Dear mama
You are appreciated
[Verse One: 2Pac]
When I was young me and my mama had beefSeventeen years old kicked out on the streetsThough back at the time, I never thought I'd see her faceAin't a woman alive that could take my mama's placeSuspended from school; and scared to go home, I was a foolwith the big boys, breakin all the rulesI shed tears with my baby sisterOver the years we was poorer than the other little kidsAnd even though we had different daddy's, the same dramaWhen things went wrong we'd blame mamaI reminice on the stress I caused, it was hellHuggin on my mama from a jail cellAnd who'd think in elementary?Heeey! I see the penitentiary, one dayAnd runnin from the police, that's rightMama catch me, put a whoopin to my backsideAnd even as a crack fiend, mamaYou always was a black queen, mamaI finally understandfor a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a manYou always was committedA poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did itThere's no way I can pay you backBut the plan is to show you that I understandYou are appreciated
[Chorus: Reggie Green & "Sweet Franklin" w/ 2Pac]
Lady...Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet ladyDear mamaPlace no one above ya, sweet ladyYou are appreciatedDon't cha know we love ya?
[second and third chorus, "And dear mama" instead of "Dear mama"]
[Verse Two: 2Pac]
Now ain't nobody tell us it was fairNo love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't thereHe passed away and I didn't cry, cause my angerwouldn't let me feel for a strangerThey say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all alongI was lookin for a father he was goneI hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugsThey showed a young brother loveI moved out and started really hanginI needed money of my own so I started slanginI ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocksIt feels good puttin money in your mailboxI love payin rent when the rent's dueI hope ya got the diamond necklace that I sent to youCause when I was low you was there for meAnd never left me alone because you cared for meAnd I could see you comin home after work lateYou're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plateYa just workin with the scraps you was givenAnd mama made miracles every ThanksgivinBut now the road got rough, you're aloneYou're tryin to raise two bad kids on your ownAnd there's no way I can pay you backBut my plan is to show you that I understandYou are appreciated
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the dramaI can always depend on my mamaAnd when it seems that I'm hopelessYou say the words that can get me back in focusWhen I was sick as a little kidTo keep me happy there's no limit to the things you didAnd all my childhood memoriesAre full of all the sweet things you did for meAnd even though I act craaazyI gotta thank the Lord that you made meThere are no words that can express how I feelYou never kept a secret, always stayed realAnd I appreciate, how you raised meAnd all the extra love that you gave meI wish I could take the pain awayIf you can make it through the night there's a brighter dayEverything will be alright if ya hold onIt's a struggle everyday, gotta roll onAnd there's no way I can pay you backBut my plan is to show you that I understandYou are appreciated
[Chorus]
Sweet ladyAnd dear mama
Dear mamaLady [3X]