First Justin Timberlake, now P. Diddy — the rapper pretended to be a reporter on Thursday, so that he could officially announce that Mase is back.

In a cameo role in Mase's upcoming video, "Welcome Back," the Bad Boy CEO plays the part of a television correspondent answering to Walter Lee Younger, the name of the character he plays in the Broadway production of "A Raisin in the Sun." Taking over a small section of New York's Times Square on Thursday, Diddy commandeered a "Making the Video" crew that shot his stand-ups as if he were doing live TV on the fictitious channel "Bad Boy TV." (Click for photos from the video shoot.)

Diddy's character acts distracted at first, drinking coffee from an "I Love NY" mug and swearing as he's shooting the breeze with the crew as if he doesn't realize he's already on the air. Then, once he sees they're live, he abruptly announces that he's interrupting regularly scheduled programming to announce the breaking news that Mase is back (see ).

"I got a call from Nelly, and Nelly told me he wanted clearance on Mase, and I was like, 'To use some old vocals?' " Diddy said as he recalled the moment when he realized the former Bad Boy-turned-minister was returning to hip-hop. "And he said, 'No.' He was playing basketball with Mase and Mase jumped in the studio and they did a song together. I heard the song, and then Mase called and said it was official, he wanted to come back. I said, 'I only want you to come back if you're ready to come back.' "

Mase was in fact ready — so long as he could inject his music with a message (see "Mase Is Officially Back; Bad Boy Family Feels New Energy").

"He said he thought it would be something positive," Diddy said, "reach out to millions of kids with a message: Have fun and listen to hip-hop and still have God in your life, without being overbearing, without being preachy on them. I told him I loved the idea."

Diddy also said the rapper was "definitely missed" during his time away from the rap game.

"It's good to have one of our franchise players come on back and take us to the championship," Diddy said. "You know I'm excited. I'm looking forward to the day we step onstage together and have our little reunion. I'm just real happy about it."

Diddy isn't the only one making a cameo in the clip — to see who else turns up, check out "Making the Video: Mase," premiering June 27 at 3 p.m. on MTV2.