News of June 23, 2010
"Dear Mama" Added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress
In June 2010, the Library of Congress added Tupac's "Dear Mama" to its registry, the third hip-hop song after Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy.
On June 23, 2010, the Library of Congress in Washington announced the 25 new additions to its National Recording Registry, the registry of sound recordings deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant to the United States and required to be at least ten years old. Among them was Tupac’s “Dear Mama” from 1995.
A Song About a Mother in Poverty and Addiction
The library described the song as a heartfelt homage to mothers struggling with addiction and poverty. In it, Tupac tells the story of his own mother, Afeni Shakur. Program coordinator Steve Leggett called the track “relatively tame” by comparison, but pointed to the undeniable cultural influence of hip-hop.
This made Tupac only the third rapper in the registry, after Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy. Other selections in the same class included “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, Horses by Patti Smith, Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson, and “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M. With this selection, the registry comprised 300 recordings. Librarian James Billington said the list showed the diversity, humanity, and artistry of the American soundscape.
What the induction means for Tupac’s legacy is explored on the page Library of Congress and the Vatican.