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Welcome Back (Mase song)

"Welcome Back"
Mase - Welcome Back single.jpg
Single by Mase
from the album Welcome Back
B-side "Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
Released May 25, 2004 (2004-05-25)
Format CD, 12", digital download
Recorded 2004
Genre Pop rap
Length 4:22
3:45 (radio edit)
Label Bad Boy
Writer(s) Mason Betha, John Sebastian
Producer(s) The Movement
Mase singles chronology
"Get Ready"
(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 as the first single off his third studio album Welcome Back. It's the first single that Mase released in five years since 1999's "Get Ready". The song was produced by The Movement (Corron Cole, James Bunton) and samples "Welcome Back", the theme from the TV show Welcome Back, Kotter by John Sebastian.

"Welcome Back" garnered a positive reception from critics. The song peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the Hot Rap Songs 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 the United States. "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.

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." Jessica Koslow of HipHopDX put it alongside "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" as being "sure-fire radio/club joints." Rashaun Hall of Billboard said the production work by The Movement on the sample produced "infectious results." 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."


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