Dear Mama

Last updated
"Dear Mama"
Tupac Shakur - Dear Mama.jpg
US cover
Single by 2Pac
from the album Me Against the World
B-side "Old School"
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1995
RecordedJuly 14, 1994 [1]
Studio Echo Sound (North Hollywood, Los Angeles)
Genre Hip hop
Length4:39
Label
Songwriter(s) Tupac Shakur
Producer(s) Tony Pizarro
2Pac singles chronology
"Cradle to the Grave"
(1994)		"Dear Mama"
(1995)		"So Many Tears"
(1995)
Music video
"Dear Mama" on YouTube

"Dear Mama" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his third studio album, Me Against the World (1995). It was released on February 21, 1995, as the lead single from the album. The song is a tribute to his mother, Afeni Shakur. In the song, Shakur details his childhood poverty and his mother's addiction to crack cocaine, but argues that his love and deep respect for his mother supersede bad memories. The song became his first top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number nine. It also topped the Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks. [2] As of March 2021, the song is certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.

Contents

"Dear Mama" has been consistently ranked among the best of its genre, appearing on numerous "greatest" lists. In 2009, the song was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, who deemed it a work that is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States", [3] making it the first hip hop recording by a soloist to be inducted. [4] In a press release, the organization called the song "a moving and eloquent homage to both the murdered rapper's own mother and all mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of addiction, poverty and societal indifference."

Background

The 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 acquitted of more than 150 charges of "Conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks" in the New York "Panther 21" court case. [5] She was often absent during his childhood in favor of being an activist, and also during his adolescence when she became addicted to crack cocaine. [6] Shakur was kicked out by Afeni at age 17, and they had little contact for many years. Having "lost all respect" for his mother, he subsequently moved into a vacant apartment with friends and began writing poetry and rap lyrics. [7] In 1990, realizing her habit was out-of-control, [7] she enrolled in a 12-step program at a drug and alcohol treatment center in Norwalk, Connecticut. After completion, she reconciled with her son, who was at this point a successful recording artist. [8]

Record producer Tony Pizarro explained;

Pac used to make references to 'Dear Mama' in a lot of different songs and I'd always be like 'You know that's a song in itself.' And one day he was like 'I got somethin' for that.' And he was like 'Man, you have In My Wildest Dreams by the Crusaders' and I was like 'Yeah.' He was like 'Yeah, I got something for that.' So I got the track ready. Pac just came through and just dropped it and blessed it with them vocals. [9]

The song was written shortly before Shakur served a prison term. [10] Upon completion of the track, Shakur phoned longtime friend Jada Pinkett-Smith, remarking;

I wrote this song about our mothers and I want you to hear it. [11]

Pinkett-Smith's mother too had struggled with drug addiction, and their experiences growing up with this as children led to their friendship. She later remarked that the song gave her a "rush of emotions" upon her first listen. [11] Johnny J, one of the rapper's producers, noted that "The emotional, the sad songs, were his personal favorites." [12]

Shakur mentioned the song and his intentions behind it in a 1995 interview with the Los Angeles Times :

I'm the kind of guy who is moved by a song like Don McLean's "Vincent," that one about Van Gogh. The lyric on that song is so touching. That's how I want to make my songs feel. Take Dear Mama — I aimed that one straight for my homies' heartstrings. [13]

When questioned on possible misogyny in his lyrics, Shakur defended his music, noting that he worked in the studio with women and played his songs for women pre-release, remarking;

Why do you think I wrote Dear Mama? I wrote it for my mama because I love her and I felt I owed her something deep. [13]

Lyrical content and message

Dear Mama

You always was committed,

A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how you did it.

There's no way I can pay you back,

But the plan is to show you that I understand; You are appreciated

In "Dear Mama," Shakur praises his mother's courage, arguing that many mothers share this trait, and also describes the "highs and lows" of her past. [8] In a cultural and historical context, "Dear Mama" is part of a long line of hip-hop songs in which male rappers state their reverence for their mothers. Statistics show that a disproportionate number of African-American households are headed by single mothers, and Hess asserts that their bravery and role in their children's lives leads to their status as an "eternal symbol of love" in their offspring's eyes. [14] Mickey Hess, author of Is Hip Hop Dead?: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music, asserts that his mother's appearance in Shakur's music works is designed to establish credibility with listeners. In this sense, he "connects himself to black radical history through his mother's affiliation with the Black Panthers," and explains that his music is autobiographical, illustrating that 2Pac (the stage performer) and Tupac Shakur (the person) are one and the same. [6] In addition, Shakur recorded the tune as he knew he was not the only person to grow up with a parent struggling with drug addiction. [15]

The song's most famous lyric is one in which Shakur "declares his love for Afeni as well as his disappointment in her":

And even as a crack fiend, mama... You always was a black queen, mama. [7]

Michael Eric Dyson, author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur, writes that this line speaks to Shakur's maturity:

[It] allows him to value his mother's love even as he names her affliction. His refusal to lie as he praises her is all too revealing. [16]

In the song, Shakur also takes aim at the lack of a father figure in his life: "No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there / He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger wouldn't let me feel for a stranger." The father mentioned here was Lumumba Shakur who divorced Afeni after finding out Tupac was not his son, Lumumba died later on February 1986. The line, according to Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America, "seemed to resonate with a generation of Black males who felt estranged from their fathers." [17] Shakur also describes "being kicked out of his home at 17, selling crack rock with thugs who offered paternalistic support, hugging his mother from behind bars." [10] "Dear Mama" samples the songs "Sadie" (1974) by The Spinners, and "In All My Wildest Dreams" (1978) by Joe Sample [18] but in the chorus "Sadie" is replaced with "lady".

According to The Philadelphia Tribune 's George Yancy, the slowness of the beat creates in the listener a mood of reflective reminiscence. [19] Tupac begins by creating a context where his mother was simply taken for granted against the backdrop of his rather mischievous behavior. [19] He says, "Suspended from school, scared to go home, I was a fool with the big boys breaking all the rules." He then reflects on how he no doubt blamed the wrong person: "I shed tears with my baby sister. Over the years we were poorer than the other little kids. And even though we had different daddies, the same drama, when things went wrong, we blamed mama. I reminisce on the stress I caused..." [19]

Tupac Shakur has truly provided us with a Black matriarchal praise song. It penetrates to the heart of how many of us perceive our Black mothers. It pulls us into the center of Tupac's own individual son-mother symbiotic relationship and yet it speaks to our own often dormant memories of just how wonderful our mothers have been. Thus, listening to Tupac's "Dear Mama" tends to revitalize an appreciative attitude for one's dear mother. The cut itself is transformative; it forces us to literally see our mothers differently, to understand our mothers differently, and to appreciate our mothers more. [19]

- George Yancy explains further.

Release and reception

The test pressing for "Dear Mama" was pressed several weeks prior to the single's official release. 2Pac - Dear Mamma-Old School (test pressing single) (Side A).jpg
The test pressing for "Dear Mama" was pressed several weeks prior to the single's official release.

"Dear Mama" entered Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart on March 11, 1995, rose to number 2 the next week, then to number 1 during the week of March 25. [20] The song topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and peaked at number nine on the Hot 100. It also topped the Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles sales chart for four weeks. [21] The single was certified platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995, and sold 700,000 copies domestically. [22] [23]

The Los Angeles Times praised the tune, writing, "The song attests to Shakur's gift at crystallizing complex emotions in simple stark images." [10] Rolling Stone called the song "a heartfelt, sometimes harsh dedication of love for his mother that deals with the trials and tribulations each has put the other through." [24] In his dean's list for the Pazz & Jop critics poll, Robert Christgau named "Dear Mama" the eighth best single of 1995. [25]

Music video

The video features an appearance by Afeni Shakur, who re-enacts her reconciliation with a lookalike of her son. [6] Tupac himself was serving his four-and-a-half-year prison sentence. He released this song, and the associated album, while being sentenced. While in prison his album quickly climbed the charts. The demand for a video grew: the video was released while he was in prison and for that reason could not be in the video. No other video was made when he was released. [26]

Legacy

The song is often considered Shakur's most "emotionally resonant" song. [10] Rolling Stone placed "Dear Mama" at number 18 on its 2012 list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, writing, "The song is the ne plus ultra of hip-hop odes to Mom." [12] The song was also ranked number four on About.com's "Top 100 Rap Songs" list. [27] Carrie Golus of USA Today opined that "Dear Mama" was the sole reason for the double-platinum certifications of Me Against the World. [7] Golus also argues that the song revealed a softer side of the rapper, leading to increased recognition, especially among female fans. [7] Following the rapper's death, his mother mentioned the song in a People article:

Can I listen to it without crying? No. It gets worse every time. It gets harder, it really does. That song gets deeper and deeper. [28]

LA Weekly placed the song 6 on their list The 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs in History. [29] "Dear Mama" was one of 25 recordings selected for preservation at the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress in 2010, making it the third hip hop song to do so, following tracks by Public Enemy and Grandmaster Flash. [10] The Library of Congress has called the song "a moving and eloquent homage to both the murdered rapper's own mother and all mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of addiction, poverty and societal indifference." [30] On the subject of the inclusion, Afeni Shakur stated,

It could have been any song, but I'm honored they chose "Dear Mama" in particular. It is a song that spoke not just to me, but every mother that has been in that situation, and there have been millions of us. Tupac recognized our struggle, and he is still our hero. [10]

Influence

The song has had an impact on numerous rappers. Eminem stated that the song played constantly in his car in the year following its release. [31]

Common remarked;

'Dear Mama' was one of Tupac's songs that influenced me the most; it was one of the most heartfelt songs I've ever heard in hip-hop. It also showed that you could be a real cat but still express compassionate love […] The music sounded beautiful. It showed courage." [11]

Kendrick Lamar noted that the song profoundly impacted his life, writing,

I can really go back and appreciate the value of vulnerability and being able to express yourself and not being scared to express yourself. [32]

Track listing

12", cassette, CD, maxi [33]
  1. "Dear Mama" (LP Version) — 4:41
  2. "Dear Mama" (Instrumental) — 5:21
  3. "Bury Me a G" — 4:59
  4. "Dear Mama" (Moe Z. Mix) — 5:09
  5. "Dear Mama" (Instrumental Moe Z. Mix) — 5:09
  6. "Old School" (LP Version) — 4:59

Credits and personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

1995 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama"
Chart (1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [34] 37
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [35] 4
Germany (Official German Charts) [36] 81
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [37] 37
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [38] 31
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [39] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [40] 43
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [41] 43
UK Singles (OCC) [42] 84
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [43] 15
US Billboard Hot 100 [44] 9
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs ( Billboard ) [45] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [46] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay ( Billboard ) [47] 7
US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [48] 1
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [49] 16
1999 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama"
Chart (1999)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [50] 27
2014 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama"
Chart (2014)Peak
position
US Billboard Ringtones [51] 29

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Dear Mama"
Chart (1995)Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [52] 40
US Billboard Hot 100 [44] 51
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [46] 27

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [53] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [22] 3× Platinum3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupac Shakur</span> American rapper (1971–1996)

Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential and successful rappers of all time, and according to academics one the most influential music artists of the 20th century and also a politically conscious activist voice for Black America. Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. His lyrical content has been noted for addressing social injustice, violence, and the marginalization of African-Americans.

<i>Me Against the World</i> 1995 studio album by 2Pac

Me Against the World is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope Records and Out da Gutta Records and distributed by Atlantic Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and poverty.

<i>2Pacalypse Now</i> 1991 studio album by 2Pac

2Pacalypse Now is the debut solo studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on November 12, 1991 through TNT Recordings and Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place at Starlight Sound Studio in Richmond, California. Production was handled by members of Digital Underground production team The Underground Railroad, namely Big D the Impossible, Shock G, Pee-Wee, DJ Jay-Z, Raw Fusion and Live Squad. It features contributions from Stretch, Angelique, Dave Hollister, Pogo, Poppi, Ray Luv and Shock G among others. The album's title is a reference to the 1979 war film Apocalypse Now.

<i>Loyal to the Game</i> 2004 studio album by 2Pac

Loyal to the Game is the ninth studio album and fifth posthumous studio album by American rapper Tupac Shakur. The album was produced by Eminem and consists of remixes of previously unreleased music recorded by Tupac before his death in 1996. Released in the United States on December 14, 2004, Loyal to the Game debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Better Dayz</i> 2002 studio album by 2Pac

Better Dayz is the eighth studio album and fourth posthumous album by the late American rapper 2Pac, and is his last to be a double-album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Love</span> 1995 single by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman

"California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper-producer Dr. Dre and American singer Roger Troutman of the funk group Zapp. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first single as the newest artist of Death Row Records. The original version is featured on the UK version of his fourth album, All Eyez on Me (1996), and is one of 2Pac's most widely known and most successful singles. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and also topped the charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was posthumously nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghetto Gospel</span> 2005 single by 2Pac

"Ghetto Gospel" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur, which was released as the lead single from his 2004 posthumous album Loyal to the Game. The song was produced by American rapper Eminem and features a sample of Elton John's 1971 song "Indian Sunset".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changes (Tupac Shakur song)</span> 1998 single by 2Pac featuring Talent

"Changes" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring R&B group Talent. It was recorded in 1992 before being remixed and released as a single from Shakur's Greatest Hits compilation on October 13, 1998. The song makes references to the many wars in the Middle East, the war on drugs, the treatment of black people by the police, racism, the reconciliation between the black and white people in America, the perpetuation of poverty and its accompanying vicious-cycle value system in urban African American culture, and the difficulties of life in the ghetto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto</span> 1997 single by 2Pac

"I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" is a song by American rapper 2Pac. It was released as the first single from the posthumous album R U Still Down? . The original version, titled "I Wonda if Heaven's Got a Ghetto", was released as a B-side on the 1993 single, "Keep Ya Head Up".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Ya Head Up</span> 1993 single by 2Pac featuring Dave Hollister

"Keep Ya Head Up" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...(1993). It was released on October 28, 1993 as the album's third single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hail Mary (2Pac song)</span> 1997 single by Makaveli featuring Outlawz

"Hail Mary" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur from his fifth studio album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996). It was released after his September 1996 murder under the Makaveli stage name as the album's third single. Hail Mary features rap verses by Kastro, Young Noble and Yaki Kadafi of the Outlawz rap group and vocals from reggae musician Prince Ital Joe. A music video was shot for the song and can be found on the DualDisc of The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupac Shakur discography</span>

The discography of American rapper Tupac Shakur consists of 11 studio albums. Throughout his career and posthumously, Shakur sold more than 75 million records worldwide. He has scored 5 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200 and 8 No. 1 albums on Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. In 2001, Guinness World Records hailed him as the then Best-selling artist of rap in the US. According to Recording Industry Association of America, he has sold 37.5 million albums and an additional 4 million under his alias Makaveli with "The Don Killuminati", making him the second best-selling hip-hop artist in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't Mad at Cha</span> 1996 single by 2Pac featuring Danny Boy

"I Ain't Mad at Cha" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from Shakur's fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). It was released on September 15, 1996 two days after Shakur's death as the album's fourth and final single. The song features contemporary soul singer Danny Boy providing vocals for its hook and was written by Shakur, Danny Boy and Daz Dillinger, who produced the song using a sample from DeBarge's "A Dream". The lyrics focus on Shakur reminiscing about past friends, love interests and associates he has lost touch with. The song is widely considered one of Shakur's best with Cheo Hodari Coker calling it "possibly the best song 2Pac has ever recorded". In 1998, The Source ranked the song's three verses second in its category of "dopest verses" in the history of hip-hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temptations (song)</span> 1995 single by 2Pac

"Temptations" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur (2Pac) from his third studio album, Me Against the World (1995). It was released as a single in the US on August 29, 1995, and was released as a CD, cassette, and 12" promo. While rapping is solely performed by Shakur, Erick Sermon and producer Easy Mo Bee are also featured in the song primarily as background vocalists. The song uses the bassline from the "Computer Love", and the theme focuses on relationship and infidelity issues. Debuting at number sixty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100, the song did fairly well in the United States. It was also well received by critics, with many writers commenting on its romantic tone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pac's Life (song)</span> 2006 single by 2Pac featuring Ashanti and T.I.

"Pac's Life" is a single written and performed by American rappers Tupac Shakur and T.I and R&B singer Ashanti, produced by L. T. Hutton for Shakur's posthumously released album of the same name. It is a hip hop and R&B song; the second Tupac verse was recycled from a song titled "This Life I Lead". T.I. said in an interview that working on the song was an honor, as he idolized him while growing up.

"Still Ballin'" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur from the 2002 posthumous album Better Dayz. The song was released as a promo single in 2003 and features Trick Daddy. It is part two of the song "Str8 Ballin'" from the album Thug Life Vol. 1. On the album, Better Dayz, the song is listed under the name "Still Ballin' ", due to the song not being the original version. The original version, produced by Johnny "J" and featuring Kurupt, was recorded in 1995 during the All Eyez on Me sessions and has never been officially released.

<i>All Eyez on Me</i> 1996 studio album by 2Pac

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, E-40, K-Ci & JoJo, and the Outlawz, among others.

"Runnin'" is a 1995 song written and performed by rappers 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Stretch, Dramacydal and reggae superstar Buju Banton. Recorded in 1993, the song holds significance as the only song 2Pac and the Notorious B.I.G. officially recorded together prior to hostility arising between the two rappers. The song, originally slated to appear on 2Pac's 1993-1994 shelved solo album that later turned to be Me Against The World, then on Thug Life's 1994 debut album, Thug Life, Volume I, was scrapped both times due to varying controversies. It was later featured on the 1995 One Million Strong compilation album. It charted at #81, #57 and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks & Hot Rap Singles charts, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ King Assassin</span> American rapper

Craig Venegas Alvarado, known by his stage name DJ King Assassin, is an American disc jockey, producer, and engineer from Los Angeles, California.

<i>Dear Mama</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur is an American television documentary miniseries directed by Allen Hughes, about Tupac Shakur and his mother Afeni Shakur. It premiered on FX on April 21, 2023. It received critical acclaim.

References

  1. ↑ "2PAC – DEAR MAMA (OG 1) FEAT. YO-YO (1994)". 2PacLegacy. January 20, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ "2Pac Dear Mama Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  3. ↑ Alan Light. "Official Biography" . Retrieved 2019-11-04.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ Allah, Sha Be (2022-04-20). "The Source |Wu-Tang Clan And ATCQ Albums Will Be Added To The Library Of Congress". The Source. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  5. ↑ Scott, Cathy (2002). The Killing of Tupac Shakur . Huntington Press. ISBN   978-0929712208.
  6. 1 2 3 Hess, Mickey. Is Hip Hop Dead?: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music. Westport: Praeger, 208 pp. First edition, 2007.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Golus, Carrie. USA Today Lifeline Biographies: Tupac Shakur – Hip-Hop Idol. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 112 pp. First edition, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Mills, Clifford W. Hip-Hop Stars: Tupac Shakur. New York: Checkmark Books, 104 pp. First edition, 2007.
  9. ↑ Jake Brown (2005). Tupac Shakur: 2Pac in the Studio (The Studio Years 1989-1996) . Amber Books. p.  31. ISBN   0-9767735-0-3.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jeff Weiss (June 25, 2010). "2Pac's 'Dear Mama' selected for inclusion in Library of Congress' national recording registry". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 Monjauze, Molly, Cox, Gloria, Robinson, Staci. Tupac Remembered: Bearing Witness to a Life and Legacy. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 168 pp. First edition, 2008.
  12. 1 2 "The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone . New York City: Wenner Media LLC. December 5, 2012. ISSN   0035-791X . Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  13. 1 2 Chuck Philips (October 25, 1995). "Tupac Shakur: 'I am not a gangster'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  14. ↑ Hess, Mickey. Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture, Volume 2. Westport: Greenwood, 688 pp. First edition, 2007.
  15. ↑ McQuillar, Tayannah Lee, Johnson, Fred L.. Tupac Shakur: The Life and Times of an American Icon. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 288 pp. First edition, 2010.
  16. ↑ Dyson, Michael Eric. Holler If You Hear Me. New York: Basic Civitas Books, p. 23. First edition, 2006.
  17. ↑ Connor, Michael E., White, Joseph. Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America. London: Routledge, p. 114. First edition, 2006.
  18. ↑ "2Pac's Sample-Based Music". WhoSampled . Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  19. 1 2 3 4 George Yancy (18 April 1995). "Tupac Shakur's 'Dear Mama' strikes a cord in all black children". Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014.
  20. ↑ "Hot R&B Singles Sales". Billboard. March 25, 1995. p. 25. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Dear Mama". Billboard.
  22. 1 2 "American single certifications – 2Pac – Dear Mama". Recording Industry Association of America.
  23. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1995". Billboard . Vol. 108, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 20, 1996. p. 56. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  24. ↑ Coker, Cheo H. (March 10, 1995). "2Pac: Me Against The World". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on December 23, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  25. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1996). "Pazz & Jop 1995: Dean's List". The Village Voice . No. February 25. New York. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  26. ↑ Crowe, Jerry (17 April 1995). "Tupac Shakur's third album off to a hot start...while he chills in jail". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  27. ↑ Adaso, Henry. "About.com: Rap/Hip-Hop: 100 Greatest Rap Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  28. ↑ Peter Castro (December 1, 1997). "All Eyes on Her". People . Vol. 48, no. 22. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  29. ↑ "How Car SHAiRing Saved My Vacation". 22 September 2021.
  30. ↑ Daniel Kreps (June 23, 2010). "R.E.M., Tupac Inducted Into Library of Congress Registry". Rolling Stone . New York City: Wenner Media LLC. ISSN   0035-791X . Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  31. ↑ Shaheem Reid. "Eminem: Reconstructing Tupac". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  32. ↑ Danielle Harling (November 23, 2012). "Kendrick Lamar Speaks On Tupac's "Dear Mama," Says He Appreciated Tupac's Vulnerability". HipHopDX . Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Dear Mama (US Single #1) at Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  34. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  35. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  36. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  37. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – 2Pac" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  38. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  39. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  40. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  41. ↑ "2Pac – Dear Mama". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  44. 1 2 "2Pac Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  45. ↑ "2Pac Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  46. 1 2 "2Pac Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  47. ↑ "2Pac Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  48. ↑ "2Pac Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  49. ↑ "2Pac Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  51. ↑ "2Pac Chart History (Ringtones)". Billboard . Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  52. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1995". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  53. ↑ "British single certifications – 2Pac – Dear Mama". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 28, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.