Themes and message

The main issue discussed in the song “Brenda’s Got A Baby” by Tupac Shakur is that of teen pregnancy and the challenges it brings for the mother to be. The song is also about poverty and the consequences of living in a bad environment.

Teen pregnancy

As you have seen, Brenda is hardly a teenager, and she is already pregnant with a cousin. The song clearly shows how a teen cannot possibly be ready to have a child, as Brenda lacks education and life experience.

“But, Brenda's barely got a brain
A damn shame
The girl can hardly spell her name” (p. 167, ll. 4-6)

She is still a naive child, but her childhood is taken away by her indifferent parents and her sex abuser. Consequently, Brenda’s pregnancy throws her on a downward spiral, from bad to worse. She tries to...