News of April 21, 2023
Record Debut for ‘Dear Mama’ on FX
Allen Hughes initially declined, then the docuseries on Tupac and Afeni Shakur set a record on FX. Featured: rare archival footage.
When the estate reached out, director Allen Hughes initially turned down the offer. Although he and his brother Albert had directed Tupac’s first music videos, Hughes had also been attacked by Tupac and his entourage. What changed his mind was a line from the family, he told Rolling Stone: to know and love Tupac was to fight with him. On April 21, 2023, Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur premiered on FX, followed by streaming on Hulu the next day.
Rare Footage and the Best Debut in Network History
According to Billboard, the five-part series was created as a co-production with Interscope. It features rare footage, unreleased vocal recordings, and conversations with family, early managers, and peers such as Snoop Dogg.
In early May, FX announced that the premiere was the most-watched debut of an unscripted series in the network’s history. Shortly thereafter, Vibe noted a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. On the series: Dear Mama.