Ma$e retired from the rap game [article id="1431887"]back in 1999[/article], only to return a few years later for a short-lived stint on 50 Cent's G-Unit label. That soured quickly thanks to his existing contract with Bad Boy Records, but now that [article id="1698821"]Diddy has finally set him free[/article], the Harlem rapper is considering his possibilities moving forward.

During his visit to the "Big & Best of 2012" edition of "RapFix Live" on Wednesday, Ma$e revealed that only days earlier, Diddy had finally cut him loose from a 16-year contract with Bad Boy Records. He admitted that he wasn't ready to finalize a new deal just yet -- comparing it to the immediate aftermath of a breakup -- but he did mention the only two names that he'd consider committing to moving forward, and they're from separate crews.

"There's really only three crews out there," Ma$e said, running through the options and crossing them out. "MMG -- if I was on MMG, it would be kinda the same as being with G-Unit -- and the only other [crews are] YMCMB and G.O.O.D. Music." Out of those three, G.O.O.D. was the clear winner, as Ma$e already has an established working relationship with Kanye West, but what about the second option?

"There's only two people that I would work with, and it would have to be one of those two, but the second one is probably gonna surprise many of you," Ma$e told the audience. "The only two that would make sense to me would be Kanye or Drake -- even though he doesn't have a label, those are the only two that I would entertain."

Ma$e was right in predicting that his answer would surprise some people, but he has his reasons for wanting to work with the Toronto rapper. "I think that he's the closest to what I believe I would've been, if I didn't leave music," he explained. "I like his ability to express how he feels, not being afraid, and he can really rap. So that's really the only two I would think about."

It sounds like Ma$e will need some more time to make his decision here, but if he's worried about Drake not having a label, there's some good news for him. Earlier this month it was confirmed that Drake signed his OVO imprint to Warner Bros. Records, and he's likely looking to add some talent to that roster.

Would you like to see Ma$e work with Kanye West or Drake? Let us know in the comments!