Bonita Applebum

Infobox Single
Name = Bonita Applebum


Caption =
Artist = A Tribe Called Quest
from Album = People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A-side =
B-side =
Released = 1990
Format = Digital download, 12" maxi single
Recorded =
Genre = Hip-hop
Length = 3:50
Label = Jive Records
Writer =
Producer =
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single =
This single = "Bonita Applebum"
(1990)
Next single = "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo"
(1990)
Misc = Listen
filename=BonitaApplebum.ogg
title=Bonita Applebum
description=
format=Ogg

Bonita Applebum was the first single from A Tribe Called Quest's debut album "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm". It is believed to be about a real girl from the group's high school. The song contains a sample from the track "Daylight" by Cincinnati-based soul/jazz group RAMP. It also contains a sample from Rotary Connection's "Memory Band."

Music video

The video opens with Q-Tip doing the intro by asking questions to Bonita. Then it has little stick figure cartoon characters who see Bonita and chase after her. Then the group is seen walking and dancing. Q-Tip starts the first verse at a party. Then the group stops because a kid is seen catching a baseball and they were going to be hit. Then they stop because they see a man playing a piano. Soon the kid who was playing baseball is seen dancing, and Q-tip is behind a violet curtain trying to impress Bonita. Then the group are wearing helmets while cassette tapes are dropped on them. And ends with the group at the party with other people dancing. The song is one of many songs referenced in the Black Eyed Peas song "Rap Song" and includes the line "You're like a hip-hop song, you know".

A popular "Why remix" was made, which heavily sampled the song "Why" by Carly Simon.

Another remix was done in 1993, with a new beat and new lyrics. This remix was then itself sampled in Joe's "Just Relax" song from the album "Ain't Nothing Like Me".

There is also a third remix for the song that samples The Isley Brothers's "Between the Sheets" and also has new lyrics.

Trivia

* Jay-Z refers to the song in his single "I Know":

"Bonita Applebum, I gotta put you on.If I didn't get to cuttin' the feeling would be too strong"

In this case Jay-Z is referring to a powder often used to cut heroin before it is sold, named bonita.