THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

482-2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman-California Love.

1996-Number 6 single.

Best Bit- At 2.19. Like so many other great ‘Hip-Hop’ songs, this one also uses many samples, but before some of you get on your musical high horses, just remember that in ‘Pop Music’ ‘NO’ song has ever been totally original. Every new song is influenced by something that has gone before.

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born Lesane Parish Crooks on June 16th, 1971, in East Harlem, Upper Manhattan, New York City, United States, he died from internal bleeding after being shot four times, once in the arm, once in the thigh, and twice in the chest, in a drive by shooting on September 13th, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, he was 25 years old. Both of his parents were political activists and were heavily involved in the ‘Black Panther Party,’ and he was renamed at the age of one year old in honour of Tupac Amaru, (1738-1781) who had led the ‘Andean uprising’ in 1780. Tupac Shakur who is also known by his other stage names ‘2Pac,’ and ‘Makaveli,’ is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential Rappers of all time, and one of the most influential music artists of the 20th century, especially in his role as a prominent political activist for Black America. His early lyrics have been noted for addressing social injustice, political issues, and the marginalisation of other African-Americans, but towards the end of his recording career he became more synonymous with ‘Gangsta Rap,’ where his lyrics were aimed more at the ‘Gangsta’ lifestyle. Away from music, Tupac Shakur also had a career as an actor, appearing in movies, and on television, including the 1993 American romantic drama film ‘Poetic Justice,’ where he co-starred alongside Janet Jackson (see also best songs 679.) From around the age of 11, Tupac began writing poetry, some of which sold for $90,000 at auction in 2022.

The discography of Tupac Shakur who has sold in excess of 75 million records worldwide, includes four studio Albums released between 1991-1996, and 44 singles released between 1991-2008, there are also seven posthumous Albums, one soundtrack Album, two remix Albums, two live Albums, and nine official compilation Albums available. In America on Billboard, five of his Albums have reached Number 1, which includes three posthumous releases, while 10 of his singles (including one as a featured artist) have made the Billboard Hot 100, with ‘California Love’ peaking the highest at Number 1. In the UK, he has had 16 top 40 hits, with the posthumous release ‘Ghetto Gospel’ featuring Elton John, getting to Number 1 in 2005.

‘California Love’ is credited with 11 different writers due to all of it’s sampling, with the production being by Dr. Dre (see also best songs 564-544-189-128 and 48.) The song was the first of four singles released from ‘All Eyez on Me,’ which was the fourth and final studio Album released by Tupac Shakur during his lifetime. ‘California Love’ which was issued as a double ‘A’ sided single with ‘How Do U Want It, (also from the Album) was one of two tracks that Dr. Dre collaborated on with Tupac for the Album, which was first released on June 4th, 1996. ‘California Love’ samples the 1972 Joe Cocker (1944-2014) song ‘Woman To Woman,’ which reached Number 1 in Spain. The chorus ‘California knows how to party,’ was performed by the American ‘Funk’ artist Roger Troutman, (1951-1999) 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 Roger Troutman’s 1981 song ‘So Ruff, So Tuff.’ In ‘California Love,’ Troutman also sings ‘Shake it, shake it, baby,’ he first sang that line on his own 1982 song ‘Dance Floor,’ when performing with his band ‘Zapp.’ Dr. Dre performs the first verse, which was ghost written by James ‘J-Flexx’ Anderson, and Tupac Shakur, who it is said took 15 minutes to write his Rap, performs the second verse, the song is a celebration of Californian life.’

‘California Love’ was released as Tupac Shakur’s comeback single after his release from prison in 1995, and was his first release on ‘Death Row Records.’ The labels owner Suge Knight (see also best songs 520) had helped Tupac out of his worsening financial situation while in prison, in return for Tupac releasing music on his label. The gambol paid off as ‘California Love’ became an American Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 single, and the Album ‘All Eyez on Me’ sold in excess of seven million copies worldwide. Dr. Dre performed ‘California Love’ with Snoop Dogg (see also best songs 544) at the 2022 ‘Super Bowl’ halftime show, changing the line ‘I been in the game for 10 years makin’ rap tunes’ to ‘I been in the game for 30 years makin’ rap tunes.’

‘Out on bail, fresh out of jail, California dreamin.’ Soon as I step on the scene, I’m hearin’ hoochies screamin.’ Fiendin’ for money and alcohol, the life of a Westside player, where cowards die and the strong ball, only in Cali where we riot, not rally, to live and die.’