"He was one of the most talented people I've worked with. He went in the mic booth, put the headphones on, I let the track run down one time, instrumental, and when I rewound it he said he was ready”: The making of 2Pac’s era-defining hit California Love

Tupac Shakur performing at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois in March 1994.

By the mid-1990s, the success of the West Coast hip-hop scene meant that California rappers were feeling unstoppable.

Their lyrics were braggadocious, the beats were glossy and luxurious, and a sense of self-assurance and pomp oozed through the fabric of the music.