Artist: Whoo Kid & MaseTitle: Crucified 4 The Hood (Mixtape)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Angus Crawford
2006 may go down as the year of the reclamation project for 50 Cent. Mobb Deep and M.O.P. arguably fit the profile of G-Unit artist, but former Pastor Mason Betha is causing a few people to scratch their heads. While 50 is going to have a more difficult time convincing fans that Ma$e is a veritable artist for his label, the Harlemite’s (depending on who you ask) first endeavor as a G-Unit member with DJ Whoo Kid, Crucified By The Hood (Shadyville), is a decent first step.
Although he returns to his Murder Mase moniker, the repackaged Mase is more like a hybrid of his grimier origins when he was running with a teenaged Cam’Ron and the shiny-suit wearing days with Diddy as a Bad Boy artist. This new Mase wastes little time acquainting himself with the ways of G-Unit as the mixtape is filled with shots at Cam’ron (Mase says, I gave you the name Killa), Jim Jones and the rest of the Dipset. Surprisingly he calls out Brandy, Diddy and even the church on “10 Years of Hate”, with the line, The Church ain’t big enough to buy what I’m buyin’ / And Diddy ain’t give enough to fly what I’m flyin’.
Tracks like “Window Shopper remix” and “I Got my Nine”, over Three Six’s “Stay Fly” beat, show Mase at his best delivering his slow flow and boastful lyrics. The truly nostalgic will be thrilled to hear a couple of freestyles from the past, but the mixtape’s purpose is to celebrate his arrival into G-Unit. Whether Mr. Betha is more parts “Murder” or Pastor is not important to him as long as the money is flowing in, and that is definitely one thing he has in common with the rest of G-Unit.
