I always knew this, but the last year or two confirmed one thing: there’s nothing like a Californian, no matter how hard some out-of-towners may try. We are not like them. Don’t try. It’s not a matter of embarrassing yourself or anything, nor Californians being “bougie” about themselves. Trust me as an out-of-towner. It’s more that California is very distinct in who and what it is and it can’t easily be duplicated. Kendrick-adjacent advice aside, California gives us some of the most-creative music. Case in point, Amanda Carrera’s “California Crazy.”

I enjoyed that the overall sound of this one takes me back to funk-era tracks and G-Funk-era samples, down to the talkbox. What keeps this from being a hodgepodge of Cali music stereotypes is this: it’s honest and meant to educate people who aren’t from the area. Plus, it’s fun and breezy. The lyrics detail some of the highlights of Cali through Amanda’s eyes–specifically La Puente, Carrera’s hometown. Additionally, the song brings a lot of positivity and love, both internally in Cali and love for non-West Coast areas as well. Finally, I love the way that Carrera stacked her vocals on the hooks, as I’m a sucker for stacked vocals and beautiful harmonies.

Check it out above and support dope music in all its forms.