Ma$e and Diddy’s relationship has been strained for years—but the Harlem-bred rapper will likely have the last laugh. During the March 7 episode of his sports talk show, It Is What It Is, Ma$e announced his first album since 2004’s Welcome Back is on its way. The project is intended to arrive on a carefully selected date—the first day of the Diddy trial.
“Mo, what’s good? Can y’all hear the music,” he asked his co-hosts Treasure “Stat Baby” Wilson and former football player Maurice Clarett. “I’m listening to the songs that Killa [Cam’ron] picked out of the stuff I made.”
Ma$e clarified that he’s really planning on releasing new songs soon. “These are the songs he picked, so I’m listening to his lineup,” he shared. “It’s gonna be crazy. We had to pick the right records.” When Clarett asked when the music was coming out, Ma$e answered, “May 25. The first day of the Diddy trial. We’re dropping. You like that? You made me put it out there. I wasn’t going to put that out there, but Mo, you made me.”
After revealing it would be a “triple CD,” he added, “Now we even,” a reference to his contentious relationship with his former Bad Boy Records boss. But Ma$e will have to expedite its release if he wants it to drop on the same day Diddy’s trial begins; it’s been scheduled for May 5.
Diddy and Ma$e’s strained relationship began during the latter’s time at Bad Boy, where he released several successful albums, including Harlem World. Financial and business disagreements soon led to a rift between the two, with Ma$e accusing Diddy of withholding royalties and not allowing him to purchase back his publishing rights, even after offering over $2 million. A public feud ensued, with both artists taking shots at each other. In 2020, Ma$e expressed his frustration on social media, claiming Diddy refused to sell him back his publishing rights.
Despite the ongoing drama, there have been moments of reconciliation. In September 2023, Diddy returned the publishing rights to Ma$e and other Bad Boy artists, which seemed to ease tensions.
Diddy later stated that he and Ma$e had reconciled, describing them as “brothers” who fight but ultimately love each other1. However, given the history of their feud, it remains uncertain whether this reconciliation will last. Ma$e has continued to comment on Diddy’s personal and professional issues, often subtly referencing their past conflicts without directly addressing them.
Diddy was arrested in Manhattan on September 16, 2024 after being indicted by a grand jury. The 54-year-old mogul was taken into custody on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution purposes. Federal prosecutors alleged that he’d established a criminal organization, exploiting and intimidating women to satisfy his sexual desires and maintain his public image. The indictment came after months of mounting scrutiny, sparked by a 2023 lawsuit filed by ex Cassie Ventura, accusing him of sex trafficking and years of abuse.
The arrest was preceded by federal raids on Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March 2024, where authorities seized firearms, ammunition and more than 1,000 bottles of lubricant. Combs was denied bail and has remained in federal custody since his arrest. His legal troubles have only continued to escalate, with more than two dozen lawsuits filed against him, some dating back to the 1990s. Despite his legal team’s efforts to appeal the bail decision, Combs withdrew his bail appeal in December 2024. He will remain in jail until his trial.