Being that yesterday was Mother’s Day, it’s only right that the West Coast Classic today is a joint that is arguably one of the best songs a rapper has ever written for his mom. Today we’re going to take a second to remember “Dear Mamaâ€, from one of the most widely recognized artists to ever emerge out of the West Coast rap scene. That artist of course, is 2pac.
Countless songs have been recorded by rappers paying tribute to their mothers and all that they’ve done, but “Dear Mama†stands head and shoulders above the rest. ‘Pac’s explanation of his relationship and history with his mother Afeni Shakur is laid out honestly, and not sugar-coated to make it seem like everything was gravy. He mentions a period in time when she was a crackhead, but somehow manages to bring it up in a way that isn’t disrespectful or resentful, and maintains the positive vibe of the song even during this part of it. Besides that, “Dear Mama†is actually well-written, well-produced and interesting, in contrast to the other mom songs that have been recorded since.
“Dear Mama†was a poignant and positive song that stood out on an album that was otherwise filled with a lot of aggression and anger. ‘Pac was never one to shy away from getting emotional on record, but this particular song definitely became a landmark in showing that rappers who otherwise maintained a thug persona on record and in the public eye that they stop to take a moment to show that they were human.
All in all, it’s a dope song, and I’m sure that it left Afeni Shakur with something to remind her how much her son loved her, and how important to him she was. Hopefully everybody out there (even the e-thugs) took a moment yesterday to get in touch with moms and do the same.
