Calabasas – English Lyrics

• By: Rod Wave, E-40
• Album: Pray 4 Love

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and "Calabasas" by Rod Wave and E-40 offers a compelling narrative to explore. The song's introspective lyrics about overcoming adversity and reflecting on personal growth provide a rich context for understanding colloquial storytelling in modern hip-hop. Its blend of soulful melodies and vivid imagery makes it a unique and engaging way to connect with the emotional depth of the English language.

[English]

Rod Wave

...

Winners Circle

...

Yeah

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

And it was all a dream, tryna get it out the mud

On the North with Lil Kareem, tryna kick it with the thugs

'Member way before the rapping, in my cell, feeling stuck

In my feelings, tryna figure out if I'd see 21

'Member stolen car crashes just to end up on the news

Now it's trip to Calabasas and I brought the whole crew

Me and Sean seating at a table, plotting, tryna make it

Daddy went to prison, mama trippin', we got separated

You know it's RIP Lil Bang, I wish I ain't feel this pain no more

Gave Lil Chaz a dub, that thug shit don't feel the same more

You know it's rest in peace and free all my niggas, Reem, call me, nigga

When you come home, we gon' ball, my nigga

'Til we fall, my nigga

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

I love my city but I had to get next to the money

And get established ('Stablished)

Came a long way from selling that goop

And dropping off hella packages (Packages)

Raised in the trenches palbearing, carrying hella caskets (Caskets)

Underground rapper, underrated, with a method to my madness (Madness)

Growing up in the ghetto was nothing short of unforgettable (Uh)

Horrific scenes, helicopters, people get flew to the hospital (Uh)

Pullin' up to my estate ('State), security guard at the gate (Gate)

Golf and a manmade lake (Lake), celebrities stay where I stay (Stay)

You can always tell (Always tell), when you're livin' lavish, y'all (Y'all)

Ain't no streetlights (Ain't no streetlights), or no sidewalks ('Walks)

You can miss me (You can miss me), with all that side-talk (Talk)

Please forgive me (Please forgive me), if you don't see me in the fall

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Calabasas /kæləˈbɑːsəs/ B2	noun - a city in California, USA
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels and remembers
forgive /fəˈɡɪv/ B1	verb - to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for an offense
shine /ʃaɪn/ B1	verb - to emit light; to be bright verb - to perform exceptionally well
trip /trɪp/ A2	noun - a short journey or excursion verb - to stumble or lose balance
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine something that you would like to happen
mud /mʌd/ A2	noun - wet, soft earth
thug /θʌɡ/ B2	noun - a violent criminal, especially a member of a gang
cell /sɛl/ B1	noun - a small room in a prison where a prisoner is confined
stuck /stʌk/ B1	adjective - unable to move or be moved verb - to become fixed or caught in a place
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by injury or disease
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - currency used as a medium of exchange
ghetto /ˈɡɛtoʊ/ B2	noun - an urban area where a minority group lives in poverty and segregation
madness /ˈmædnəs/ B2	noun - a state of severe mental illness or extreme foolishness
lavish /ˈlævɪʃ/ C1	adjective - sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious
security /sɪˈkjʊərəti/ B2	noun - the state of being free from danger or threat
hospital /ˈhɒspɪtl/ A2	noun - a medical institution where sick or injured people receive treatment
helicopter /ˈhɛlɪkɒptər/ B1	noun - an aircraft with rotating blades that can lift off vertically

Key Grammar Structures

• We take trips to Calabasas, yeah, to clear my mind

  ➔ Simple Present for Habits

  ➔ Uses simple present tense "take" to describe recurring actions/habits

• I remember when we didn't have shit, yeah, but now we shine

  ➔ Past-Present Contrast

  ➔ Contrasts past negative "didn't have" with present positive "shine" using coordinating conjunction "but"

• You gotta forgive me, yeah, if you feel I'm too much

  ➔ Informal Modal + Conditional

  ➔ "Gotta" (informal for "have to") with conditional "if" clause expressing hypothetical situation

• And it was all a dream, tryna get it out the mud

  ➔ Past Simple + Informal Contraction

  ➔ Past tense "was" describing past state + "tryna" (informal contraction of "trying to")

• Now it's trip to Calabasas and I brought the whole crew

  ➔ Present-Past Shift

  ➔ Shifts from present "it's" to past simple "brought" to contrast current situation with completed past action

• I love my city but I had to get next to the money

  ➔ Contrast Conjunction + Past Obligation

  ➔ "But" shows contrast between emotions and necessity + "had to" expresses past obligation

• Growing up in the ghetto was nothing short of unforgettable

  ➔ Gerund Subject + Intensifier Phrase

  ➔ Gerund phrase "Growing up..." acts as subject + "nothing short of" intensifies meaning (meaning "absolutely")

• Please forgive me, you gotta forgive me, yeah, whoa

  ➔ Imperative + Repetition for Emphasis

  ➔ Imperative "Please forgive me" + repeated demand "you gotta forgive me" for emotional emphasis