Critical, Commercial Success and Impact
The song topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart for five weeks, the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles for one week, and peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100. It also topped the Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles sales chart for 4 weeks. The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 13, 1995.
It is considered by many to be 2Pac's most emotional and most respected song, and is praised by many artists (Eminem mentions it as his favorite song), even by many artists who are not involved in the hip-hop business. It was selected as one of many songs you must hear and download in the musical reference book 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die: And 10,001 You Must Download. In 1998, the song appeared on 2Pac's Greatest Hits. The official remix is produced by Nitty and features Anthony Hamilton on the 2006 release Pac's Life.
Snoop Dogg said in an interview that this song displayed an introspective side of 2Pac, which made him different from other rappers, because "he went inside", something other rappers were hesitant or unable to do.
The song appeared on Fox series New York Undercover episode "Manchild".
Read more about this topic: Dear Mama
Famous quotes containing the words commercial, success and/or impact:
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—J.G. (James Graham)
“He saw, he wish’d, and to the prize aspir’d.
Resolv’d to win, he meditates the way,
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—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“The question confronting the Church today is not any longer whether the man in the street can grasp a religious message, but how to employ the communications media so as to let him have the full impact of the Gospel message.”
—Pope John Paul II (b. 1920)