Road trip songs occupy a plush seat in the American canon—right underneath the fuzzy dice. They are often harbingers of summer, and “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo” is no exception. This prototypical Tribe Called Quest track from their first album features a playful and engaging narrative from standout MC, Q-Tip. Samples from the Chambers Brothers track, “Funky,” provide a thumping and appropriately frenetic backbeat. Q-Tip’s crew drives all the way from the east coast to Texas, where they stop for enchiladas and a pretty waitress distracts them at just the wrong moment.
