FX’s Dear Mama – New Documentary Series – Premieres Friday, April 21 on FX and Streaming the Next Day on Hulu. From Allen Hughes, the award-winning director of critically acclaimed The Defiant Ones, comes FX’s Dear Mama, a deeply personal five-part series that defies the conventions of traditional documentary storytelling to share an illuminating saga of mother and son, Afeni and Tupac Shakur.
Tupac Shakur is acknowledged as one of the best rap artists of all time. It would take a heavy sum of talent, and extensive work for that crown to be passed on to the next great icon. At such a young age, he was extremely intelligent and unapologetic with his words and wisdom which helped mold a generation into conscious thinking. Most people are not aware of where he comes from or know the lengthy details about his past as a youth. Director Allen Hughes (The Defiant Ones) crafts together an excellent 5-part documentary series doing just that. Not only did he piece together a perspective of Tupac’s life that has never been seen before, but he goes even deeper by sharing stories of his late mother Afeni Shukar while she helped lead the Black Panther Party in the ‘70s. There’s been so much speculation over the years about what exactly took place during their lives, and now a majority of that is answered in this masterpiece by Hughes.
There are three main characters in this series, each having their own level of importance to paint the best picture. Tupac Shukar, Afeni Shukar, and The Black Panther Party movement. Hughes did a phenomenal job weaving in and out of each of these aspects shining a light on the necessary points to tell this story. By the end of it, if not already, your respect level for each will skyrocket to the heavens admiring every little detail of their environment that shaped them into the people fans once knew and loved. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows either. This series contains both the triumphs and the failures each had to endure during their journey and development. If questions were ever asked about why the Black Panther Party never picked back up where they left off leading to success, it is answered here vividly and between the lines. This series is laser-focused on the corruption and lies the American government fed its own people to fuel their agenda, and how its ripple effect still impacts the lives of citizens today decades later. This series is an open book on the mentality, spirituality, physicality, paranoia, depression, and addiction that many Black men and women went through over the past decades including, Tupac, Afeni, and members of the party. Saying it’s a true eye-opener is an understatement.
Tupac was also so misunderstood, however, there’s so much information within the series that provides an abundant amount of clarity. It’s also complemented by other great minds who knew him over the years, ranging from his original managers and high school teachers to other entertainment icons such as Mike Tyson, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. It’s clear the level of impact Tupac had in their lives as they each gave their valuable input on such a popular media mogul. Tupac meant everything to so many people around the world, and to see some of his relatives and colleagues get so emotional during their dialogue was a great awakening to the plight surrounding Tupac and Afeni.
Over these five episodes, it’s also a stroll down memory lane of all of Tupac’s greatest hits. The words of each rap now have new meaning as Hughes delivers so much context to what exactly Tupac had going on in his mind during the writing process. Topping that off with the editing style chosen to bring this all to life was remarkable.
Out of every documentary that has been made to date about Tupac Shakur this is by far the best. Again, it not only focused on him but his mother and the Black Panthers just as much or maybe even more. These people were unique and driven with so much passion and strength. So much can be learned from their line of thinking and movement through society to make a change. This is the type of documentary series that should be taught in schools. Even if the subject matter is off-topic, the style of filmmaking and editing could be taught in film school on ways to tell stories over a large timeline. Director Allen Hughes definitely did his homework when he pieced this together and it shows. It has been a long time since such a powerful project has been released for general entertainment consumption. However, it’s still much more than that. It’s a masterful passion of art enriched with valuable lessons and history that should never be forgotten, and everyone involved in this production should be proud of themselves.
Dear Mama Episode 1 Recap & Review “Panther Power”:
17-yr-old Tupac navigates school, poverty, and family, dreaming of using poetry and music to spread the message of his mother, Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur. Haunted by her past, Afeni fears it will affect Tupac’s promising future.
Dear Mama Episode 2 Recap Review “Changes”:
Tupac bursts on the scene in music and movies, but being a mainstream star and a militant activist comes at a cost. Afeni’s activism lands her and her Panther comrades in a political show trial that could end with all of them in prison.
Dear Mama Episode 3 Recap & Review “So Many Tears”:
Tupac’s legal troubles escalate, with multiple arrests, charged with sexual assault in New York. Afeni, the voice of the New York Panther 21, defending herself at trial and shocking the world when the verdict comes. Tupac’s trial comes to an end.
Dear Mama Episode 4 Recap & Review “Ambitionz Az A Ridah”:
Tupac spends nearly a year at the notorious Clinton Correctional Facility at Dannemora. He leaves hardened by the experience and immediately joins the equally notorious Death Row Records. The contrast between his new persona and his activist upbringing is more stark than ever and his life grows ever more dangerous.
Dear Mama Episode 5 Recap & Review “Until the End of Time”:
After attending a Tyson fight in Las Vegas, Tupac is shot and killed. Afeni is paralyzed with grief after the death of her son. But she still manages to secure Tupac’s legacy, ensuring that their story is told and the struggle continues.
Official Teaser – Arrogant:
Official Trailer:
Dear Mama Teaser – A Mother’s Legacy:
