In light of the recent passing of Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, I thought it might be good to look at some of the best songs that the hip hop community has recorded that are dedicated to mothers, grandmothers and mother figures. The songs on this list are not all rosy. Some are rather harsh, unforgiving and uncomfortable to listen to, but they are about mothers in one way or another. The list is in no particular order. Feel free to add any that you feel should be placed on this list in the comments section.
‘Dear Mama’ – Tupac
No hip hop song about mama is more iconic than this timeless Tupac track. It’s a song in which Pac praises his mother for her courage, strong will, and unconditional love for her kids. At the same time he pulls no punches about her imperfections, particularly her drug habit which she eventually overcame. The somber music and lyrics match perfectly to make arguably Tupac’s finest song ever and probably the most well-known mama song in hip hop.
‘Single Mother’ - The Last Emperor
This is one of the most artistic and heart-warming mama songs out there. The song as the title says is about single mothers. The way the story is crafted, especially in the first verse, is exceptional.
‘Mom Praying’ – Beanie Sigel ft. Scarface
Beans and Scarface applaud their mothers and grandmothers for on this joint in light of their being single mothers with many kids. This track touches on the role that religious faith plays in the life of their mothers quite a bit.
‘Dance’ – Nas
Nas is one of the greatest lyricists in all of hip hop without a question. In Dance he sing about how he wishes he could have one more dance with his momma. It’s a song with a simple but powerful message. It’s bound to bring several people to tears.
‘Hey Mama’ – Kanye West
This song showcases Kanye’s more sensitive side. He talks about how he’s proud of his momma and how he plans on buying her a Benz once he can afford to do so. He actually did buy her one and presented it to her as a surprise gift years before she passed.
‘Cleanin Out My Closet’ – Eminem
This is one of the most shocking tales of friction between a mother and son. You can hear the sheer bitterness in Eminem’s voice. I have very few words for this song.
‘Momma I’m So Sorry’ - Clipse
Clipse is well-known for many coke rap tracks such as Grindin. This song is basically an apology to their mother for choosing to pursue a career in dealing illicit drugs.
‘Headlights’ - Eminem
This song unlike Cleanin Out My Closet is basically about how Eminem loves his mother despite the many things he says she put him through. It’s not an apology but based on the lyrics you can hear that Em would like to have some sort of cordial relationship with his mother, so there’s growth there.
‘Now I feel Ya’ – Scarface
This is one of Scarface’s finest songs. Now I Feel Ya features a verse which explains how his mother’s influence shaped his life and helped him become the man he is. She “didn’t blindfold [him] to the world [he] was living in” and taught him the importance of saving money among many others things. Face was a hard-headed kid based on the story told in this track. One of the things that makes this particular song standout from the rest is that Scarface thanks his stepdad for helping raise him, which is a rare thing. He also mentions the role his grandmother played in his life after he went to live with her in his early teenage years.
‘Don’t Come Down’ – Obie Trice
This is probably Obie’s most emotional song ever. The song chronicles the tension that existed between Obie and his mother when he was younger; tension which was largely caused by his decision to sell drugs and live the street life.
