2Pac - Brenda's Got a Baby

I hear Brenda's got a baby

But Brenda's barely got a brain

There are several reasons why I chose this as my first song. Firstly, to pay homage to 2Pac, one of the greatest and one of my favorite rappers of all time. Secondly, to hope to convince anyone who doesn't like rap or 2Pac that it still deserves some respect and is more than the crap you hear on the radio. Lastly, I grew up listening to hip hop and like to think of it as my first love. Although my musical taste has expanded way beyond hip hop by now, it still holds a special place in my heart.

"Brenda's Got a Baby" is 2Pac's first ever hit off his first full length album--2Pacalypse Now. The song, according to the music video is based on a true story about a girl named Brenda. But 2Pac uses her personal story to illustrate the larger struggles those living in urban black communities face. This is by no means the first time a rapper has attempted to provide social or political commentary through a song. What stands out about this song in particular (vs. for example, "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy), other than the fact that it's a better song overall, is that it was a song that anyone could understand regardless of race or social status.

Sometimes I wish 2Pac was still alive (that's right, 2Pac is dead), but then I look at what's become of mainstream hip hop and am kind of glad that he died when he did. He's left behind a memorable legacy and will always continue to live in spirit and in my speakers.

THUG LIFE!