Vincent Mason

Vincent Mason

Vincent Mason (born Vincent Lamont Mason Jr, 27 March 1970, in Brooklyn, New York), is a rapper, producer, DJ, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio, De La Soul. He is also known as Maseo.

Career

Posdnuos, and Dave had already begun a friendship when Mase joined the pair to form De La Soul in the mid 1980s. Through Mase's connections, the group met Prince Paul, who at the time was still a member of Stetsasonic. Paul then took the newcomers under his wing, producing their first single, "Plug Tunin'", in 1988 and helping to create the album, 3 Feet High and Rising.

Mason's role in the group is primarily that of a DJ, although it is believed that he has as much of a say in the direction of the group as the other two members. On a few occasions, such as Jungle Brothers' "Doin' Our Own Dang", he's stepped to the mic, and showed himself to be a capable, if lighthearted, rapper.

Mason (who at that time was referred to as Maseo) was the one who did the famous laugh during "Feel Good Inc."

Mase is a member of the Spitkicker collective.

Aliases

All three members of De La Soul have a variety of known aliases and nicknames used throughout the group's career. The following are the most significant:

• P.A. Pasemaster Mase - The first alias used by Mason, "Pasemaster" (or "P.A.") was used as an alternative to "DJ". Though "Mase" is simply a nickname for Mason, Mason noted in an early interview that the name can be an acronym for "Making A Soul Effort". Later, with the release of Buhloone Mindstate, the nickname "Maseo" became widely used.
• Plug Three - An early concept for 3 Feet High and Rising involved music being transmitted from Mars by three microphone plugs (each one representing a member of the group). Though this idea was abandoned, the titles "Plug One", "Plug Two" and "Plug Three" still became relevant on the album.