"California World" was released on this day nine years ago. It is the opening track on Gus and Nedarb’s collaborative EP, CALIFORNIA GIRLS, and the only one featuring another artist—Craig Xen. Gus and Craig met online and became close friends in 2015, with Craig introducing Gus to many of his future collaborators, including JGRXXN of Schemaposse. Unlike the EP’s five other tracks, which were created entirely via email during the winter of 2015-16, Gus and Craig recorded California World together in person. The song marks an exciting turning point in Gus’s career, as he began traveling for music and meeting the like-minded artists he had connected with online. In February 2016, Gus was preparing for his first-ever live performance with Schemaposse in Tucson, Arizona. Wanting a distinct look, he had Emma dye his hair pink just days before flying out. On February 13, he met Schemaposse in Tucson for the first time and performed that night at a small venue called Gary’s Place. After the show, Gus returned to Pasadena to stay with Brennan Savage—where he had originally lived in 2014—and it was there, in the small kitchen at 1700 University Drive, that he and Craig created California World. Around the time of the song’s release on February 23, Gus, Craig, and videographer Nick Blanco filmed a music video at University Drive. Recalling the shoot years later, Nick said: “Short pink hair, tats, enthusiasm through the roof… I was watching his videos with Nedarb thinking, ‘What the hell? This kid Peep is going to take over.’” In the video, Nick aimed to capture the magic of Gus’s time in Los Angeles—a brief but electrifying period between his first live shows in Tucson and Oakland and his upcoming performances in Denver. Gus was having fun when he made California World. He enjoyed making music in person for the first time with collaborators, and the song was born from the intense, creative energy he was surrounded by in LA. Before flying to Denver for his March shows, Gus told Craig he was sad to be leaving Pasadena—a clear sign of how much he had cherished this chapter of his journey. - @lilpeep