I Left My Wallet in El Segundo

Album: People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is narrated by A Tribe Called Quest rapper Q-Tip from a police station. In the song, Q-Tip and fellow ATCQ member Ali Shaheed Muhammad go on a road trip in Q-Tip's mom's car. After paying for a meal at a fast food joint, Q-Tip is distracted by an attractive girl and accidentally forgets his wallet in the restaurant. El Segundo is a city in California.
  • "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" was released as a single from A Tribe Called Quest's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Reaction to the album was bifurcated between black and white media; The Source gave it a rare five-mic rating, but Rolling Stone deemed it mediocre and granted it three stars, writing, "A Tribe Called Quest tend to mumble in understated monotones that feel self-satisfied, even bored." History shows that The Source was right.
  • When the video for this song was shot in Las Vegas, founding member Jarobi White was barely 18. White wasn't allowed to shoot any scenes in any casinos or clubs.
  • A character in the TV show Sleeper Cell is a big fan of this song. In the first season of the show, the character sings the song twice, with one of those times onstage at a karaoke bar.
  • In the movie The Ladykillers, an elderly landlady repeatedly complains about the ridiculousness of the lyrics to this song.
  • A sample from the Fatboy Slim remix of this song was used on Lil' Wayne's 2008 hit song "A Milli."

Comments: 1

  • R Dub! from San Diego, CaThe video was NOT, in fact, filmed in Las Vegas. Nevada, yes! Indian Springs, Nevada to be exact.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.