By Houston Williams
The death of Michael Jackson has inspired a return to rap by rapper-turned-preacher Mase.
"I'm excited. Mike [Jackson] passed away. It lit a fire under me and made me want to go in the studio and do something," Mase told DJ Self of New York's Power 105 FM after the legendary pop singer died.
Still, Mase said that he knows nothing of about contemporary rappers and needed help finding out Hip-Hop's top talents.
"I asked my lil' nephew and said, 'Who is the hottest thing out there?' He said 'Drake, Drake.' I said I gotta see what record he got and I said I'm going to jump on a joint."
He said he eventually got the re-make to DJ Self to break the record.
"You know I stay with a couple [rhymes] under my sleeves. I just need a place to play them," Mase said.
"I just love both of them. I know we had a lot of bad altercations and stuff like that. I got love for the family, man," the Harlem-bred artist said. "At the end of the day, my kids are supposed to know their kids. Their kids are supposed to know mine.
Jim Jones called into the station and apologized to Mase for their past exchanges which were very public.
"I just wanted to tell you I tip my hat to you. I apologize to you for anything I ever done when I was younger," Jim Jones said in a brief conversation with Mase.
"I'm good like a fresh pair of [Air force] 1's," Mase concluded.