My conclusion for the song Brenda’s Got a Baby is that Shakur’s song did an exquisite performance on making others think outside of the box. It gave “Brenda” or the poverty-stricken individuals going through this situation a voice that some might have never heard or thought about if it was not for him. Many people, when they hear or read or see situations like this, do not think about how it plays a role in our whole community, and how he wrote his point of view. With so much emotion and it still became a billboard hit, he did not need any catchy hook or extravagant music video or to even yell he calmly explained the situation. To this day, this song has much meaning after decades; this song continues to teach and reach people of all ages.

Ingrid (Nina) Picado

Spencer

WRT101S

September 19, 2019 (September 19, 2019)

Tupac Shakur Brenda’s Got a Baby

                        The rapper, poet actor Tupac Shakur released the music video for his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991. Brenda’s Got a Baby the music video was released in 0ctober 20,1991. The song Brenda’s Got a Baby was a controversial song and the record label Interscope Records did attempt to stop it from being released. Shakur stated, “My music makes you think.” It was his platform to illustrate for the community what poverty-stricken families go through who suffer from alcohol drug abuse and sexual abuse. Shakur came across a newspaper article that read “Baby Saved From Compactor, Where Mother 12, Says She Put Him.” March 28, 1991. That was the only information given to society; no follow up news article was published.

 In the Lyrics for Brenda’s Got a Baby Shakur states, “I hear Brenda’s got a baby But, Brenda’s barely got a brain. A damn shame the girl can barely spell her name.” That statement symbolizes ethos in part stating I hear Brenda’s got a baby because Brenda does have a baby. 

The Lyrics continue with “But, Brenda’s barely got a brain. A damn shame the girl can barely spell her name.” this verse is pathos because of the emotion Shakur is saying he feels towards Brenda having a baby so young and not being mentally capable of having a child yet related to not even being able to spell her name since she is so young. In the music video, it shows Brenda walking in the street with a baby and Shakur and a group of his friends behind Brenda. 

Shakur is talking about Brenda and the group of friends state (That’s not our problem that’s up to Brenda’s family.) “Well let me show ya how it affects the whole community.” In that statement, Shakur provides the listener/audience/his group of friends a view different view onto that issue of young minority teen pregnancy affected by drug abuse molestation and poverty. Shakur offers a voice to these teens and offers a different perspective to the community that some might not even realize or think about. “’cause you are in the ghetto doesn’t mean you cannot grow. But, oh that’s a thought, my own revelation. Do whatever it takes to resist the temptation.” That’s a claim that is pathos in a sense he is saying where you are born or where you are from should not define you. Shakur uses that verse as pathos if you are from “The hood” that specific verse hits close to home and shakur being from the ghetto knows how to speak to his audience in that form.

 Shakur continues trying to convince the audience how Brenda having a baby affects the whole community one way it does is stated by the verse “She tried to hide her pregnancy from her family who really didn’t care to see, or give a damn if she went out and had a church of kids. As long as the check came, they got first dibs.” In this statement he brings up a common issue in poverty stricken homes when parents don’t care and just use kids and grandkids for welfare income and instead of using it for what it is intended for it is used for drugs or alcohol or both. “She’s 12 years old, and she’s having a baby in love with the molester, who’s sexing her crazy, and yet she thinks he will be with her forever and dreams of a world with the two of them are together Whatever, he left her, and she had the baby solo.”            

            Shakur touches base on another problem in the ghetto how teens get manipulated by older men or men in general and have sex with them and impregnate them and leave them to care for a baby on their own. 

1. Who is the intended audience? My topic is intended for young female teens in poverty dealing with parents that abuse drugs and show little intrest in them. Also for sexually active teen females.
2. Discuss how the intended audience is affected by or involved in the topic being discussed. Discuss the main characteristics of this audience, including values, assumptions, experiences, and stances that work for and against the piece’s interest.  My audience is affected by the rawness of the message it is real life issues that can affect alot of people.
3. How will the audience benefit from this topic? What can be done with the information provided? Why is it necessary to know this? What difference might it make?  The audience can benefit on how to view teens that are affected by this issue and educate on prevention of pregnancy prsotituiton.
4. In what context is the reader looking at this material? Are the readers already somewhat interested? Are they completely unaware? Are they antagonistic/hostile toward the topic, or doubtful about any point which might be made? Are they supportive/sympathetic? Are they neutral? How do you know? Why do you suspect this to be the case? Give your reasoning and evidence. I feel like the audience is sympathetic becuase when i heard this song and obsevred the video it has such a powerfull message it moved me.
5. What questions might the audience need to have answered? What questions might the audience be left with after reading/seeing/listening to the argument? What kind of background information might they need before they accept the claim?  Honestly shakur words it so well you have all you need in the lyrics.
6. What is the audience’s background (for example, technical or educational)? In general, are they prepared and able to understand, interpret, and apply the information in the piece?  The audience is ready to recieve the message.

Ingrid (Nina) Picado

Spencer

WRT101S

19 September 2019 (19 September 2019)

Tupac Shakur Brenda’s Got a Baby

            In the music video for Brenda’s Got a Baby it starts with a young black teen female walking with a baby wrapped in blankets. Then the next scene is Shakur with his friends on the sidewalk watching Brenda. Shakur tells his friends why Brenda’s situation affects the whole community. Then it shows Brenda’s Father using drugs in front of Brenda. Brenda’s Cousin starts caressing Brenda and having sexual relations. Brenda becomes pregnant, and no one notices she gives birth to the baby on the bathroom floor she tries to throw it in the garbage, but the baby is crying. Brenda cannot leave the baby. She goes back to the baby. Her parents do not care about her or the baby. They care about the welfare check. Brenda gets kicked out from her family’s home; she has nowhere to go the father of her baby does not help her. Brenda attempts to sell crack, but instead, she gets robbed. Brenda starts to prostitute herself. She gets killed, and that is when the headline on the newspaper comes out a slain prostitute. Shakur reads the newspaper, and he thinks she is not just a slain prostitute. Shakur reads the newspaper does some research discovers the slain prostitute’s name and that she had a baby. Shakur goes in-depth on how her life started and was set up to fail. Brenda had no education, no family to help her nurture her; she was a product of the environment. She was surrounded like so many other black females. Shakur made a powerful song out of this real story tragedy that no one cared about it seemed. Brenda had no resources to thrive in life; it is such a tragedy but so common back in those times. This song came out in 1992, and it was a song like no other it was consciousness and controversial but so raw and real it was truly inspiring.            

1. introduce the writer of the song brenda’s got a baby
2. explain his purpose of the song that tupac was trying to project
3. prove how he was trying to explain his message
4. what I interperted from the song
5. what others think of the song message

Tupac Shakur

Song Lyrics and Music Video

Brenda’s Got a Baby

Released: October 20, 1991

Tupac Shakur Wrote this song after he read an article about a young black female prostitute in the news paper. The title was prostitute found Slain. He made the song to give “Brenda” a voice she wasn’t just a “prostitute” she had a baby she has a story and how her environment set her up to fail and how it affects the whole community. Tupac gives you a conscious view on this issue it’s not just an isolated incident.

I have a wild imagination.

I can elaborate easily.

I have my own writing style.

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  ●  What type of content are your top three posts (or most recent) on your timeline? Is this pretty typical for your timeline? What kinds of social groups/communities are you a part of? Compare what you see with what your peers see. Are there more similarities or differences?
• memes memes memes
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  ●  What is the relationship between what you see in your social media timeline and what you know or believe? I love to spread humor.
                                                                                     
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  ●  How does your social presence compare with the professional/student biography that you created?    completely different.                                                                         
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  ●  Where do you find examples of bias in your social media timelines?
• no difference
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  ●  Answer: who do I potentially influence on social media? Anybody with a sense of humor
                                                                                     
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  ●  Answer: who do I engage with most on social media? My co-workers.
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Family

Freedom

Honesty

Knowledge

Loyalty

Growth

Happiness

Health

Humor

Love

Who am I as a person?

A woman who is striving to complete everything as fast as she can.

Who am I as a writer?

A basic writer with a lot to learn.

Who am I as a student?

As a student I am adaptable.

What roles do I play in society?

Mother, student, nurse, child, friend.