MASE MOVES CHURCH TO PHOENIX

The entertainer turned pastor said that he picked Phoenix after making several recent trips to the city. According to Betha, the new EEIC branch falls in line with his plan to expand his ministry beyond its Atlanta location. "It just makes sense that we are on both coasts," said Mase. "Our vision has always been to plant churches all over the world, and Phoenix is the first of many. We love the city of Phoenix and look forward to making a tremendous impact."

Betha’s expansion of the EEIC marks another chapter for the rapper, who released a 2004 album Welcome Back, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the singles "Welcome Back" and "Breathe, Stretch, Shake."

The rapper, who retired from the music business in 1999 after declaring himself a born-again Christian, ultimately returned to working on his ministry full-time, as he faded from the rap scene once more.

Despite plans of launching the new EEIC branch on Dec. 31, Betha will continue to oversee EEIC’s flagship church in Atlanta, which is currently undergoing renovations.