In Dear Mama, Tupac said his father “passed away”, but his biological father was still alive.

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]No, ain't nobody tell us it was fair. No love [music] for my daddy cuz the coward wasn't there. He passed away and I didn't cry cuz my anger [music] wouldn't let me feel for a stranger.

[00:00:10]>> The story behind that line is deeper than it sounds.

[00:00:14]>> [music] >> Tupac's biological father, Billy Garland, was alive.

[00:00:18]According to Billy Garland, Tupac grew up believing his father was dead because Afeni had told [music] him that.

[00:00:25]Tupac only reconnected with him years later after the 1994 shooting when Billy came to see him in the hospital.

[00:00:33]So, when Tupac [music] says he passed away, he was talking about his biological father, a man he grew up believing was dead.