Preview

Tupac Dear Mama Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
701 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Tupac Dear Mama Analysis
Tupac Shakur was a young rapper who wrote the song “Dear Mama” dedicated to his mother. He uses elements such as dynamics, instrumentation, and tempo to help piece together his incredible song made for his mother. The song “Dear Mama” by Tupac Shakur begins with the artist rapping his 17-year-old self. From breaking rules in school and hanging out with older people, to being kicked out the house by ruin his mom, Tupac always could depend on her to be there for him. He dedicated this song to her to show appreciation. The narrative about Tupac and his mother then continues into him and his baby sister shedding tears because they were “poorer than the other little kids,”as well as the stress that they caused for blaming their …show more content…
He was a precociously talented yet troubled soul who became known as a spokesperson for people who struggled for equality(http://www.biography.com/people/tupac-shakur-206528).Interviewed on camera at age 17, just before his rise to fame, he bragged about Afeni Shakur's(his mother) wisdom and political involvements. Afeni Shakur was a former Black Panther who struggled to provide for Tupac and his sister Sekiya. They often moved homes and stayed in shelters. They moved from New York to Baltimore to Merin City,California where his mother became a crack addict and Tupac a drug dealer.The song “Dear Mama” addresses his mother with the honesty of “forgiving her for abandoning him and thanking her for raising him as well as she knew how”(http://www.shmoop.com/2pac-dear-mama/meaning.html). The tempo in “Dear Mama” is an important musical element to this piece because it sets the tone for Tupac reminiscing about his mother. The slow tempo best fits this song because it helps keep listeners focused on the words Tupac is trying to say and gives the heartfelt admiration to his mother that he intended. The significance of the tempo being slow is to show his mother that he truly cares and the sincerity of the song is genuine.If the tempo were to be faster,listeners wouldn’t be focused on the message of the song. Listeners would be more likely distracted by the beat rather than the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    ENC1101

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Angelou’s intent is much more complex and deep to just be categorized as a story about “bad-mannered children & racism.” Angelou goes into detail about the way Momma carried herself on a day to day basis, and then shows the outcome of the situation at hand; which shows dignity and integrity.…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Mi Mommy Gilb Summary

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page

    In the story Mi Mommy by Gilb, the author explains his rough relationship he had with his mother. He started by explaining a dream he had of his mother. As the reader I noticed even though he didn’t talk to her, and did not approve of her life, he still loved her. After finding out his mother was a career alcoholic, I found it hard to believe he cared for her as much as he did. Gilb explains how his mom didn't really support his and how she wasn’t involved in his adult life.…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to Mary Eberstadt, adolescent popular music deemed degrading by American parents, like that of rap superstar Eminem, centers on that children need parents. She’s discovered a truth within the music, stating that it’s shaped from broken homes, abuse, and neglect, and with Eminem and his message, she backs up her idea.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Shakur’s lived on Greenmount Ave. in East Baltimore. There, Tupac was teased because of his looks, name, and lack of trendy clothing. It was is in Baltimore, Tupac was accepted to the Baltimore School for the Arts. It was here he began to thrive and enjoy his classes. Classes like studying theater, ballet, and other arts. It was at this point Shakur became acquainted and close friends with fellow classmate Jada Pinkett. Despite his age, Shakur was blunt on the subject of racial equality. His teachers remembered him as being a very gifted student. He was an avid reader, delving into books on eastern religions, and even entire encyclopedia sets. Hiding his love of literature from his peers, he gained the respect of his peers by acting like a tough guy. Shakur composed his first rap in Baltimore under the name “MC New York”. The song was about gun control and was inspired by the fatal shooting of one of his close friends. Two years later, a drug-addicted Afeni was having trouble finding work. She moved the family again to live with a family friend in Marin City, California. Tupac described this period as “where I got off track”. He showed disdain for law enforcement, being hassled occasionally for playing music loudly. In August of 1988, Shakur’s stepfather Mutulu was sentenced to sixty years in prison for armed robbery after being on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list for several years. Shakur…

    • 3110 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    He’s telling his brothers to stay true to their black selves and stay packed with a gun for protection. He wants the black youth to not conform to the white supremacy being taught in schools. Tupac refuses to turn the other cheek because of his thug like nature. He fights back. He begins to talk about drugs and the escape weed gives him. He’s seen his brothers smashed due to the crack epidemic started by Reagan and he’s trying to figure out when it will fade and give the poor more money. Until then he wants the youth to fight oppression and not give up while they’re still alive. Last line he basically is saying that he knows the odds are against him so he’ll either be there when his brothers get out or meet them there. Tupac Shakur was very enlightened for a man at his age. Unfortunately he lived by the gun and died by the gun. This one verse literally could have been in the intro for The New Jim Crow or played in class. Tupac was ready for war against cops if it came to…

    • 4576 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    2pac Bio

    • 2242 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Tupac mother’s name is Alice Faye Williams (later called Afeni Shakur), she was one of the leaders of The Black Panther Party, and she joined it in 1968. she was a revolutionist who used to defend the black people. In the Black Panther party she organized community improvement programs. On 1969 she was arrested and jailed for 11 months accused by trying to conspire on the American government. She was asked to pay 100,000 bail to be freed but later they decided to cancel it due to fear of flight and she returned to prison pregnant with her child tupac. Tupac relation with his mother when she was in the Black Panther party was not that strong, as his mother was busy worrying…

    • 2242 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hip hop culture in general has nurtured a dualism within messages sent by lyrics. Nowhere was this duality more evident than the music of Tupac Shakur. As music reflected his reality and at times he’d reference women with derogatory terms, however he showed a level of responsibility with songs such as “Dear Mama” and “Brenda’s got a baby”. The lack of respect was noticed by many. Stress and the need to make a hit increased, he became a sex symbol along with a flock of “haters” trying to kill him. The flirtation with the materialistic trappings that the RAP game has to offer. “Forced laughter”(Shock-G), it was that Tupac was unhappy and this was speaks through his…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the poem “Momma” by Chrystal Meeker, the narrator shows the reader what the true meaning of being a mother is. It shows that it is not about what a mom can give to their child or what they buy for them, but what they will give up for their children. In this poem, a mother looks back on her own childhood and realizes what her mother was willing to sacrifice for her children. The poem expresses a mother struggling to raise her children amongst difficulties and the true meaning of motherhood.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Changes Tupac Analysis

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages

    take away the lyrics and just listen to the rhythm, they would be left with one continuous rhythm for the whole song. Unlike classical music, which Copland equated his theory with, rap music only uses one repetitive rhythm or beat. It wouldn't be very enjoyable for the listener to just listen to one rhythm for the whole song. The artist actually wants the listener to really hear what he is saying. Tupac wanted his listener to actually do something about the crime and poverty that corrupted the neighborhoods back then. He clearly states in his song, "And still I see no changes. Can't a brother get a little peace? There's war on the streets & the war in the Middle East. Instead of war on poverty, they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me" (Shakur). He wanted people to hear his message not for it just to get played on the radio, or be listened to its beats only. When lyrics are added to a song, the song deviates from the sheerly musical plane to the more sensual and expressive…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dr Boyce Craftman Analysis

    • 1562 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Immediately he got in the middle of an ongoing conflict between Death Row and the east-coast based Bad Boy record label. His track titled "Hit 'Em Up" was produced as a simple statement from Tupac and Death Row to Bad Boy. Before this release, Tupac was shot with five bullets and blamed the shooting on Bad Boy. Lyrics read: “Killing ain't fair but somebody got to do it...You'd better back the fuck up before you get smacked the fuck up...This is how we do it on our side. Any of you niggas from New York that want to bring it, bring it. But we ain't singin' we bringing drama. Fuck you and your motherfuckin mama.We gonna kill all you mother fucks...Well this is how we gonna do this...Fuck bad boy as a staff, record label, and as a motherfuckin crew. And if you wanna be down with Bad Boy, then fuck you too. All of you all motherfuckers fuck you, die slow motherfucker. My "44" makes sure all your all kids don't grow…West side 'til we die...Fuck 'em we Bad Boy…

    • 1562 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The passion of writing the true message must be written, between the lines can be controversial, especially with two sides to the author's persona. The struggle of being a young black male rapper from the “ghetto” to strive and achieve more than what is reality around him, and your dream and passion to achieve much more than what you're born with. Being able to be African American to have a dream during of time of those who are socially oppressed, to not live I location that are densely populated your own kind meant being black was only meant to be just to live your life. In collections in the book “The Rose That Grew from Concrete “are a group poem created by Tupac Amaru Shakur. His message much simpler and more direct rather than complex…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Changes Tupac Analysis

    • 1851 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Rap music effectively shows the conditions of the "hood" and helps to open the eyes of the listeners that life for everyone isn't easy and worry-free. In the song "Changes" by Tupac Shakur, the rapper illustrates an image of the common inner-city urban street. In his lyrics, Shakur describes a scene where white and blacks are enemies, and crack sellers are around every corner. Yet, even though these lyrics talk about the violence in the streets, it talks about needing to make a change within the society. Shakur raps "We need to make changes, Learn to see me as a brother instead of two distant strangers. And dats how it's supposed to be. How can the devil take a brother if he's close to me, uh, I love to go back to when we played as kids, but things change, and that's the way it is." In the previous lyrics Tupac is encouraging peace within the community. He is encouraging whites and blacks to see each other more as individuals rather than two different enemies, but in the end he says that is just the way the life is (filled with hatred). The ability that the rap and hip-hop genre has to expose how life really is in the ghetto not only can promote change, but it helps to show people of all socioeconomic backgrounds that life everywhere isn't truly kosher. Many of the rap lyrics composed by various artists focus on the neighborhoods that they live in, not generally depicting masculine views, but talking about how harsh urban life really…

    • 1851 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    She worked hard as a single parent and was more of the family's "father figure". She could milk cows and “kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man” (25). She protects one child with special needs and sends another one off into the world. It is often said that "a mother's love is unconditional." However, Mama sees the limitations of both of her daughters and is brutally honest in describing them, admittedly with her own bias. (MAYBE ADD A QUOTE HERE?) If this were not Mama's story and instead was told through the lens of either daughter, it would be so completely hate-filled that it would be an even less accurate portrayal of the dynamics among the three…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology

    • 3041 Words
    • 13 Pages

    > Tupac 's position in the Black community was a highly regarded one in that it constituted the responsibility of representing Blacks in the media. Also, being from the lower class himself he had knowledge of the conditions in which the lower class were living in, specifically the Black community, and was able to relate to and comment on them. I chose to analyze his lyrics because I feel they apply to many societies. The song My Block is a song about Black struggles, and the way of life Blacks are made to lead. However when this song is applied to the Marxian ideology, it can relate to the conditions of the proletariat, in the bourgeoisie capitalist society.…

    • 3041 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tupac Shakur is considered an rap icon. Some may say he is the MJ to the rap game. He didn’t just make music he made common situation into a song that everyone can bob their head to. Many artist say that they were influenced to rap because of Tupac such as Nas, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and so many more. Tupac’s mother (Afeni Shakur) was a single parent and she tried her best trying to make their childhood a great one. He thanked his mom for her effort in the song ‘Dear Mama‘. He may have been known to many people as an “Gangster” or “Thug”, but he also touched on issues that were going on at that moment of time. ‘Keep ya head up’ by 2pac was an anthem for women who were raising children on their own during the hard times during the 90’s, especially…

    • 1136 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics