Professor Sabir's Posse

Rhonda Washington
English 201A MW 1-2:50p
16 September 2009

Dear Mama

I was moved by the story of Tupac and his mother's relationship, it brought me to tears at times. I believe that their was a combination of the qualities that shaped Tupac's character. They both were raised by an single mother, and lived in proverty or in poor conditions. A tool used for motivation to want more or do better. Afeni's militant training due to the black panther party allowed her to have strick rules within the home, which molded Tupac to a revolutionary style of behavior.
Tupac had to endure alot of obstaicles in his childhood. He had an absent father. Afeni was addicted to drugs in his adolesents years. He moved around alot as a child, there was not any stabilty in the home. Afeni also spent time in jail as well as Tupac. But I believe it made them stronger as maturing adults.
Afeni was a very intelligent woman. She attended a Peformings Arts school in New York, and so did Tupac. Afeni taught in New York City school system as a emergency substitute teacher. Tupac taught us through his music. Afeni also depleated her her case in a trail jury were she was released from serving prison time. Tupac while serving time in prison continued to write and astonish us with his knowledge and skills. I believe that all of these life lessons and experiences help to mold Tupac into the man he was.
 

Margaret Coleman
English 201A

Tupac and his mother had quite a few similarities. One of them is they both appear to posses an inner strength which enabled them both to deal with their own particular life challenges and adapt.
They both believed in being truthful and honest with each other and with the public. I’m sure there were subjects in their lives at certain times that they chose not to make public knowledge, however, if inquired on these things, they were addressed bodly.
There was also the same defiance in them in which they chose to stand up for themselves and others when they felt an unjust.
Another similarity they shared unfortunately was their drug addictions. Tupac’s abuse of marijuana and alcohol and Afeni’s, over self medicating of crack cocaine and alcohol.
I believe it was all three factors that shaped Tupac’s destiny. His inheritance of defiance, made some individuals unresponsive to him and most times angry. Due to his mothers’ addictions and neglect Tupac was forced to grow up quickly which included taking care of himself and his younger sister. Lacking the proper necessities, Tupac’s opinion of himself was altered and he developed insecurities. From these insecurities he grew a chip on his shoulder. Because of this chip he also made enemies.
I would imagine growing up as a young black male, where to dress stylish, have money and nice cars was the in thing. I believe those factors encouraged Tupac to begin creatively thinking of how to obtain these things and not making the best choices.
 

Julianne Bauer
English 201B MW 1-2:50
September 16, 2009


I think that Tupac and his mother had a good relationship with each other. When she would say something to him, he would answer her by saying “Yes Mama”.
Tupac and his mother were similar to each other in several different ways. Tupac and his mother both spent time in jail, although they went to jail at different times and were not guilty of the same crime. They were also both in drama class while they were in school. When it comes to whether their similarities were caused by heredity, the environment, or choice, I think that they were caused by the environment. The similarities between Tupac and his mother were caused by the experiences that they both had during their lives. Also, Tupac’s mother would teach him about a lot of different things, and he would listen to her because he believed that she was telling him the truth.
Dyson said that Tupac would read books, and he said that Tupac was curious and wanted to learn about a lot of different things. Dyson also said that Tupac’s mother taught him to be skeptical and to figure out the truth about the world and about politics.
 

Adetokunbo Fajemirokun
English 201b mw 1-2:50
sept 16 2009

I bealive Tupac and his mother were very similiar. She seemed to really install her morals and beliefs into him. They both seemed extrmley intelligent. They went to the same high school a school of arts in new york they also studied the same thing theater. Afenie Shakur defended herself in court and actually beat the case thats something thats hardly ever done and goes to show how smart and courges she was. Tupacs intellegence shows in most of his songs. His intellegent comes straight from her, i dont know if its genetics or the way she raised him, but she defintley had something to do with it.
 

ataliehopkins
free Write
201A 1:00pm-2:00pm

dear mama is a really good song written by tupac shakur. i like how expreses his feelings for his mom even though she had a struggle raiseing him.
 

Kelley Yuen
Professor Sabir
English 201B
MW 1-250pm

Free Write: “Dear Mama”

What Tupac and his mother shared was a bit of all 3, heredity, environment, and choices that had shaped his destiny. Tupac said “My moms is my homey.”
Tupac and his mother had shared something special, a bond that bring them closer every day. As Tupac said when he was in jail in 1995, he and his mother went through several stages. Staged that had kept them closer and also giving spaces for each other. Tupac knows what kind of environment he was living in, a ghetto neighborhood. Tupac’s mother raised him by herself. He knows that his mother have to sacrifices a lot just to survive. His mother wrote poems to warn him and tell him to make his own decisions, but she will be there to watch him as he makes his own decisions in life. She will always be there for him.
Tupac’s mother really had inspired him to find his own was in life. His mother may have made some mistakes, but she is changing for him.