but hip hop almost didn’t get that legendary run in the 1990s from the Harlem rapper.

Ma$e recently admitted that he was much more of a 2Pac fan than Biggie Smalls when Diddy signed him to Bad Boy Records. But after the signing, the 49-year-old rapper and Biggie became close as they helped push the label co-founded by Diddy.

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Speaking on the It Is What It Is podcast, Ma$e shared that he studied greats like Nas, Method Man, and LL Cool J in his early rap career during a period when he was mastering his craft as an MC. He shared that during that period of his career, he enjoyed listening to Tupac’s music.

“I wasn’t at first listening to Big. I was more like a 2Pac fan,” Mase said. “So when I got signed to Bad Boy, it was like, ‘Now I’m with Bad Boy, but [I’m] really a 2Pac fan.’”

“Biggie was letting me hear his raps… And I learned so much about rap like that,” the Harlem rapper added while crediting his allegiance to Biggie for helping his career reach new heights. “And then one day, he was performing at the Apollo, and he brought me out, and that was the part that just changed everything.”

Ma$e and The Notorious B.I.G. went on to collaborate on several big hits, including “Only You,” “Mo Money Mo Problems,” and “Been Around The World.” Ma$e also saw huge success after dropping three solo albums under the Bad Boy umbrella before leaving music to become a pastor.

These days, Ma$e is back in the public eye as a commentator on rap culture and sports with his longtime friend, Cam’ron, on their show, It Is What It Is. The show has developed a massive following thanks to the host’s humor and sometimes controversial take on sports and matters impacting the culture.

Ma$e also shared that he had a better start in rap than Drake, despite the Canadian rapper now being the biggest rapper in the world. “My hand was hotter than probably Drake‘s,” he said. “I’m not gonna lie to you. I mean from the beginning. Now Drake has had a way better career, did major things, but I’m saying, my initial start was hotter than Drake’s.”