Dear Mama

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" Dear Mama " is a song by 2Pac American hip hop hip hop artist, released on 21 February 1995 as the lead single from her third studio album, Me Against the World (1995). This song is a tribute to her mother, Afeni Shakur. In the song, Shakur details his childhood of poverty and his mother's addiction to crack cocaine, but argues that his love and deep respect for his mother replaced bad memories. The song topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and also peaked at number seven on Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995.

"Dear Mama" has been consistently upgraded among his best genres, appearing on many of the "biggest" lists. In 2010, the song was added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, which considers it a work "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or to inform or reflect life in the United States." In a press release, the organization called the song "a touching and eloquent tribute to the rapper's own murdered mother and all the mothers who are struggling to keep the family in the face of addiction, poverty and public indifference."

Video Dear Mama

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This song is a tribute to Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur. She and her husband were active members of the Black Panther Party in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Shakur was born a month after his mother was released from over 150 counts of "Conspiracy of the United States government and New York landmark" in New York court "Panther 21". She is often absent during her childhood to become an activist, and also during her teenage years when she becomes a cocaine addict. Shakur was kicked out by Afeni at the age of 17, and they had little contact over the years. After "losing all respect" to his mother, he then moved into an empty apartment with friends and began writing poetry and rap lyrics. In 1990, realizing that his habits were out of control, he enrolled in a 12-step program at a drug and alcohol treatment center in Norwalk, Connecticut. Upon completion, he reconciled with his son, who at the moment is a successful recording artist.

Recording producer Tony Pizarro, explains it

Pac is used to make reference to 'Dear Mama' in many different songs and I will always like 'You know it is the song itself.' And one day he's like 'I have something for that.' And he's like 'Man, you have In My Most Beautiful Dream by the Crusaders and I'm like' Yeah. 'He's like' Yeah, I have something for that. ' So I'm ready. Pac just came and dropped it and blessed them with vocals.

The song was written shortly before Shakur served a prison term. After completing the track, Shakur called old friend Jada Pinkett-Smith, commenting, "I wrote this song about our mother and I want you to hear it." Pinkett-Smith's mother has also struggled with drug addiction, and their experience grows with this as children lead to their friendship. He later commented that the song gave him an "emotion rush" on his first hearing. Johnny J, one of the rapper's producers, notes that "Emotional songs, sadly, are his personal favorites." Shakur mentioned the song and his intentions behind it in a 1995 interview with Los Angeles Times: "I'm the type of man who is driven by songs like Don McLean's" Vincent, "one about Van Gogh. so very touching.That's how I want to make my songs feel.Get the "Dear Mama" - I'm directing this one right for my woman's heart. "When asked about the possibility of misogyny in her lyrics, Shakur defended her music, noting that she worked in the studio with women and plays his songs for pre-release women, commented, "Why do you think I wrote 'Dear Mama'? I wrote it for my mama because I love her and I feel I owe her something."

Maps Dear Mama

Lyrical content and messages

In "Dear Mama," Shakur praises her mother's courage, arguing that many mothers share this trait, and also describe the "highs and lows" of her past. In a cultural and historical context, "Dear Mama" is part of a long line of hip-hop songs in which male rappers express their respect to their mother. Statistics show that the number of disproportionate African-American households is headed by single mothers, and Hess insists that their courage and role in the lives of their children leads to their status as a "symbol of eternal love" in the eyes of their children. Mickey Hess, author of Hip Hop Dead: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music, affirms that her mother's appearance in Shakur's musical work is designed to build credibility with listeners. In this sense, he "links himself to the black radical history through his mother's affiliation with the Black Panthers," and explains that his music is autobiographical, depicting that 2Pac and Tupac Shakur are one and the same.. In addition, Shakur recorded the song because he knew he was not the only person who grew up with parents who struggle with drug addiction.

The most famous song lyrics are one where Shakur "declares his love for Afeni as well as his inner disappointment": "And even as a cracking demon, mama, you are always a black queen, mama." Michael Eric Dyson, author of Holler If You Hear Me: Seeking Tupac Shakur , writes that this phrase speaks to Shakur's maturity: "[It] enables him to appreciate his mother's love even when he mentions his affliction His refusal to lie when he praises him for being too open. "In the song, Shakur also targets the lack of a father figure in his life:" No love from my dad causes cowards to not be there/He dies and I do not cry, cause my anger will not let me feel for strangers. "The sentence, according to Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America," seems to resonate with a generation of Black men who feel alienated from their father. " Shakur also describes "being kicked out of his home at the age of 17, selling cracked rocks with thugs who offer paternalistic support, hugging his mother from behind bars." "Dear Mama" takes the example of the song "Sadie" (1974) by The Spinners, and "In All My Wildest Dreams" (1978) by Joe Sample.

According to The Philadelphia Tribune George Yancy, a tapping slog creates an audience of reflective memories. Tupac begins by creating a context in which his mother is simply considered a regular with a rather naughty behavioral background. He said, "Suspended from school, afraid to go home, I'm stupid with big boys breaking all the rules." He then reflects on how he undoubtedly blames the wrong person: "I shed tears with my sister for years we were poorer than the other little ones, and even though we had different fathers, the same drama, when something went wrong "We blame you. I remember the stress I caused... "George Yancy explains" Tupac Shakur has really given us the Black Matriarchal compliment song. It penetrates into the heart how many of us are seeing our Black mothers. we become the center of the sympathetic relationship of Tupac's own boy, and it speaks to our own often inactive memories of how beautiful our mother is. Thus, listening to Tupac "Dear Mama" tends to revitalize the attitude of appreciating a good mother. Cutting itself is transformative, forcing us to see our mother differently, to understand our mother differently, and to respect our mother more. "

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Release and acceptance
The song topped the Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and peaked at number nine on Hot 100. It also topped the Hot Dance Music sales chart of Maxi-Singles for four weeks. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995 and sold 700,000 copies domestically.
The Los Angeles Times praised the song, wrote, "This song proved Shakur's talents in crystallizing complex emotions with simple images." Rolling Stone mentions the song "a sincere dedication of love, sometimes hard for his mother who deals with trials and miseries that each has escaped the other." In his dean list for Pazz & amp; Jop criticism of the poll, Robert Christgau was named "Dear Mama" eighth best single in 1995.
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Music video
This video features an appearance by Afeni Shakur, who solidifies reconciliation with his son's face. Tupac himself served four and a half years in prison. He released this song, and the album on which the song originated, while being sentenced. While in jail, his album quickly climbed the charts. The demand for video is growing: the video was released when he was in jail and for that reason can not be in the video. No other videos were created when he was released.
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Legacy

This song is often regarded as the song "emotional resonance" Shakur. Rolling Stone placed "Dear Mama" at number 18 on the 2012 list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, writes, "This song is the ultra plus ne of hip-hop odes for Mom." The song also ranked fourth in the "Top 100 Rap Songs" list. Carrie Golus of USA Today believes that "Dear Mama" is the only reason for the certification of double-platinum Me Against the World . Golus also argues that the song reveals a softer side of the rapper, which leads to increased recognition, especially among female fans. Following the rapper's death, his mother mentioned the song in the People's article: "Can I listen to it without crying? No. It gets worse all the time." The harder it actually happens The song gets deeper and deeper in. "LA Weekly puts the 6th song on their list of 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs in History . Rating Your Music ranks the 7th song on their list of 200 Best Hip Hop Songs of All Time .

"Dear Mama" was one of 25 recordings selected for preservation at the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in 2010, making it the third hip hop song to do so, following in the footsteps of Public Enemy and Grandmaster Flash. The Library of Congress calls this song "a touching and touching tribute to both the rapper's own murdered mother and all the mothers who are struggling to keep the family in the face of addiction, poverty and public indifference." On the issue of inclusion, Afeni Shakur stated, "It could be any song, but I am honored that they chose" Dear Mama "in particular.This is a song that speaks not only to me, but every mother who has been in that situation, and there millions of us Tupac recognizes our struggle, and he is still our hero. "

The song was played in the biopic Tupac, All Eyez On Me, with Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur, leaving Clinton's Clinton Facility, after visiting 2Pac, serving 18 months to 4.5 years for sexual harassment.

Influence

This song has influenced many rappers. Eminem stated that the song was played continuously in his car the following year after its launch. "Dear Mama 'is one of the most influential Tupac songs I've ever had, it's one of the most sincere songs I've ever heard on hip-hop," says Common. "It also shows that you can be a real cat but still expressing love [...] The music sounds beautiful, it shows courage." Kendrick Lamar noted that the song greatly influenced his life, writing, "I can really come back and appreciate the value of vulnerability and be able to express myself and not be afraid to express myself."