one-hit wonder.

“Oh my God, Becky look at her butt.” These famous first words of Anthony Ray’s one-hit wonder, “Baby Got Back, stirred the hip-hop industry into a frenzy in the early 1990s. Ray, most commonly known as his adopted alias Sir Mix-A-Lot, was the first to water down the hardcore, thug life rappers at this time had commonly described to a fun and catchy song popular in the 80s. He appealed to many pop listeners, which was a feat at this time of rappers like Tupac and Notorious BIG.
Mix-A-Lot was born in 1963 in Seattle, Washington. He loved all kind of music and started rapping in the early 80s. He opened his own record label, Nastymix, with a Seattle DJ, Nasty Nes. From here, he wrote his own music and based it off life in Seattle, not New York like many other rappers in the industry had done. Before his hit, “Baby Got Back”, he was already a platinum-selling artist. He became a success story, a rapper from Seattle(which was unheard of at this time) who started his own record label, wrote his own music, and promoted himself successfully. He managed to mix old-school electro with modern hip-hop and created danceable music for fans in the hip-hop genre. It was not until he signed with Def American label that he became more mainstream. This along with a new pimped-out image helped carry him into success. In 1992, he set out his first album, Mack Daddy, debuting “Baby Got Back” as his second single. When this song was unveiled, it became not only a great hit which stayed on top of the Billboard charts for 5 weeks, but it was also accompanied by a sensitive issue: race and sex.
The video, which was banned off MTV for some time due to the content, starts off with two Caucasian females looking at a voluptuous black woman. “She looks like, one of those rap guys’ girlfriends. But, you know, who understands those rap guys?” They stereotype the body of a black woman, which Mix-A-Lot praises in his song. In an interview for VH1, he said he was giving appreciation for “women whose body types were rarely given positive cultural attention.” In the song, Mix-A-Lot goes on admiring this woman and her rather large derrière. “That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist/ and a round thing in your face/ you get sprung.” He makes a point of sharing his dislike for the women that were considered beautiful at this time. “I’m tired of magazines/ Sayin’ flat butts are the thing.” Fashion magazines in the late 80s praised a woman’s body that didn’t show too much skin and was somewhat of a classic beauty. Mix-A-Lot goes completely against this norm and instead, admires women of color. “So I'm lookin' at rock videos/ Knock-kneeded bimbos walkin' like hoes/You can have them bimbos/I'll keep my women like Flo Jo.” He prefers his women to be like Florence Griffith-Joyner, an Olympic gold medalist who is black and has the body he idolizes, rather than the women in rock videos at the time. “And I'd rather stay and play/'Cause I'm long, and I'm strong/And I'm down to get the friction on.” Mix-A-Lot became the king of double entendres in the hip-hop industry. In this one, he refers to his phallus and what he wants to engage in with the woman. “So Cosmo says you're fat/Well I ain't down with that!” Not only does he say he wants to get with this girl, but he defends her and brings out an important matter. The tabloids always said and say, even today, that if a woman isn’t a certain size, she’s obese, ugly, and won’t achieve anything if they don’t look like models. “Give me a sister, I can't resist her/Red beans and rice didn't miss her/Some knucklehead tried to dis.” Throughout the song, all he wants is a real woman, who in this case actually eats. He doesn’t care what other say, and thus, because of his exaggerated affection for these women, many thought he was either degrading black women or ignoring white women.
It’s up really up to listeners to chose what they think is his message. The success of “Baby Got Back” got Sir Mox-A-Lot a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and millions of album sales. He accomplished so much more though. He helped establish the genre of hip-hop and helped give listeners more to listen to. He left the business because he was tired of the industry. He says, “Most cats that rap, they rap about bling bling, and just keep doing it. And, I mean, I cant knock it, since I was the king of it at one time, but that is why I don't like hip-hop these days . It's all about bling bling and really doesn't have substance." He was inspired by a variety of artists, including Gary Numan, founding father of synth pop; Funkadelic, an R & B artist; and The Accused, a Rock and Alternative band. He mixed his love for all genres and thus, made a name for himself. Rap artists, Lil Jon and Goldie Lookin’ Chain have looked to him for inspiration in their careers. He’s returned to hip-hop, but still finds something is missing. He says, “Thats why I love rock. I still dig hip-hop, I just think it could be better. Eminem is real. He may wear an expensive necklace, but he is real and doesnt rap about his $100,000 necklace like others do.” He believes hip-hop is a genre that always needs to challenge and evolve itself through those that call themselves hip-hop artists.
Whatever he believes, we know he started what today is appreciated by rap, R & B, and hip-hop music videos; the woman. However, he was the one that highlighted the female anatomy in a hysterical and good-humored way. “So ladies, if the butt is round,/And you want a triple X throw down,/Dial 1-900-MIXALOT/And kick them nasty thoughts/Baby got back!”





"Baby Got Back"

Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt.
It is so big. *scoff*
She looks like,one of those rap guys' girlfriends.
But, you know, who understands those rap guys? *scoff*
They only talk to her, because,she looks like a total prostitute, 'kay?
I mean, her butt, is just so big.
I can't believe it's just so round, it's like,out there, I mean - gross.
Look!She's just so ... black!
[Sir Mix-a-Lot]I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung, wanna pull out your tough
'Cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Oh baby, I wanna get with you
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But that butt you got makes me so horny
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you wanna get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupie
I've seen them dancin'
To hell with romancin'
She's sweat, wet,
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and ask him that
She gotta pack much back
So, fellas! (Yeah!) Fellas! (Yeah!)
Has your girlfriend got the butt? (Hell yeah!)
Tell 'em to shake it! (Shake it!)
Shake it! (Shake it!)Shake that healthy butt!
Baby got back!(LA face with Oakland booty)

Baby got back![Sir Mix-a-Lot]
I like 'em round, and big
And when I'm throwin' a gig
I just can't help myself,
I'm actin' like an animal
Now here's my scandal
I wanna get you home
And ugh, double-up, ugh, ugh
I ain't talkin' bout Playboy
'Cause silicone parts are made for toys
I want 'em real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Mix-a-Lot's in trouble
Beggin' for a piece of that bubble
So I'm lookin' at rock videos
Knock-kneeded bimbos walkin' like hoes
You can have them bimbos
I'll keep my women like Flo Jo
A word to the thick soul sisters, I wanna get with ya
I won't cuss or hit ya
But I gotta be straight when I say I wanna *#%(&*
Till the break of dawn
Baby got it goin' on
A lot of simps won't like this song
'Cause them punks like to hit it and quit it
And I'd rather stay and play
'Cause I'm long, and I'm strong
And I'm down to get the friction on
So, ladies! {Yeah!} Ladies! {Yeah}
If you wanna roll in my Mercedes {Yeah!}
Then turn around! Stick it out!
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back!Baby got back!
Yeah, baby ... when it comes to females,
Cosmo ain't got nothin' to do with my selection.
36-24-36? Ha ha, only if she's 5'3".

[Sir Mix-a-Lot]So your girlfriend rolls a Honda,
playin' workout tapes by Fonda
But Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda
My anaconda don't want none
Unless you've got buns, hun
You can do side bends or sit-ups,
But please don't lose that butt
Some brothers wanna play that "hard" role
And tell you that the butt ain't gold
So they toss it and leave it
And I pull up quick to retrieve it
So Cosmo says you're fat
Well I ain't down with that!
'Cause your waist is small and your curves are kickin'
And I'm thinkin' bout stickin'
To the beanpole dames in the magazines:You ain't it, Miss Thing!
Give me a sister, I can't resist her
Red beans and rice didn't miss her
Some knucklehead tried to dis
'Cause his girls are on my list
He had game but he chose to hit 'em
And I pull up quick to get wit 'em
So ladies, if the butt is round,
And you want a triple X throw down,
Dial 1-900-MIXALOT
And kick them nasty thoughts
Baby got back!
(Little in the middle but she got much back) [4x]