| "Welcome Back" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byMase | ||||
| from the albumWelcome Back | ||||
| B-side | "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" | |||
| Released | June 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:22 (album version) 3:45 (radio edit) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | John Sebastian | |||
| Producer | The Movement | |||
| Mase singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Welcome Back" onYouTube | ||||
"Welcome Back" is a song by American rapperMase. It was released byBad Boy Records andUniversal Records as the first single off Mase's third albumof the same name. 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 showWelcome Back, Kotter. Mase's song peaked at number 8 on theBillboardHot Rap Songs chart and number 32 on theHot 100 chart. It also reached number 17 on both theHot Rap Songs andRhythmic charts respectively. The song has beencertified gold by theRecording 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 byChris Robinson, parodies the opening to the children's showMister 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 theWelcome Back, Kotter theme song."[1] Jessica Koslow ofHipHopDX put it alongside "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" as being "sure-fire radio/club joints."[2] Rashaun Hall ofBillboard said the production work by the Movement on the sample produced "infectious results."[3] Chadwicked ofTiny Mix Tapes praised Mase for maintaining hisrap flow while under a different image, saying that "It proves that a man such as Mase can rhyme over a sample fromWelcome Back, Kotter; dress up likeMister Rogers in the video and have an 80-year old female back-up dancer, and still be taken seriously and appreciated."[4]
"Welcome Back" debuted at number 52 on theBillboard 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 theHot 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 theHot 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 theRhythmic 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]
Directed byChris Robinson,[14] the video begins as a parody of the opening to the 1968–2001 television seriesMister Rogers' Neighborhood, being known in the video asMister Betha's Neighborhood. The video also featuresWyclef Jean pulling up in hisPagani Zonda and also features cameos fromSeanPuffy Combs,Styles P,Loon,Cardan,Amerie,Pee Wee Kirkland,Fatman Scoop,E. Ness and Babs Bunny.
On August 20, 2004, Mase performed the song live onThe Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.[15]
| "It's Alright" | |
|---|---|
| Song byKanye West featuringMase andJohn Legend | |
| Released | March 22, 2005 |
| Recorded | 2004 |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 3:52 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | West |
The official remix to "Welcome Back" is titled "It's Alright", and it is by hip-hop artistKanye West, with Mase being a featured artist along with singerJohn Legend. It was featured on the bonus CD of West's 2005 video albumThe College Dropout Video Anthology.[16]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[34] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[35] | Gold | 500,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | June 14, 2004 (2004-06-14) | Rhythmic contemporary ·urban contemporary radio | Bad Boy,Universal | [36] |
| June 28, 2004 (2004-06-28) | Contemporary hit radio | [37] |
