Welcome Back (Mase song)

"Welcome Back"
Single by Mase
from the album Welcome Back
B-side	"Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
Released	June 2004
Recorded	2004
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:22 (album version) 3:45 (radio edit)
Label	Bad Boy
Songwriter(s)	John Sebastian
Producer(s)	The Movement
Mase singles chronology
"I Really Like It" (1999) "Welcome Back" (2004) "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" (2004)
Music video
"Welcome Back" on YouTube

"Welcome Back" is a song by American rapper Mase. It was released through Sean "Puffy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment as the first single off Mase's third album Welcome Back. This was the first single that Mase had released since 1999's "Get Ready", after he had taken a five-year hiatus from the music industry.

"Welcome Back" garnered positive reception from critics who praised its catchy sample taken from "Welcome Back", John Sebastian's theme to the 1970s television show Welcome Back, Kotter. Mase's song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart and number 32 on the Hot 100 chart. It also reached number 17 on both the Hot Rap Songs and Rhythmic charts respectively. The song has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of over 500,000 units in America. "Welcome Back" also reached the top 40 in countries like New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Chris Robinson, parodies the opening to the children's show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Critical reception

AllMusic's David Jeffries praised the track for being reminiscent of early Mase, saying that it's "lyric-filled, driven but effortless, and has a crafty interpolation of a pop tune, this time the Welcome Back, Kotter theme song."^[1] Jessica Koslow of HipHopDX put it alongside "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" as being "sure-fire radio/club joints."^[2] Rashaun Hall of Billboard said the production work by the Movement on the sample produced "infectious results."^[3] Chadwicked of Tiny Mix Tapes praised Mase for maintaining his rap flow while under a different image, saying that "It proves that a man such as Mase can rhyme over a sample from Welcome Back, Kotter; dress up like Mister Rogers in the video and have an 80-year old female back-up dancer, and still be taken seriously and appreciated."^[4]

Chart performance

"Welcome Back" debuted at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of June 5, 2004.^[5] It reached number 40 the week after and peaked at number 32 the week of June 19,^[6] staying on the chart for eleven weeks.^[7] On the Hot Rap Songs chart, it debuted at number 13 for the week of June 5, 2004.^[8] Three weeks later, it peaked at number 8 the week of June 26.^[9] It debuted at number 46 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and then moved to number 23 for the week of June 5, 2004.^[10] Four weeks later, it reached its peak at number 17 for the week of July 3, 2004.^[11] It reached that same position on the Rhythmic chart for the week of July 10, 2004.^[12] The song also charted in New Zealand, debuting at number 4 and staying there for four weeks,^[13] remaining on the chart for seventeen weeks.^[7] In Switzerland, it debuted at number 25 and stayed there for eight weeks and reached number 51 in Germany, with chart progression lasting for seven weeks.^[7]

Music video

Directed by Chris Robinson,^[14] the video begins as a parody of the opening to the 1968–2001 television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, being known in the video as Mister Betha's Neighborhood. The video also features Wyclef Jean pulling up in his Pagani Zonda and also features cameos from Sean Puffy Combs, Styles P, Loon, Cardan, Amerie, Pee Wee Kirkland, Fatman Scoop, E. Ness and Babs Bunny.

Live performance

On August 20, 2004, Mase performed the song live on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.^[15]

Remix

"It's Alright"
Song by Kanye West featuring Mase and John Legend
Released	March 22, 2005
Recorded	2004
Genre	Hip hop
Length	3:52
Label	Roc-A-Fella Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Kanye West Mason Betha John Stephens
Producer(s)	West

The official remix to "Welcome Back" is titled "It's Alright", and it is by hip-hop artist Kanye West, with Mase being a featured artist along with singer John Legend. It was featured on the bonus CD of West's 2005 video album The College Dropout Video Anthology.^[16]

Formats and track listing

Europe CD^[17]

• 1. "Welcome Back" (Radio Edit) – 3:45
• 2. "Welcome Back" (Main) – 4:23

Europe CD (Promo)^[18]

• 1. "Welcome Back" (Radio Edit) – 3:45

US 12"^[19]

• A1. "Welcome Back" – 4:22
• A2. "Welcome Back" (Instrumental) – 4:22
• B1. "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" (featuring P. Diddy) – 3:17
• B2. "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" (Instrumental) – 3:17

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2004) Peak position Canada CHR/Pop Top 30 (Radio & Records)[20] 27 Germany (GfK)[21] 51 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 4 Scotland (OCC)[23] With "Breathe Stretch Shake" 60 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 25 UK Singles (OCC)[25] With "Breathe Stretch Shake" 29 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[26] With "Breathe Stretch Shake" 12 US Billboard Hot 100[27] 32 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[28] 17 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[29] 8 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[30] 17

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position New Zealand (RIANZ)[31] 20 UK Urban (Music Week)[32] "Welcome Back" / "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" 7 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 93 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales New Zealand (RMNZ)[34] Gold 5,000^* United States (RIAA)[35] Gold 500,000^* ^* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Use in other media

• The song appears in the 2020 MLB Opening Day video.^[36]

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	June 14, 2004 (2004-06-14)	Rhythmic contemporary · urban contemporary radio	Bad Boy, Universal	[37]
	June 28, 2004 (2004-06-28)	Contemporary hit radio		[38]

References

1. Jeffries, David. "Welcome Back - Mase". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
2. Koslow, Jessica (September 14, 2004). "Mase - Welcome Back". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
3. Hall, Rashaun. "Welcome Back". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on September 4, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
4. Chadwicked (December 14, 2006). "Mase - Welcome Back". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
5. "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 5, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
6. "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 19, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
7. "Welcome Back (song) by Mase". aCharts.co. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
8. "Hot Rap Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 5, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
9. "Hot Rap Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 26, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
10. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 5, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
11. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 3, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
12. "Rhythmic Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 10, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
13. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 13, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
14. "Chris Robinson". mvdbase.com. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
15. "34TunesOnTV". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. August 16, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
16. "Kanye West - The College Dropout Video Anthology (DVD)". Discogs. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
17. "Mase - Welcome Back (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
18. "Mase - Welcome Back (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
19. "Mase - Welcome Back (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
20. "R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1560. June 18, 2004. p. 30. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
21. "Ma$e – Welcome Back" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
22. "Ma$e – Welcome Back". Top 40 Singles.
23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
24. "Ma$e – Welcome Back". Swiss Singles Chart.
25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
26. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
27. "Mase Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
28. "Mase Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
29. "Mase Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
30. "Mase Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
31. "Top Selling Singles of 2004 – The Official New Zealand Music Charts". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). Retrieved September 18, 2014.
32. "2004 Urban top 30" (PDF). Music Week. January 22, 2005. p. 24. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
33. "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - 2004". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
34. "New Zealand single certifications – Mase – Welcome Back". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
35. "American single certifications – Mase – Welcome Back". Recording Industry Association of America.
36. "Welcome Back. Let's Play!". Major League Baseball. YouTube. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
37. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1559. June 11, 2004. p. 26. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
38. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1561. June 25, 2004. p. 26. Retrieved July 3, 2022.