Dear Mama is the story of Tupac Shakur and his mother, Afeni. Not only does it explore their relationship, but their separate histories. That includes Tupac's rise in the west coast rap scene and Afeni's vibrant history as a Black Panther. It's a deep, intimate, and heartfelt look at a pair whose lives have often been publicized but rarely explored. Tupac died in 1996 while his mother passed away in 2016.
The series, premiering on FX and Hulu, was directed by Allen Hughes. Hughes, along with his brother, is best known for films such as Menace II Society and The Book Of Eli. On his own, he has created Broken City and The Defiant Ones. Dear Mama broke records at FX upon its premiere. Nearly 300,000 people watched the show when it first dropped on FX. It made the biggest premiere for an unscripted FX show. Now it has joined another exclusive club.
"Dear Mama" Perfect On Rotten Tomatoes
Based on six reviews, Dear Mama currently holds a perfect 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Furthermore, it holds a 96% audience rating. The reviews, obviously, have been overwhelmingly positive. TIME's Judy Berman said it was "One of the most thorough, sensitive portraits I’ve seen of an artist who has by now been eulogized for longer than he was alive—and of the remarkable woman who created him." Johnny Loftus of Decider added to the praise, "Dear Mama feels like the Tupac Shakur documentary of record as it connects the rapper’s enduring legacy to the philosophies at work in his upbringing and presents its story in a challenging, rewarding nonlinear fashion."
Meanwhile, Variety's Joshua Alston praised it for "Beyond its intimate and nuanced portrayal of their relationship, “Dear Mama” miniaturizes a huge swath of Black life without diluting it." While not a perfect score, Nick Allen from RogerEbert.com had strongly positive comments about the series. "Ambition can be a messy act of passion, and throughout an eye-opening and sometimes disorienting five hours, we come to share Hughes’ intricate admiration for the Shakurs and their impact across movements and generations."
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