Street
califas
What does califas mean?
California in Caló — the Chicano street Spanish of the Southwest. Used across Chicano rap, lowrider culture and SoCal Latino slang for decades; you'll see it tattooed in Old English across plenty of backs.
"Straight outta Califas, ese."
Origin
Caló (Chicano Spanish argot), pre-dating hip-hop; carried into mainstream by Chicano rap like Kid Frost and Cypress Hill.
Frequently asked questions
What does Califas mean?
It is the Chicano Caló nickname for California, used with pride in Mexican-American communities.
Where does the word Califas come from?
It is a Caló reshaping of the word 'California' into a shorter, slangier form.
How is Califas used?
It refers to the state of California, as in 'Mi familia es de Califas' (My family is from California).
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