Brenda's Got a Baby
Encyclopedia
"Brenda's Got a Baby" is the solo debut single
by Tupac Shakur
, and tenth track from his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now
. The song, which features R&B singer Dave Hollister
, is about a fictional twelve-year-old girl named Brenda who lives in a ghetto
, has a baby, and is incapable of supporting it. The song explores the issue of teen pregnancy and its effect on the young mothers and their families. Like many of Shakur's songs, "Brenda's Got a Baby" draws from the plight of the impoverished. Using Brenda to represent young mothers in general, Shakur criticises the low level of support from the baby's father, the government, and society in general. Shakur wrote the song when he read a newspaper article about a twelve-year-old girl who got pregnant from her cousin
and, because she did not want her parents to know about the baby, threw it in a trash can.
has had virtually no education in her life, having only barely obtained minimal skills in writing
, and calls this a "damn shame", criticizing and has little hope in life. Her family is very poor, and her father is a heroin addict. Brenda is impregnated by her unnamed boyfriend
, who is her cousin, but she is successfully able to hide her pregnancy
. 2pac explains that it wouldn’t matter to her family if she gave birth, as long as they got their cut of the government assistance.
Although she believes that her cousin
will stay with her and help her raise the child, he is merely a molester
, and abandons her before she gives birth to her baby on a bathroom floor. Brenda disposes of it by throwing it in a trash bin but later retrieves it as she hears the baby's crying. Her mother scolds her severely, and Brenda becomes so ashamed of herself that she runs away from home
.
Brenda now begins a life on her own, and unsuccessfully seeks employment
. Her attempt to sell crack cocaine
results in robbery
, and eventually she views prostitution
as her only way to make money. This life path leads to her murder. What becomes of other characters, such as her family, her boyfriend, and the baby itself, is uncertain. The final minute or so of the song consists of a chorus singing “don’t you know she’s got a baby” repeatedly.
. It was made to visualize what Shakur narrates. The first part shows Shakur and Money-B
talking about Brenda, and then the actual story starts.
The video begins with "based on a true story," although the characters themselves are fictitious, Shakur wrote the song after reading a story in the newspaper of a 12-year-old girl getting pregnant from her cousin and trying to dispose of the baby in a trash can.
Parts of the video were included in Tupac: Resurrection
, a 2003 documentary
on 2Pac's life, in a television show later in the music video of Ghetto Gospel
, in the music video of Changes and appears as a bonus in its entirety on the film's DVD
.
The video was directed by the Hughes Brothers
.
, The Game
, and Mary J. Blige
as being one of Shakur's most touching and poetic works. The Game refers to the song in his single "Hate It or Love It
" in the line "Pac is gone, and Brenda still throwing babies in the garbage."
In 1998 it appeared on 2Pac's greatest hits album Greatest Hits
. Rapper Bizzy Bone
said it was the first track he heard from Tupac and cited it as his favorite Tupac song of all time.
The song was mentioned in Scary Movie
. When the character Brenda Meeks was with her boyfriend Ray, a song from 2Pacalypse Now
turned on. She then went on to say that she had a shout-out on the album, hinting to her throwing a baby in the trash.
North Carolinian rapper Median released a sequel to "Brenda's Got A Baby", aptly titled "Brenda's Baby". The story follows Brenda's baby, who has been named "Rose" in reference to Shakur's poem, "The Rose That Grew From Concrete".
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
, and tenth track from his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now
2Pacalypse Now
- Unused Tracks :* "Crooked Nigga Too" * "Tears Of A Clown" * "Scared Straight '91"...
. The song, which features R&B singer Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
, is about a fictional twelve-year-old girl named Brenda who lives in a ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
, has a baby, and is incapable of supporting it. The song explores the issue of teen pregnancy and its effect on the young mothers and their families. Like many of Shakur's songs, "Brenda's Got a Baby" draws from the plight of the impoverished. Using Brenda to represent young mothers in general, Shakur criticises the low level of support from the baby's father, the government, and society in general. Shakur wrote the song when he read a newspaper article about a twelve-year-old girl who got pregnant from her cousin
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
and, because she did not want her parents to know about the baby, threw it in a trash can.
Lyrics
The opening consists of a duet singing the song’s title repeatedly. Much of the rest of the song is one long verse performed by 2pac. The verse begins with him telling a group that he has heard about Brenda’s pregnancy. He also notes that the girlGirl
A girl is any female human from birth through childhood and adolescence to attainment of adulthood. The term may also be used to mean a young woman.-Etymology:...
has had virtually no education in her life, having only barely obtained minimal skills in writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
, and calls this a "damn shame", criticizing and has little hope in life. Her family is very poor, and her father is a heroin addict. Brenda is impregnated by her unnamed boyfriend
Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed relationships, where other titles A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed...
, who is her cousin, but she is successfully able to hide her pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
. 2pac explains that it wouldn’t matter to her family if she gave birth, as long as they got their cut of the government assistance.
Although she believes that her cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
will stay with her and help her raise the child, he is merely a molester
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
, and abandons her before she gives birth to her baby on a bathroom floor. Brenda disposes of it by throwing it in a trash bin but later retrieves it as she hears the baby's crying. Her mother scolds her severely, and Brenda becomes so ashamed of herself that she runs away from home
Runaway youth
A runaway is a minor or a person under an arbitrary age, depending upon the local jurisdiction, who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission, or has been thrown out by his or her parent and is considered by the local authorities to lack the capacity to live under...
.
Brenda now begins a life on her own, and unsuccessfully seeks employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
. Her attempt to sell crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
results in robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, and eventually she views prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
as her only way to make money. This life path leads to her murder. What becomes of other characters, such as her family, her boyfriend, and the baby itself, is uncertain. The final minute or so of the song consists of a chorus singing “don’t you know she’s got a baby” repeatedly.
Music video
The video of the song is in black-and-whiteBlack-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
. It was made to visualize what Shakur narrates. The first part shows Shakur and Money-B
Money-B
Ron Brooks better known by his stage name Money-B, is an American rapper, best known for being a member of the funk and rap group Digital Underground. He is a member of Raw Fusion with DJ Fuze whom they had two albums, Live From the Styleetron and Hoochified Funk.He had a solo album named Talkin'...
talking about Brenda, and then the actual story starts.
The video begins with "based on a true story," although the characters themselves are fictitious, Shakur wrote the song after reading a story in the newspaper of a 12-year-old girl getting pregnant from her cousin and trying to dispose of the baby in a trash can.
Parts of the video were included in Tupac: Resurrection
Tupac: Resurrection
Tupac: Resurrection is a 2003 documentary about the life and death of rapper Tupac Shakur. The film, directed by Lauren Lazin and released by Paramount Pictures, is narrated by Tupac Shakur himself. The film was in theaters from November 16, 2003 to December 21, 2003...
, a 2003 documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on 2Pac's life, in a television show later in the music video of Ghetto Gospel
Ghetto Gospel
"Ghetto Gospel" is a song by rapper Tupac Shakur, which was originally released as the second single on his posthumous 2004 album Loyal to the Game...
, in the music video of Changes and appears as a bonus in its entirety on the film's DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
The video was directed by the Hughes Brothers
Hughes Brothers
Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes , known together professionally as the Hughes brothers, are American film directors, producers and screenwriters...
.
Legacy
The song is based on a true story and has been praised by artists such as NasNas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, and Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
as being one of Shakur's most touching and poetic works. The Game refers to the song in his single "Hate It or Love It
Hate It or Love It
"Hate It or Love It" is a song by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist The Game, featuring vocals from fellow G-Unit member at the time rapper 50 Cent. It was released as the third official single from The Game's debut studio album The Documentary , from record labels Aftermath...
" in the line "Pac is gone, and Brenda still throwing babies in the garbage."
In 1998 it appeared on 2Pac's greatest hits album Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (2Pac album)
Greatest Hits is a double disc greatest hits album for late rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru/Death Row Records in 1998. The album's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac's career; the 21 popular hits, some slightly re-edited for legal reasons, are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs:...
. Rapper Bizzy Bone
Bizzy Bone
Bryon Anthony McCane II , better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper and a member of the Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.- Solo career :Bizzy Bone started his solo career in 1998...
said it was the first track he heard from Tupac and cited it as his favorite Tupac song of all time.
The song was mentioned in Scary Movie
Scary Movie
Scary Movie is a 2000 comedy-parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, as part of Warner Bros. Entertainment. It is an American dark comedy which heavily parodies the horror, slasher, and mystery genres...
. When the character Brenda Meeks was with her boyfriend Ray, a song from 2Pacalypse Now
2Pacalypse Now
- Unused Tracks :* "Crooked Nigga Too" * "Tears Of A Clown" * "Scared Straight '91"...
turned on. She then went on to say that she had a shout-out on the album, hinting to her throwing a baby in the trash.
North Carolinian rapper Median released a sequel to "Brenda's Got A Baby", aptly titled "Brenda's Baby". The story follows Brenda's baby, who has been named "Rose" in reference to Shakur's poem, "The Rose That Grew From Concrete".