Former Bad Boy Records artist Ma$e has been extremely vocal about his disdain for Diddy’s business practices over the years. But Fivio Foreign seems to think the veteran rapper could use some lessons too, especially when it comes to contracts.
During a recent interview with the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, the Brooklyn drill rapper suggested he was locked in a questionable contract with the “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” artist’s RichFish Records. While Fivio has usually been mute on the subject, he explained to co-hosts Gillie Da Kid and Wallo a friend of his brought him to Ma$e and pressured him into signing the paperwork.
“The n-gga that brought me to him, he was like, ‘Yo, man. Just sign that shit. You bugging,’” he explained. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, read it.’ He’s like, ‘Alright, just sign it. It’s good,’ so I just signed it,” he explained. “Advance was $5,000.”
At the time, Fivio considered that a lot of money. He added, “I thought that shit was going to last until whenever it was going to last. That shit ain’t last two weeks […] Ma$e know the business. He really know the business a lot. I didn’t know nothing.”
He then accused Ma$e of trying to “fake explain” how the money would be divided but ultimately determined, “I’m in a better situation now. He gets what he gets, like, whatever he gets but I control all my money and shit like that.”
Times have changed for Fivio Foreign since signing the contract. In 2019, he rose to notoriety with his single “Big Drip,” which was remixed by Lil Baby and Quavo. The following year, he was featured on Drake’s song “Demons,” his first Billboard-charting effort.
Later that month, he collaborated with Lil Tjay and Pop Smoke on the song “Zoo York,” which peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. Last August, the 32-year-old landed a feature on Kanye West’s single “Off the Grid” from the Donda album. That particular song peaked at No. 11, his highest-charting single to date.
Fivio Foreign’s debut album B.I.B.L.E. was released in April with features from Quavo, Alicia Keys, Queen Naija, Chloe, A$AP Rocky, Lil Tjay, Polo G, Ne-Yo and the Kid LAROI, among others. Production came courtesy of Kanye West, Dem Jointz, The Chainsmokers and Mike Dean, to name a few.
As for Ma$e, he accused Diddy of sabotaging his Lovers and Friends Festival set in Las Vegas earlier this year. After attempting to perform “Mo Money Mo Problem” — his 1997 hit with The Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy — the sound was cut off for roughly 10 minutes.
He suggested Diddy was behind the sabotage, telling the crowd, “I see what’s going on. I’m used to being hated on. I’m used to what’s going on. Somebody, somewhere paid a few dollars to stop my show. But that can’t stop somebody like me. I don’t get ran away too easy. I just wasn’t ready for that, so I’m gonna take my time.”
But that’s only a tiny example of the ongoing issues Ma$e has with Diddy. Triggered by Diddy’s speech at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy Awards gala in January 2020, he wrote in an Instagram post, “Your past business practices knowingly has continued purposely starved your artist and been extremely unfair to the very same artist that helped u obtain that Icon Award on the iconic Bad Boy label.
“For example, u still got my publishing from 24 years ago in which u gave me $20k. Which makes me never want to work w/ u as any artist wouldn’t after u know someone is robbing you & tarnishing your name when u don’t want to comply w/ his horrendous business model.”
(The post has since been deleted.)