Donate | NPR Shop | NPR Community | Login | Register
An ode to Mom from 5 Pointz in Long Island City, N.Y.
May 7, 2009 - For all the accusations of misogyny that hip-hop artists face, no musical genre shows more reverence to the mother figure. Tupac's "Dear Mama" may be the most easily identifiable example — if not the pinnacle — of the mama meme, but many other great rappers have taken a few minutes to honor the women who brought them into the world. Here are five more songs for and about your mom.
The OutKast affiliates in Goodie Mob take a break from the steamy, lush documentary of the Dirty South lifestyle that is Soul Food to pay homage to... guess who? Their moms, who provided love and support, even if it occasionally came in the form of a switch to the back.
Built from childhood memories and promises to return to college (never happened), Kanye West's "Hey Mama" took on a more poignant tone after his mother died unexpectedly in 2007. But as moving as his subsequent Grammy performance was (he even shaved the word "Mama" into his head for the occasion), it's this early, stripped-down mixtape version that stands out to this day. The empty space adds even more weight to his words.
Just in time for Mother's Day, Boosie throws his hat into the Mom Rap ring on his latest mixtape, Thug Passion. The Baton Rouge underground favorite paints Mama Boosie as a stern but loving figure.
Two of hip-hop's emotional heavyweights pay tribute to not only their moms, but also their moms' moms on this multi-generational ode to mothers and grandmothers. Always the sensitive thug, Scarface offers his mother sage advice on death and dying. Beans, on the other hand, doesn't tone down his gangsta routine one bit, threatening to beat anyone who would hurt his mom "to a thirstless breath." It's a sentiment to warm the heart of any loving mother.
Not all Mom Raps are so somber. Here, the legendary Chubbster offers up a goofy ode to the lady who birthed him. He spends two verses reminiscing on the early days of rapping with his mother -- memories sprinkled with bizarre non-sequiturs about tuna -- before calling for mothers everywhere to "quit the damn PTA" and pursue their own rap careers. Maybe one day, moms will heed his suggestion and start rapping back.
Loading...
Comments
Please note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.
NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.