Music Video: Kendrick Lamar - California Love / m.A.A.d City iHeartRadio Music Awards

Lyrics to California Love / m.A.A.d City by Kendrick Lamar

California Love

Rosecrans on the rise
LongBeach on the rise
South Central on the rise
Compton on the rise

What's up? [3x]

[Hook: Roger Troutman]
California knows how to party
California knows how to party

[Originally performed by Tupac 2Pac Shakur]
Out on bail, fresh out of jail, California dreaming
Soon as I step on the scene, I'm hearing hoochies screaming
Fiending 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
In L.A. we wearing Chucks not Ballys (yeah, that's right)
Dressed in Locs and Khaki suits, and ride is what we do
Flossing, but have caution: we collide with other crews
Famous because we throw grands
Worldwide, let them recognize from Long Beach to Rosecrans
Bumping and grinding like a slow jam, it's Westside
So you know the Row won't bow down to no man
Say what you say, but give me that bomb beat from Dre
Let me serenade the streets of L.A
From Oakland to Sac-town, the Bay Area and back down
Cali is where they put their mack down
Give me love!

[m.A.A.d City]
Fresh outta school cause I was a high school grad
Sleeping in the living room in my momma's pad
Reality struck I seen the white car crash
Hit the light pole two ****as hopped out on foot and dashed
My pops said I needed a job I thought I believed him
Security guard for a month and ended up leaving
In fact I got fired cause I was inspired by all of my friends
To stage a robbery the third Saturday I clocked in
Projects tore up, gang signs get thrown up
Cocaine laced in marijuana
And they wonder why I rarely smoke now
Imagine if your first blunt had you foaming at the mouth
I was straight tweaking the next weekend, we broke even
I made allegiance that made a promise to see you bleeding
You know the reasons but still won't ever know my life
Kendrick A.K.A. Compton's human sacrifice