Seeds of Wisdom: 2pac

2pac

By Sara Bitterman

Picking a rapper to highlight for seeds of wisdom was really difficult because I don’t listen to rap music. In fact the first thing that comes to mind is the Othello Rap by The Reduced Shakespeare Company where they do a comical rendition of the play in a short rap. Figuring I wouldn’t be able to find any seeds of wisdom from that (unless you are looking to understand Shakespeare better) I decided to ask my brother about rap because I knew he was an avid listener.

When I called my brother he told me it would depend on what kind of rapper I was looking for. He talked about some different rappers and the different topics they rap about. After explaining to him the purpose of seeds of wisdom he decided that 2pac was my man and gave me a few songs to look up.

Out of the songs he gave me the one I liked the most was Dear Mama. Throughout the whole song he is basically describing his life while talking about and thanking his mother. Some lyrics that stuck out to me are in the first verse:

“When things went wrong we’d blame mama”

“I finally understand

For a woman it ain’t easy tryin’ to raise a man

You always was committed

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

There’s no way I can pay you back

But the plan is to show you that I understand

You are appreciated”

This song just takes me back to when I was a child and I sometimes resented my parents. It felt like they just didn’t understand or they just weren’t trying. I feel like this is relatable for most people as well. It’s hard for us to see how difficult it is for our parents to raise us and how much they sacrifice for each one of us. Whether we are raised by two parents or just one, it’s the same. There is a person working hard to give their children great opportunities, whether they are rich or poor.

The beauty of this rap is that the listener can take a moment to reflect on their own childhood and find their own meaning. I know I can’t relate to the kind of lifestyle that 2pac lived, but I can learn from the story that he presents and I can take the time to thank and appreciate my parents for all that they have done. So thank your Mama or your Papa or both!

If there IS anyone out there who is actually studying Shakespeare and needs some help understanding Othello or just needs a laugh, here is another storytelling rap although it is a little less profound.