| "California Love" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman | ||
| From the album All Eyez on Me | ||
| Recorded/Released | 1995/1996 | |
| Format | 12-inch single | |
| Genre | Rap | |
| Length | 4:45 | |
| Label | Death Row | |
| Writers | R. Troutman L. Troutman J. Cocker M. Hooks R. Hudson C. Stainton | |
| Producer | Dr. Dre | |
| Director | Hype Williams | |
| Certification | Double Platinum (August, 1998) | |
| Chart positions | #1(US Hot 100) #3 (EU) #4 (AUS) #6 (UK) #7 (GER) | |
| 2Pac singles chronology | ||
| "Temptations (1995) | "California Love" feat. Dr. Dre (1996) | "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (1996) |
| Dr. Dre singles chronology | ||
| "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (1996) | "California Love" feat. 2Pac (1996) | "No Diggity" feat. Blackstreet (1996) |
"California Love" is a rap song by Tupac Shakur featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me. This is perhaps 2Pac's most well-known song and his most successful, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. The song was nominated for a posthumous Grammy Award as a Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (with Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) in 1997. The song was actually written and performed by Roger Troutman in the Original Version of California Love, Tupac and Dr Dre made a modern day version of the song.
The original version of the track was not available on any of Shakur's studio albums, but it can now be found on Shakur's compilation of Greatest Hits.
The tune was adapted from Joe Cocker's song "Woman to Woman", "California knows how to party" lines listing Los Angeles County neighborhoods are sung by Roger Troutman. The vocal "In the City of Compton" and "California knows how to party" is adapted from Ronnie Hudson and the Street People's "West Coast Poplock".The remix features sample from the song "Intimate Connection" by Kleeer written by Norman Durham and Woody Cunningham.
"California Love" was Shakur's only entry on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, ranked #346.
