“Dear Mama” was written by 2Pac as a dedication to his mother, Afeni Shakur. The song is considered by critics, fans, and purists as one of the greatest hip hop songs of all-time, and one of 2Pac’s best songs in particular, being ranked number four on About.com’s “Top 100 Rap Songs” list. “Dear Mama” is one of 25 songs that were added to the National Recording Registry in 2010. The Library of Congress has called “Dear Mama” “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.” The honor came seven days after what would have been Shakur’s 39th birthday. Shakur is the third rapper to enter the library, behind Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy (taken from Wikipedia).
There’s no way I can pay you back,
but the plan is to show you that I understand.
You are appreciated.
Vocabulary
- beef (slang) – If you are upset with somebody for a long time and hold a grudge, then you have beef. My coworkers are always fighting. They must have some beef between each other.
- kick out (sep. phrasal verb) – to make somebody leave and go away. If you don’t do well in school, you might get kicked out. You need to study harder and improve your grades.
- pay back (sep. phrasal verb) – repay; to return money that you borrowed from somebody. Can I borrow $20? I promise I’ll pay you back next week.
- pass away (idiom) – to die. She’s been feeling very depressed since her father passed away last year.
- feel for (in. phrasal verb) – to have sympathy for somebody. I’m really sorry to hear that you lost your job. I feel for you!
- hang around with (in. phrasal verb) – to spend a lot of time with somebody. Every since he’s gotten a girlfriend, he has stopped hanging around with us.
- sling (idiom) – to sell drugs. I think those guys on the street corner are slinging. Should we call the cops?
- commonly pronounced like slang
- on your own (idiom) – alone; without any help. I like the independence of being single, but living on my own is lonely sometimes.
- stay real (idiom) – to be honest and natural. Stay real with me. I hate liars!
- also keep it real
- roll on (in. phrasal verb) – to continue, especially if you are tired or unhappy. I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday! I don’t know if I can roll on until the weekend.
- hold on (in. phrasal verb) – used to tell somebody to wait or stop. Can you hold on for a minute? I’m on the phone, but I’ll help you soon.
Discussion Questions
Can you explain why your mother is a special woman? How has she made your life better and easier? How many sacrifices has your mother made? How do you honor and pay respect to your mother? Please write your ideas in the comments below!