Mason Betha's Congregation Upset With Latest Antics?

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Friday, March 28, 2014

Pastor Mason Betha and his wife Twyla Betha are the leaders of El Elyon International Church. | (Photograph: Facebook/El Elyon International Church)

Betha, pastor and founder of El Elyon International Church and Mason Betha Ministries, has reportedly upset the congregation of his church amid a decision to return to mainstream hip-hop.

"Some of the worshipers tell TMZ ... they believe Mase is living a double life, spending as much time in the studio with hardcore rappers as in the church. And they say his messages from the pulpit drip in hypocrisy, because what he raps about is exactly the opposite," TMZ claims. "There's talk now about refusing to fund the church ... that's how bad things have become."

Last month, Betha released a new song with singer Remo The Hitmaker called "Tricky Situation." In the song, the rapper known as Ma$e raps questionable lyrics like, "I get the honeymoon, you marry her" and "Too bad I never keep my word."

Betha asked Hip-Hop radio DJ Funkmaster Flex for help with a comeback in a radio interview in 2012 where he spoke about his initial choice to leave the rap industry alone to honor God as a preacher.

"I thought I could do more than rap and I just so happen to be right. I see different artists making clothing lines and people respected it," Betha said in the 2012 interview. "Rap has always been about using your talents for doing more. I'm just the one that got criticized for doing more than was unexpected. I think I overachieved."

Still, Betha said he regretted transition from a rapper to pastor.

"I didn't give myself any room to grow, I went from one extreme to another extreme," Betha said in 2012 about his initial choice to retire from rapping and become a full time pastor. "I was just so gung ho about what I was learning, that's all I wanted."