California

"California" is a song by American rapper Saba featuring American vocalists Ravyn Lenae and Phoelix. It was released as the twelfth track from the former's debut studio album, Bucket List Project (2016).
It features uncredited vocals from Lupe Fiasco in the interlude, where he provides a voice memo of a goal from his bucket list, which is winning the Nobel Peace Prize.Pearce, Sheldon (December 10, 2016). "Bucket List Project by Saba". Pitchfork. Complex noted of the project, "Chicago has a history filled with hip-hop legends like Kanye and Common, but it was Lupe Fiasco's 2006 debut Food & Liquor that really moved Saba. The album profoundly resonated with Saba in part because Lupe is from the West Side—he references Madison Street, where Saba went to school. In a way, his aim is to continue that legacy."Mahadevan, Tara (October 28, 2016). "Saba's 'Bucket List Project' Shows Another Side of Chicago". Complex.
== Background ==
For his 2015 "Timezone/Whip" music video, Saba was inspired by Fiasco's cover artwork of Food & Liquor. He told Noisey, "The floating objects and stuff like that, we wanted the video to look like space in real time kind of. Just a gravity-less kind of room. We brainstormed for hella long and tried to think of examples, and the first thing that came to my head was Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor. That was one of the first rap albums that I was super connected to and super in love with the sound of it. So that was like a no-brainer to be like 'let's try to visualize this and make it a motion picture kind of deal where we take a picture and add some life to it.'"
They haven't yet met during this time, though Lupe followed him on Twitter around a day ago. Saba continued, "I think a lot of people assume a lot about Chicago rappers, and for me Lupe Fiasco was a different type of hometown hero than the Kanyes and stuff like that because Lupe was from the West Side of Chicago, and I'm from the West Side of Chicago, and there's not many West Side superstars like that. So for me seeing this kid who kind of looks like me and is kind of from where I'm from, it was a different type of inspiration watching him come up."Kramer, Kyle (2015). "Float into a New Era with Saba: Here's His "Timezone"/"Whip (AreYouDown?)" Video". Noisey. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015.
 
In a 2022 interview with Billboard, when reminded of fifteen years of Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, Saba stated:
I remember as a big Lupe fan, when I was in high school, when I started to see some of the shit that was going on with him and [Atlantic Records], it stuck with me, and it made me feel frustrated as a fan that somebody could make decisions and somebody's above the art. That was frustrating to watch. But he still gave us some crazy music, even with his situation. So, I think it's always like I say: Chicago mothafuckas be resilient. I think when I look at a career like if there's anything to take away it is that resiliency, you know, I'm saying it's like, we you know, we might come down we ain't out.
He's a obviously a big inspiration of mine, just being authentic an n***a from the West Side, because he didn't try to mask who he was… He might be one of the most slept on rappers of this generation, but a lot of people gained a lot of influence from him. Not just Chicago artists, but worldwide artists look at him as somebody who really pushed this shit forward.Braboy, Mark (February 23, 2022). "Saba Is Finally Appreciating the Good Things in His Life". Billboard.
== Personnel ==
* Ahmanti "Monte" Booker – writer, producer
* Andy Shoemaker – drum tracking engineer
* Daoud Anthony – additional production
* Donterio Hundon – uncredited vocals
* Elton "L10MixedIt" Chueng – mixing engineer
* HerbieOne – trumpet
* James Musshorn – recording engineer
* Matt Wheeler – mastering engineer
* Michael "Phoelix" Neil – writer, producer
* Ralph Gene – drums
* Ravyn Washington – writer
* Tahj "Saba" Chandler – writer, producer
* Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – uncredited vocals
== Lyrics ==
== References ==
Category:2016 songs
Category:Explicit songs
Category:Featured songs
Category:Lupe Fiasco songs
Category:Songs