{{short description|1995 single by Tupac Shakur}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{other uses}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox song | name = Dear Mama | cover = Tupac Shakur - Dear Mama.jpg | caption = US cover | alt = | type = single | artist = 2Pac | album = Me Against the World | B-side = Old School | released = February 9, 1995 | studio = Encore Studios (Burbank, California) | genre = Hip-hop | length = 4:39 | label = {{hlist|Interscope|Jive}} | writer = Tupac Shakur | producer = Tony Pizarro | chronology = 2Pac | prev_title = Cradle to the Grave | prev_year = 1994 | next_title = So Many Tears | next_year = 1995 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Mb1ZvUDvLDY|"Dear Mama"}}}} }} "'''Dear Mama'''" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his third studio album, ''Me Against the World'' (1995). It was released on February 9, 1995, as the lead single from the album. The song is dedicated to his mother, Afeni Shakur. In the song, Shakur details his childhood poverty and his mother's addiction to crack cocaine, but argues that his love and deep respect for his mother supersede bad memories. The song became his first top ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number nine. It also topped the Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=2Pac Dear Mama Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/rbm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117164546/https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/rbm/ |archive-date=November 17, 2021 |access-date=April 5, 2018 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> As of March 2021, the song is certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.
"Dear Mama" has been consistently ranked among the best of its genre, appearing on numerous "greatest" lists. In 2009, the song was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, who deemed it a work that is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States",<ref name="million">{{cite web |author=Alan Light |title=Official Biography |url=https://2pac.com/us/biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220115238/http://www.2pac.com/us/biography |archive-date=February 20, 2018 |access-date=November 4, 2019}}</ref> making it the first hip-hop recording by a soloist to be inducted.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allah |first=Sha Be |date=April 20, 2022 |title=The Source {{!}}Wu-Tang Clan And ATCQ Albums Will Be Added To The Library Of Congress |url=https://thesource.com/2022/04/20/wu-tang-clan-and-atcq-albums-will-be-added-to-the-library-of-congress/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420144800/https://thesource.com/2022/04/20/wu-tang-clan-and-atcq-albums-will-be-added-to-the-library-of-congress/ |archive-date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=April 20, 2022 |website=The Source |language=en-US}}</ref> In a press release, the organization called the song "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."
==Background== The song is a tribute to Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur. She and her husband were active members of the Black Panther Party in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Shakur was born a month after his mother was acquitted of more than 150 charges of "Conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks" in the New York "Panther 21" court case.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Scott, Cathy |title=The Killing of Tupac Shakur |publisher=Huntington Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0929712208}}</ref> She was often absent during his childhood in favor of being an activist, and also became addicted to crack cocaine during Shakur's adolescence.<ref name="dead" /> Shakur was kicked out by Afeni at age 17, and they had little contact for many years. Having "lost all respect" for his mother, he subsequently moved into a vacant apartment with friends and began writing poetry and rap lyrics.<ref name="USA">Golus, Carrie. ''USA Today Lifeline Biographies: Tupac Shakur – Hip-Hop Idol''. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 112 pp. First edition, 2010.</ref> In 1990, realizing her habit was out-of-control,<ref name="USA" /> Afeni enrolled in a twelve-step program at a drug and alcohol treatment center in Norwalk, Connecticut. Following her completion, she reconciled with her son, who was at this point a successful rapper.<ref name="book">Mills, Clifford W. ''Hip-Hop Stars: Tupac Shakur''. New York: Checkmark Books, 104 pp. First edition, 2007.</ref>
==Production== Record producer Tony Pizarro recalled that Shakur frequently referenced the idea of "Dear Mama" across multiple songs, which led Pizarro to believe it could be developed into a standalone track. He stated that Shakur later made a concept for the song and referenced "In My Wildest Dreams" (1978) by Joe Sample of the Crusaders as a musical inspiration. Pizarro prepared the beat based on the sample, after which Shakur recorded and completed the vocals for the track.<ref>{{cite book |author=Jake Brown |url=https://archive.org/details/tupacshakur00jake/page/31 |title=Tupac Shakur: 2Pac in the Studio (The Studio Years 1989-1996) |publisher=Amber Books |year=2005 |isbn=0-9767735-0-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/tupacshakur00jake/page/31 31] |url-access=registration}}</ref>
The song was written shortly before Shakur served a prison term.<ref name="lat" /> Upon completion of the track, Shakur called close friend Jada Pinkett-Smith, remarking "I wrote this song about our mothers and I want you to hear it." Similar to Afeni Shakur, Pinkett-Smith's mother had struggled with drug addiction, and their experiences growing up with this as children led to their friendship. She later remarked that the song gave her a "rush of emotions" upon her first listen.<ref name="remembered">Monjauze, Molly, Cox, Gloria, Robinson, Staci. ''Tupac Remembered: Bearing Witness to a Life and Legacy''. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 168 pp. First edition, 2008.</ref> Johnny J, one of Shakur's producers, noted that his emotional and vulnerable songs were his personal favorites.<ref name="rs" />
In a 1995 interview with the ''Los Angeles Times'', Shakur revealed he was influenced by emotionally expressive songs including Don McLean's "Vincent" (1972), which he described as deeply "touching" lyrically. He explained that he wanted his own music to evoke similar emotional responses in listeners, and took for example that "Dear Mama" was written to directly appeal to his peers' emotional experiences. When questioned about misogyny in his lyrics, Shakur defended his music, noting that he worked in the studio with women and played his songs for women before their release, remarking that he wrote "Dear Mama" for Afeni due to his unconditional love.<ref name="lat1">{{cite news |author=Chuck Philips |date=October 25, 1995 |title=Tupac Shakur: 'I am not a gangster' |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-tupac-qa-story.html#page=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212191630/http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-tupac-qa-story.html#page=1 |archive-date=February 12, 2016 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
==Writing and analysis== {{quote box | width = 200px | bgcolor = #c6dbf7 | align = right | quote = You always was committed,{{clear}} A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how you did it. There's no way I can pay you back,{{clear}} But the plan is to show you that I understand; You are appreciated | source = | title = Dear Mama }}
In "Dear Mama", Shakur praises his mother's courage, arguing that many mothers share this trait, and also describes the "highs and lows" of her past.<ref name="book" /> In a cultural and historical context, "Dear Mama" is one of notable hip-hop songs in which male rappers state their reverence for their mothers. Statistics show that a disproportionate number of African-American households are headed by single mothers, and author Mickey Hess asserts that their bravery and role in their children's lives leads to their status as an "eternal symbol of love" in their offspring's eyes.<ref name="hess1">Hess, Mickey. ''Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture, Volume 2''. Westport: Greenwood, 688 pp. First edition, 2007.</ref> In another one of his book, ''Is Hip Hop Dead?: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music'', he asserts that his mother's appearance in Shakur's music is designed to establish credibility with listeners. In this sense, he "connects himself to black radical history through his mother's affiliation with the Black Panthers", and explains that his music is autobiographical, illustrating that 2Pac, as a performer, and Tupac Shakur, as a person, are one and the same.<ref name="dead">Hess, Mickey. ''Is Hip Hop Dead?: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music''. Westport: Praeger, 208 pp. First edition, 2007.</ref> In addition, Shakur recorded the tune as he knew he was not the only person to grow up with a parent struggling with drug addiction.<ref name="life">McQuillar, Tayannah Lee, Johnson, Fred L.. ''Tupac Shakur: The Life and Times of an American Icon''. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 288 pp. First edition, 2010.</ref>{{quote box | width = 200px | bgcolor = #c6dbf7 | align = right | quote = And even as a crack fiend, mama... You always was a black queen, mama.<ref name="USA" /> | source = | title = }}The song's most famous lyric is one in which Shakur declares his love for Afeni, as well as his disappointment in her. Michael Eric Dyson, the author of ''Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur'', interprets that this line reflects Shakur's emotional maturity, arguing that he is able to acknowledge his mother's love while recognizing and naming her struggles. Dyson further suggests that Shakur's willingness to present both praise and difficulty reveals the honesty in his portrayal of their relationship.<ref>Dyson, Michael Eric. ''Holler If You Hear Me''. New York: Basic Civitas Books, p. 23. First edition, 2006.</ref> In the song, Shakur addresses the absence of a father figure, stating that he received no love from his father because "the coward wasn't there", adding that he did not cry upon his death, and explaining that his anger prevented him from grieving for someone who he viewed as a stranger. The father mentioned here was Lumumba Shakur, who divorced Afeni after learning Shakur was not his biological son and later died in February 1986. According to ''Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America'', this sentiment "seemed to resonate with a generation of Black males who felt estranged from their fathers."<ref name="black">Connor, Michael E., White, Joseph. ''Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America''. London: Routledge, p. 114. First edition, 2006.</ref>
The lyrics also reference Shakur's difficult adolescence, including getting kicked out of his home by his mother at age 17, involvement in drug dealing, and hugging his mother while incarcerated.<ref name="lat" /> Scholar George Yancy, writing for ''The Philadelphia Tribune'', argued that the song's slow tempo contributes to a reflective tone, noting that Shakur begins by framing a context in which his mother was taken for granted amid his own disruptive behavior. The song recalls lines such as being "suspended from school" and "scared to go home", followed by reflections on misdirected blame toward his mother, including the admission that "when things went wrong, we blamed mama." These lyrics underscore the regret and self-reflection expressed in the narrative.<ref name="pi2" /> Emphasizing the song's writing, Yancy described "Dear Mama" as a praise song centered on Black motherhood, arguing that it speaks to how many listeners perceive their own mothers. He notes that the song draws attention to Shakur's personal relationship with his mother, suggests that listening to the song can renew appreciation for one's mother. He further emphasized that the song has a transformative effect, encouraging listeners to reconsider how they see, understand, and value their mothers.<ref name="pi2">{{cite news |author=George Yancy |date=April 18, 1995 |title=Tupac Shakur's 'Dear Mama' strikes a cord in all black children |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2332911.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610054230/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2332911.html |archive-date=June 10, 2014 |newspaper=Philadelphia Tribune}}</ref>
==Release and music video== [[File:2Pac - Dear Mamma-Old School (test pressing single) (Side A).jpg|thumb|The test pressing for "Dear Mama" was pressed several weeks prior to the single's official release.]] Released on February 9, 1995,<ref name="riaa" /> "Dear Mama" entered ''Billboard''{{'}}s Hot R&B Singles chart on March 11, rose to number 2 the next week, then to number 1 during the week of March 25.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 25, 1995 |title=Hot R&B Singles Sales |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7AsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA25 |access-date=July 10, 2019 |magazine=Billboard |page=25}}</ref> The song topped the ''Billboard'' Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks and peaked at number nine on the Hot 100. It also topped the Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles sales chart for four weeks.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dear Mama |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/tupac-dear-mama-original-version-stream-7357872/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001141443/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/tupac-dear-mama-original-version-stream-7357872/ |archive-date=October 1, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The single was certified platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995, and sold 700,000 copies domestically.<ref name="riaa" /><ref name="us_sales">{{cite magazine |date=January 20, 1996 |title=Best-Selling Records of 1995 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3g4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56 |access-date=May 5, 2015 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=BPI Communications |page=56 |volume=108 |issn=0006-2510 |number=3}}</ref>
The video features an appearance by Afeni Shakur, who re-enacts her reconciliation with a lookalike of her son.<ref name="dead" /> Tupac himself was serving his four-and-a-half-year prison sentence. He released this song, and the associated album, while being sentenced. While in prison his album quickly climbed the charts. The demand for a video grew: the video was released while he was in prison and for that reason could not be in the video. No other video was made when he was released.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crowe |first=Jerry |date=April 17, 1995 |title=Tupac Shakur's third album off to a hot start...while he chills in jail |newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Jeff Weiss, writing for the ''Los Angeles Times'', praised "Dear Mama", stating that it demonstrates Shakur's ability to distill complex emotions into clear and stark imagery.<ref name="lat">{{cite news |author=Jeff Weiss |date=June 25, 2010 |title=2Pac's 'Dear Mama' selected for inclusion in Library of Congress' national recording registry |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/06/2pacs-dear-mama-selected-for-inclusion-in-library-of-congress-national-recording-registry.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812193153/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/06/2pacs-dear-mama-selected-for-inclusion-in-library-of-congress-national-recording-registry.html |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Cheo Coker of ''Rolling Stone'' described the song as a heartfelt, at times unflinching dedication to his mother that reflects the mutual hardships they experienced.<ref name="RSReview">{{cite magazine |last=Coker |first=Cheo H. |date=March 10, 1995 |title=2Pac: Me Against The World |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/me-against-the-world-19980202 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223111616/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tupacshakur/albums/album/219703/review/6067996/me_against_the_world |archive-date=December 23, 2007 |access-date=February 2, 2008 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> Robert Christgau included "Dear Mama" the eighth best single of 1995 in his Pazz & Jop critics' poll.<ref>{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |year=1996 |title=Pazz & Jop 1995: Dean's List |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans95.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125081435/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans95.php |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=September 13, 2014 |newspaper=The Village Voice |location=New York |issue=February 25}}</ref>
==Legacy== The song is often considered Shakur's most "emotionally resonant" song.<ref name="lat" /> ''Rolling Stone'' placed "Dear Mama" at number eighteen on its 2012 list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.<ref name="rs">{{cite journal |date=December 5, 2012 |title=The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121205/2pac-dear-mama-19691231 |url-status=live |journal=Rolling Stone |location=New York City |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |issn=0035-791X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710102635/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121205/2pac-dear-mama-19691231 |archive-date=July 10, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref> Carrie Golus of ''USA Today'' opined that "Dear Mama" was the sole reason for the double-platinum certifications of ''Me Against the World''. He explained that the song presents a sensitive side of the rapper, which led to increased recognition, particularly among female fans.<ref name="USA" /> In 1997, shortly after the rapper's death, Afeni mentioned "Dear Mama" in a ''People'' article. She revealed that she could not listen to it without crying, explaining that the emotional impact of the song "gets worse every time".<ref name="people">{{cite magazine |last=Castro |first=Peter |date=December 1, 1997 |title=All Eyes on Her |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20123914,00.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808044223/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20123914,00.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |magazine=People |volume=48 |issue=22}}</ref>
LA Weekly placed the song at number six on their list ''The 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs in History''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 22, 2021 |title=The 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs in History |url=http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/08/11/the-20-best-hip-hop-songs-in-history?page=5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812223510/http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/08/11/the-20-best-hip-hop-songs-in-history?page=5 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |access-date=August 12, 2014 |newspaper=LA Weekly}}</ref> In 2009, "Dear Mama" was one of the twenty-five recordings selected for preservation at the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress, making it the third hip-hop song to do so after Public Enemy and Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.<ref name="lat" /> The Library of Congress described the song as a "moving and eloquent homage" not just to Afeni, but also to mothers more broadly who struggle to support their families amid addiction, poverty, and social neglect.<ref name="rs1">{{cite journal |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=June 23, 2010 |title=R.E.M., Tupac Inducted Into Library of Congress Registry |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r-e-m-tupac-inducted-into-library-of-congress-registry-20100623 |url-status=live |journal=Rolling Stone |location=New York City |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |issn=0035-791X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808103018/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r-e-m-tupac-inducted-into-library-of-congress-registry-20100623 |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref> Afeni stated she was honored that "Dear Mama" was selected, noting that it resonated with her personally as well as with many other mothers who have faced similar circumstances. She added that Shakur recognized those struggles and remains a hero to many people.<ref name="lat" />
===Influence=== "Dear Mama" has influenced numerous rappers. In an interview with MTV, Eminem reflected that he frequently played the song in his car shortly after his release.<ref name="mtv">{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Eminem: Reconstructing Tupac |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/t/tupac/news_feature_102703/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804120928/http://www.mtv.com/bands/t/tupac/news_feature_102703/ |archive-date=August 4, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |publisher=MTV News}}</ref> Common described "Dear Mama" as one of Shakur's songs that influenced him the most, calling the song courageous and "one of the most heartfelt songs I've ever heard in hip-hop". He further emphasized that "Dear Mama" demonstrated how a rapper could maintain authenticity while expressing compassion and love.<ref name="remembered" /> Kendrick Lamar said the song had a profound impact on him, explaining that it helped him understand the importance of vulnerability and expressing oneself without fear.<ref name="dx">{{cite magazine |last=Harling |first=Danielle |date=November 23, 2012 |title=Kendrick Lamar Speaks On Tupac's "Dear Mama," Says He Appreciated Tupac's Vulnerability |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.21981/title.kendrick-lamar-speaks-on-tupacs-dear-mama-says-he-appreciated-tupacs-vulnerability |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810142930/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.21981/title.kendrick-lamar-speaks-on-tupacs-dear-mama-says-he-appreciated-tupacs-vulnerability |archive-date=August 10, 2014 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |magazine=HipHopDX}}</ref>
==Track listing== ;12", cassette, CD, maxi<ref>{{cite web |title=Dear Mama (US Single #1) at Allmusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r225253 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020060658/http://allmusic.com/album/r225253 |archive-date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |website=Allmusic}}</ref> # "Dear Mama" (LP Version) — 4:41 # "Dear Mama" (Instrumental) — 5:21 # "Bury Me a G" — 4:59 # "Dear Mama" (Moe Z. Mix) — 5:09 # "Dear Mama" (Instrumental Moe Z. Mix) — 5:09 # "Old School" (LP Version) — 4:59
==Credits and personnel== Credits are adapted from the single's liner notes.<ref name="cdlinernotes">{{cite AV media notes |author=Anon. |title=Dear Mama |year=1995 |publisher=Interscope, Out Da Gutta, Atlantic Records |id=95774-2 |type=CD single liner notes}}</ref> {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ;Locations * Recorded at Encore Studios, Burbank, California * Mixed at Enterprise Studios, Burbank, California
;Musicians * Tupac Shakur – vocals, writing * Tony Pizarro – writing, production, engineering * DF Master Tee – additional production * Reggie Green – background vocals * Moses – additional production * Sweet Franklin – background vocals {{col-2}}
;Technical * Eric Altenburger – design * Paul Arnold – mixing engineer * Atron Gregory – management * Stephen Levy – A&R assistant * Reisig & Taylor – photography * Jill Rose – coordinator * Tyehimba Services – management * Watani Tyehimba – management * Tom Whalley – A&R direction
;Samples * Contains a sample from "In My Wildest Dreams", written and performed by Joe Sample * Contains an interpolation of "Sadie", written by Bruce Hawes, Charles Simmons, and Joseph B. Jefferson, and performed by the Spinners {{col-end}}
==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+1995 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama" !scope="col"| Chart (1995) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Dutch40|37|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date= September 7, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Dutch100|31|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|New Zealand|4|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|UK|84|date=19950813|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|UKrandb|15|date=19950813|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|3|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row" | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref name="UScharts">{{cite magazine |title=2Pac Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121110917/https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/ |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |access-date=January 18, 2014 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> |align="center"|7 |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardrapsongs|1|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|16|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+1999 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama" !scope="col"| Chart (1999) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Australia|37|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|rowheader=true|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- {{single chart|Flanders|4|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 25, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Germany|81|songid=3945|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 10, 2019}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Sweden|43|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Switzerland|43|artist=2Pac|song=Dear Mama|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|UK|27|date=19990627|access-date=November 12, 2023|refname=UK1999}} |}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+2014 weekly chart performance for "Dear Mama" ! scope="col" style="width:17em;" | Chart (2014) ! scope="col" | Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row" | US ''Billboard'' Ringtones<ref name="Zobbel">{{cite magazine |title=2Pac Chart History (Ringtones) |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/mst/ |access-date=June 29, 2019 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 29 |}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+Year-end chart performance for "Dear Mama" !scope="col"| Chart (1995) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- !scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)<ref>{{cite web |title=End of Year Charts 1995 |url=https://nztop40.co.nz/index.php/chart/?chart=3884 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204121519/https://nztop40.co.nz/index.php/chart/?chart=3884 |archive-date=December 4, 2017 |access-date=December 3, 2017 |publisher=Recorded Music NZ}}</ref> |align="center"|40 |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardhot100|51|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|27|artist=2Pac|access-date=August 4, 2014}} |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=2Pac|title=Dear Mama|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 7, 2025}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Dear Mama|artist=2Pac|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1995|certyear=2024|access-date=May 24, 2024|id=16236-1284-1}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Dear Mama|artist=2Pac|type=single|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1995|certyear=2021|refname=riaa}} {{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}} <!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes (endnotes) using the<ref(erences/)> tags!-->
==External links== {{portal|Music}}
{{2Pac}} {{authority control}}
Category:1995 singles Category:1990s ballads Category:Tupac Shakur songs Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings Category:Songs about mothers Category:Songs about childhood Category:Songs about nostalgia Category:Interscope Records singles Category:Jive Records singles Category:Songs written by Tupac Shakur