加州的爱 (1995)

"California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper Dr. Dre and American musician Roger Troutman. The song was released December 3, 1995, as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first single as the newest artist of Death Row Records. The original version is featured on the UK version of his fourth album, All Eyez on Me (1996).

"California Love" is one of 2Pac's most widely known and most successful singles. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks (as a double A-side single with "How Do U Want It") and also topped the charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was posthumously nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997. The music video for "California Love", based on a concept by Jada Pinkett Smith and inspired by Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, was directed by Hype Williams.

Writing, samples and background

The earliest version of "California Love" was made by Dr. Dre, containing three verses of his own rapping, along with Roger Troutman's talk box vocal chorus. According to Death Row studio engineer Tommy Daugherty, the only copy of this session was given to DJ Jam, Snoop Dogg's personal concert deejay. Daugherty said that Tupac's arrival at Death Row Records made Dre want to leave, and that Dre was intending to use "California Love" as the first release for his new Aftermath Entertainment label. But Suge Knight heard the track and pushed for Tupac to replace Dre as the song's rapper, to become Tupac's comeback hit song for Death Row. Producer Laylaw also remixed the song, but this is often erroneously credited to Dr. Dre. The original was released as a double-A side single together with "How Do U Want It" and intended for the Dr. Dre album The Chronic II, while the remix was included on 2Pac's All Eyez on Me. The song was made and written in Dr. Dre's in-house studio. Tupac came in and took just 15 minutes to write his verse. The weekend after the song was completed, the video was recorded.

The hook is taken from EPMD's 1989 song "Knick Knack Patty Wack" which in turn is based on a sample taken from Joe Cocker's 1972 song "Woman to Woman". The chorus, "California knows how to party", was sung by Roger Troutman using his characteristic talk box and was taken from the 1982 song "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson & The Street People which was written by Ronnie Hudson and Mikel Hooks and was itself a reworking of Troutman's 1981 song "So Ruff, So Tuff."

In the song where Troutman sings "shake it, shake it baby", he interpolates the chant he used on his 1982 Zapp single, "Dance Floor". The remix version contains a sample taken from Kleeer's 1984 song "Intimate Connection".

Composition

Sheet music for "California Love" shows the key of G minor, and a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute.