With a lack of quality hip hop out this afternoon, I figured I’d take you all way back. “Going Back To Cali” was the first alternative rap song to break through as a mainstream hit at a time when LL Cool J was veering dangerously into rap-balladeer territory. The structure is so unconventional at a time when nearly every hip hop single followed the same pattern and subject matter that it probably only found airplay because of LL’s existing fan base, but that same break from the norm is what made it an instant classic. Enjoy!

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Written by: @aimxhigh | @thatnewjam