Put Raphael Saadiq on the hook. (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Cities are a major topic for popular songs. E-40 - “Choices (Yup)” [Warriors Edition]. “Gotta Know” is Caleb at his deepest and most melancholy as he details the despair he sees around him and flashes hope with the heavy hook “You Gotta Know/ I just wanna make it from the place where the skinny niggas die every day.” Don’t sleep on this dude, it’s next level stuff. I would dream of where the grass is really greener. Top 15 Songs about California Team Revolver March 15, 2013 With its mixture of sex, drugs, East & West Hollywood inspired culture and beautiful beaches, serene highways and laidback-relaxed lifestyle, California is an inspiration to all … Under the Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers. The first single from DJ Quik’s 1991 debut, Quik is the Name, “Born and Raised in Compton” was a more melodic and personal introduction to the city for rap … And that's Ain't it a pity California - blink-182; California Dreamin' - The Mamas & the Papas; California Dreaming - Hollywood Undead; California Gurls - Katy Perry; California Saga - The Beach Boys; Camden Town - Suggs; Canajoharie - They Might Be Giants; Carefree Highway - Gordon Lightfoot; Carnival - Natalie Merchant; Carry Me Back To Old Virginny - Traditional; Cave Song - Pretty Vicious In fact, This is straight up unfair and a player’s anthem if I ever heard one. Snoop Dogg - … … He added, "I want it to be about money." This list isn’t about the best songs by Bay Area artists, so much as it’s a shouting out of songs that are about the Bay Area, in one way or another — and it joins this earlier list about SF-centric songs as part of San Francisco Appreciation Week. The best Tupac songs reveal a complex body of work straddling mediations on life and death, party jams, and some of the most thoughtful hip-hop … When Tupac teamed up with Dr. Dre for "California Love" they had everybody shaking it. Extra points for that guitar outro: Mac Dre da GOAT. Telegraph Ave (“Oakland” by Lloyd)”. D.R.A.M.’ s ‘Broccoli’ is pretty fun, though it has little to do with … I'm Involved - E-40, Majr D, 4. “We got some real hard hitters in the East O/ We got some real hard hitters in Vallejo/ We got some real hard hitters in the Bay yo.” Pep’s sonata celebrates all that is great about the road up and down the Pacific Coast. Yeee! San Quinn, Boo Banga and Big Rich - “San Francisco Anthem”, These dudes rep everything from the FIllmore and Twin Peaks to Hunters Point and Hayes Valley (spare me the gentrification jokes, this track is all love.) D.R.A.M – Broccoli ft. Lil Yatchy. I love to write and talk about hip hop, welcome to Rhymemakers. Recent Content. And this track rang anthemic through the whole damn state. Oakland’s Mystic and Fresno’s Planet Asia team up for this Grammy-nominated nod to the natural beauty of the West Coast and Cali. Thousands of songs have been written about L.A. Originally this song wasn't included on any of 2Pac's studio albums because Dr. Dre wanted to have it on his album "The Chronic II". These are some songs that mention California or California cities by title. Yo whatup, my name is Edison and I've been rapping since 2002. Here are 25 great songs that sparkle with the magic of California. I’ve already opened the floodgates on tracks about the Bay and beyond so let’s just throw this one in the mix. Pioneers of early 90’s Bay Area hip-hop, The Conscious Daughters (CMG and Special One) put down on “We Roll Deep” an Oakland-centric cut akin to the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Summertime.” And in classic Oakland summer style, this jam is all about 40s and reefer. “West Coast” by The Neighborhood If there was a song on this list that describes my California native husband, this is it. A mix of the best songs that either are directly about California, or mention California repeatedly. Upvote +0 Downvote. Many rappers borrow style and slang from Bay artists, but the area's long and thriving hip-hop culture has mostly stayed local. Can you tell me all the songs about California (like California Gurls by Katy Perry and California by Metro Station)! This is one of the quintessential 90’s West Coast rap songs, and the perfect song to roll through Los Angeles to. So sit back, relax and strap on your seat belt as we turn to page FREAK, because this is Complex’s 100 Best L.A. Rap Songs. You got to survive The only way to be with her (Oakland) is to be there in the flesh. L.A. Area: 1. Want to know how to make any rap cut velvety as hell? On the ultimate East Oakland track, Keak Da Sneak’s reels off all the neighborhoods he rolls in. 10 Songs You Need To Add To Your LA-Inspired Playlist California Dreamin’. For this list we're ranking the, You can add your own music to this list, so feel free to contribute with any, The Worst Freakin' Songs of the '80s, Ranked, The Best Notorious B.I.G Songs of All Time. One of the most mysterious and widely speculated songs in rock history, “Hotel California” is best described in the words of its creators. (Plenty of people don’t like allegedly exciting elections, either, so there’s that.) Put this on as you head to the beach and become the embodiment of the phrase “chill vibes.” Most recently in the news as a member of the Frisco 5, the group of activists whose hunger strike campaign against SFPD Chief Suhr contributed to his removal, Equipto is nothing if not political, having lambasted the mayor at ever turn. It’s the new blood giving way to the forefathers and back and it hits on all levels. Ice Cube - How To Survive in South Central. Nailing That Second Verse of Your Rap Song in 3 Easy Tips. The Bay Area has a chip on its shoulder when it comes to hip-hop. “California Love”: Now, it’s time to drop the top (if you’re in a convertible), crank up this priceless … While many look at 3rd Eye Vision album opener “You Never Knew” as the defining Hieroglyphics track, Del and Opio on “Oakland Blackouts” is the one that directly shouts out the city. “Choices (Yup)” is arguably the best song Earl Stevens created in the 2010’s and the Warriors redux was the soundtrack to greatness. Much like the flowery vibe Mystic purveys in the Adams Point-set video for “The Life,” the Digital Underground collaborator nails it on this one off of her 2001 debut. Musicians such as Local H and Brooke White even wrote songs about California Songs, while other musicians wrote songs about how much they hate the state. California doesn't need to be mentioned in the title but should at least be mentioned in the song :) Thank you <3 it never sounded realer. This is one of the quintessential 90’s West Coast rap songs, and the perfect song to roll through Los Angeles to. “Konkrete Jungle” typifies the eat-or-be-eaten life that many lived in inner-city Oakland, and it’s the lynchpin of Zion I’s rap-cum-drum and bass masterpiece Mind Over Matter. Related: The 20 Best Songs About Places In San Francisco, Luis Gongora, the second of three people fatally shot by San Francisco police in a six-month span that began with the killing of Mario Woods last December, was shot a total of six, Nobody likes a boring election. “West Coast” by The Neighborhood. Tags: More Than 10 Covers, West Coast Hip-Hop, G-Funk, US #1 Hit, US Rap #1 Hit, Single, Hip-Hop, Sampled in More Than 40 Songs, Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs, US R&B #1 … More new blood and Kamiyah is doin’ some serious work. Makin History - AK The Teflon Don, 3. 0. link to Nailing That Second Verse of Your Rap Song in 3 Easy Tips. By Willy Staley. OzzieWrong. And how could it not? Our weed clubs are arguably the finest in the country, and even before the medicinal marijuana wave took over, the Bay Area was long-considered a destination for fine herbals. These 25 sure-fire classics, from Joni Mitchell to 2Pac, boomer rock and early gangsta rap, are essential songs about our city from 1969 to … The California rapper spent most of 1995 in prison due to charges stemming from a … by Mackenzie Kruvant. “From Oakland to Sac-Town, Bay Area and back down” 2pac shouts. They had me at the Scott McKenzie “San Francisco” sample, which underlies the track from start to finish. California is the main subject of some of these songs, but others simply refer to either a place in the state, such as a city or a highway, or to anything else about the state such as the weather, a "California Girl," or an attitude or lifestyle that the state embodies for the singer. Since I knew California was associated with film also, I added Daisy Duke into the song. And on "Pacific Heights", he extols the virtues of the Bay and beyond. Ranking the top rap and hip hop songs about every subject, from church to weed. Check Your Reality - Oji, The Ghetto Shaman, Amun Ra, The Ascension Team This song contains a sample from a song "Woman To Woman" by Joe Cocker. Jan 27, 2011. She sings “We ain’t goin home tonight/ We get Oakland live” and it makes you wanna hop in a convertible swagged out with hydraulics and just cruise. You didn’t think I was gonna leave you without a $hort Dawg cut, did you? RBL Posse - “Don’t Give Me No Bammer Weed”, Have there ever been any bars as prophetic as “Don’t gimme no bammer weed, we don’t smoke that shit in the SFC”? Just play this song and learn its teachings (note: this won’t actually work, but you can try.) 23 Essential Bay Area Hip-Hop Songs. His group, The Click, was … Caleborate - “Gotta Know” ft. Cash Campain & Cadence. It seems that recording a California song is a requirement for musicians, even if it's only to show that they hate California stereotypes or the Entertainment Industry based in L.A. When it comes to rap music, no subject is off limits. Upvote +0 Downvote. When it comes to rap music, no subject is off limits. But the way you feel, ain't no big deal have songs specifically about Compton, while LL Cool J raps about the state in his hit “Going Back to Cali.”. Shouts out E-40. Below you'll find popular songs that you've definitely heard before, but also some more underground rap songs with California, Cali, or Los Angeles in the title or lyrics. Generally rock/pop, but some classic rap songs thrown in as well. Do you think drake is the most talented artist as of right now? Kendrick Lamar and N.W.A. It’s a multigenerational, multigenre list, ranging from The Mamas & The Papas to Katy Perry. With a hyphy bass line and G-Funk effects, Keak punctuates hella hard with “I write my verses in the bathroom so I know they the shit.” You can’t top that! I’m hard-pressed to think of anyone doing this Bay Area shit better than IAMSU right now, but this track really takes the requisite Bay Area turn when Too $hort and E-40 step to the mic. This is a list of songs about California.Many songs have been written about … For the days when you need a little extra sunshine. You got to survive The Beach Boys created a good image of California along with many songs such as California Dreamin. Gambino personifies the breadth of his relationship through where the apple of his eye lives: Oakland. That you hate this city Many other Hip-Hop songs recorded in California were released during the early 1980s, but many of them received little or no radio play. I dare you to walk out of the 19th St-Downtown Oakland BART stop ‘Telegraph Ave’ exit and not not start singing this song ad nauseum. Rap cannot be confined by genre in 2019. Songs about California Follow. Mac and E-40 led the charge from the 707 and this track tells the tale of the Crestside projects in “The Block” of Vallejo. With that, here’s twenty game-changing tracks about the ups, downs, ins and arounds of the Bay. Dr. Dre - 'Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang' You already knew what No.1 was going to be. How many good California hip hop songs can you think of off the top of your head? Hey there recent Bay Area transplant, want to learn how to talk like a Bay Area native? 2Pac said in Rolling Stone that he didn't want "California Love" to be about violence. Cause you can’t talk about classic cuts about The Bay without bringing up Vallejo and Mac Mall. (South LA is the area formerly known as South Central) 2. These 25 sure-fire classics, from Joni Mitchell to 2Pac, boomer rock and early gangsta rap, are essential songs about our city from 1969 to 2003. A Prayer for Life - Soupbone, First Degree The D.E., 2. This was my jam of jams way back when. Share This Story. Listen to California Rap songs Online on JioSaavn. As the likes of Rosalia and J Balvin push the sounds of flamenco and Reggaeton further into the forefront of … If there was a song on this list that describes my California native husband, this is it. 2Pac always repped the Bay after his days growing up in Marin City and the Bay is prominently featured on this all-timer. And nothing hits harder than San Quinn proclaiming “5-time champion, destroy any challenger/ Hit like Barry, score like Jerry.”. Marking the very start of the counterculture movement of the 1960s, this Mamas & Papas original has... El Lay. 2Pac and Dr. Dre rap about the many facets that accompany living the California lifestyle. The Chili Peppers write a lot about their hometown of L.A., … — to make room for some new blood too. any body no a cali song that goes some thing like = lets take a trip to california = or some $hit like that i think its rap Upvote +0 Downvote. Damn this shit is silky. ***puff***. Say Serra - First Degree The D.E., 5. BuzzFeed Staff. Not as commercial as our NY and LA counterparts, our independent nature and uncompromising hip-hop ethos emanate from every hyphy beat, every socially-conscious rhyme, and every figment of our unique style. Find me a person who hears a different song in their head when thinking of the Warriors 2015 championship run and I’ll show you a liar. Equipto ft. Mike Marshall - “Heart & Soul”. 27 Songs For A California State Of Mind. People like to know their vote matter — and that, in turn, they matter, even, Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox, Stay up to date! Mac Dre ft. Raphael Saadiq - “It’s Raining Game (in Northern California)”. What style of Chicano rap is associated with lowriders and oldies that isn’t gang related ? Warren G and Nate Dogg's hard-edged 1994 hip hop hit reps LA as a town full of girls and guns—from Long Beach to the Eastside, the rap duo find themselves facing firearms, thievery and hot babes. 2. Slick Rick: 'Teenage Love' These are golden words from the greatest storyteller in rap: "If it's not true … This was the song that pulled me towards the Hiero Imperium with its car culture metaphors delivered with the signature Hiero fluency and a loaded reference to rolling blackouts that mired the city of Oakland throughout the 80’s and into the 90’s. Bay Area hip-hop exists in a class unto itself. #21 of 357 The Best Rap Songs of All Time#6 of 33 The Best Rap Songs About Not Giving Up, #93 of 193 The Worst Freakin' Songs of the '80s, Ranked#127 of 183 The Best Songs Named After US Cities, #20 of 86 The Best Notorious B.I.G Songs of All Time#48 of 48 The Best Songs About Road Trips, #90 of 110 The Best Songs with Back in the Title#13 of 160 The Best LL Cool J Songs of All Time, #92 of 100 The Best Songs with Welcome in the Title#42 of 127 The Best Brotha Lynch Hung Songs. It’s about the perils of a long-distance relationship, pining to be in the city where he’s left his love. Childish Gambino - “III. Hey Mr. 412? You can add your own music to this list, so feel free to contribute with any new rap songs about California that aren't already on the poll. You got to survive English music album by Soupbone 1. B-Legit f/ Levitti "City To City" E-40 is one of rap's best nepotists. Funny that Tupac a native New Yorker made in to my reasoning the greastest California … Too $hort is Oakland and while he nods to all his contemporaries from other locales on “Blow The Whistle,” he always places the lens back on himself: “I come from East Oakland where the youngstas get hyphy.” PRO TIP: Go to a Raider game and listen for “Blow The Whistle” to come on after a pivotal touchdown (those happen in Oakland now) and, as the whole stadium sings along, you'll be witnessing the most Oakland moment possible. “This the West/ til the day that I pass/ I’mma rep SF.” Can we ever question Equipto’s desire? Perhaps the brightest star in Bay Area hip-hop, Caleborate made waves with 2015’s Hella Good and is on the cusp of blowin’ up with this year’s incredible 1993. The real! The auteur behind A Good Night In The Ghetto — one of the best Bay Area hip-hop releases of 2016 — drops a throwback Oakland summer jam. Sure, you could cite the more overt “The Bay” as being the defining Zion I cut about the Bay, but “Konkrete Jungle” personifies the area’s grit, then extrapolates it into other cities. The hook is rugged and tough and the last line samples Gang Starr. The Best Rap Songs About California California Love It Was a Good Day To Live & Die in L.A. Straight Outta Compton Going Back to Cali Compton Cali The Recipe m.a.a.d. But California, as you're doubtless aware, is a big place — 163,696 square miles, to be precise — ranging from deserts to forests, beaches to … Some new, some old, it doesn’t just lay down all the classics — what list could? On the real though, this might be the most comprehensive lesson in Bay Area slang on the market. People Under The Stairs - “San Francisco Knights”. This Snoop D-O-double G original (featuring Marty James) will … RBL Posse: The Bay Area pro-legalization nostradamus crew. Image via Complex Original. I’m transported to Pop’s Bar on 24th St, with this jam playing during all commercials of finals games. The 50 Greatest Bay Area Rap Songs. "Out on bail, fresh out of jail, I'm California dreaming," Tupac declared on his first song after his prison sentence for sexual abuse and he shot right back to the top of the rap charts, making "California Love" one of the best gangsta rap songs of the 90s. For this list we're ranking the best rap songs about California, and we want you to vote up your favorites. Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox, The 20 Best Hip-Hop Tracks About The Bay Area, The 20 Best Songs About Places In San Francisco, Long-Lived Mission Bar El Rio Has Reopened for Food and To-Go Cocktails, Burning Man Announces They Still Have No Announcement on Fate of 2021 Event, ACT Announces Three Filmed Play Readings to Be Streamed This Spring. If there was ever a line that painted the picture of Bay Area hip-hop in the 90’s it’s “the bass is hittin’ so hard that the CD skips.” People Under The Stairs’ Thes One and Double K pay homage to the late 60’s jazz psychedelia of Gabor Szabo & The California Dreamers’ “San Francisco Nights” on this track, while they climb hills and burn one staring out at the city’s scenery. Thousands of songs have been written about L.A. The auteur behind A Good Night In The Ghetto — one of the best Bay Area hip-hop releases of 2016 — drops a throwback Oakland summer jam. Songs about California Follow. 1. The specific problem is: The page should only contain songs which have been specifically written about a city, per Articles for Deletion Please help improve this article if you can. The Hieroglyphics sage, nobody has a voice like Pep Lava. 2Pac, "California Love" truster.tumblr.com. Mainstream hip-hop had become ... voices in rap music at the time.