K-SCORE: 93
Rapper: 2pac
It’s time for one of the best rappers to ever play in the game, Tupac Shakur. His swan song to his mother, "Dear Mama", is truly great. In my mind, there's a lot of pressure on Kyle here to like this song, after what he did to "Juicy". Let's see what he thought.
-Mike
Tupac how dare you?! You’re wrote a heartfelt tribute rap to your mother. What’s worse, the song behind your verses is lyrical, harmonious, and even gentle. The details in the narrative make it abundantly clear you’re talking about your actual mother, and your actual life. What’s your problem dude? I know you’re rapping, but somehow, my brain wants me to believe it’s something different. The last song I listened to vehemently instructed “get the South dick up out your mouth.” Are we still in the same genre? Two of the guys Mike had me review earlier used the words “blam” and “blat,” and one guy who calls himself Birdman tried desperately to rap, but accidentally blurted out “move them thangs, get them thangs, flip them thangs, do yo thang.” You don’t belong among them, Tupac, you bastard. Damn you for making my job harder.
Tupac, reviewing “Dear Mama” is the first time I feel I can’t bring fire down on your work using my own observations of the world to guide me. You tell a specific, easy to follow, pleasant to listen to, deeply personal story about your life and combine it with homage to your mother, who you love very much. I can’t even complain about the message’s simplicity because it sounds like your mother was not always an easy person to love.
I find I can’t really relate to your song all that well, but that doesn’t really detract from my admiration of it. I’m trying to relate. I’d like to give back to my parents some day. I also like paying for things I want. We’re different though. You’re happy you had money to pay rent. I’m happy I could buy myself a new waffle maker. Your momma was a “crack fiend” and my dad is… a… radiologist.
Because you combine both positive and negative behaviors from you and your mother, you paint a picture of your lives that can be examined without consideration for a specific place and time. This detail surprised me the most, and is, I believe, where an argument could be made for the existence of impressive innovation in “Dear Mama.” Most pieces of art (songs especially) find a way to date themselves very quickly. This doesn't.
Bottom line, Tupac, I really did enjoy it. Keep posthumously making music. “You are appreciated.”
Mike, our readers don't pay good money to hear me sing the praises of talented dead men. Step up your game. Got any monstrous and self-possessed whackos I could rip on?