Sir Mix-a-Lot

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Sir Mix-a-Lot
Background information
Birth name Anthony Ray
Also known as Sir Mix-a-Lot
Born August 12, 1963
Origin Seattle, Washington,USA
Genre(s) Hip hop
Years active 1985 – 2003
Label(s) Nastymix Records
(1985–1990)
American Recordings
(1992–1996)
Artist Direct Records
(2003 – present)
Associated
acts		 Run DMC

Anthony Ray (born August 12, 1963), known as Sir Mix-a-Lot, is a Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer, originally from Seattle, Washington, USA. He created his own brand of hip hop — influenced by Electro, Kraftwerk and Gary Numan, and funk — but was mostly known for his West Coast take on Miami bass. His raps often deal with sex, yet politics are also important to Mix-a-Lot.

He worked together with Miami bass icon DJ Magic Mike, Mudhoney, Metal Church (on a cover of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man") and discovered Kid Sensation. He first was signed by Nastymix Records, then left, established Rhyme Cartel Records and was signed by American Recordings. A big fall-out with American Recordings in the run-up to the release of "Return of the Bumpasauras" and general disillusionment with the direction rap music was taking led to a three year break before a return with a new record label for the release of Daddy's Home. During the three year break, Sir Mix-a-Lot worked closely with another group, The Presidents of the United States of America under the group name "Subset" with a combination of rock and rap music, however nothing was ever officially released.

Sir Mix-a-Lot had an important voice in the West Coast hip hop scene of the late 1980s. Part of what distinguished him from the others is a tendency to avoid glamorizing violence popular in gangsta rap. His hits have tended to focus on a humorous take on the popular topics of girls and cars, though one song ("One Time's Got No Case") focuses on the serious topic of police brutality as a response and reaction to the Rodney King incident in 1991.

Sir Mix-a-Lot's first break came in 1986 when a demo tape of "Square Dance Rap" started getting airplay on UK radio. Its popularity lead to its release as a single on the UK Streetwave label and Sir Mix-a-Lot's inclusion in the line-up in the UK Fresh concert at Wembley Arena later that year alongside many of hip hop's leading artists at the time.

His first hit, released on Nastymix Records in 1988, was the single "Posse on Broadway", giving some the impression that he was a New Yorker. The reference was actually to the street of the same name on Seattle's Capitol Hill. The song contains a sample from David Bowie's 1975 hit "Fame".

Other popular hits include "Buttermilk Biscuits" (1988), "Square Dance Rap" (1988), "Beepers" (1989), "My Hooptie" (1990) — a song about a car in disrepair — and "Jump On It" (1996). Sir Mix-a-Lot has tended to write, arrange, program, perform, and produce his own music.

Undoubtedly Sir Mix-a-Lot's biggest hit is the Miami Bass styled song "Baby Got Back" (1991), a number one hit that won him fame and the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The single has since been parodied many times and is usually played in irony, celebrated for its over-the-top nature. A hook from the title song of his 1988 release Swass is finding a new audience with the success of The Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha".

In 1995, Sir Mix-a-Lot starred as the titular character of the short-lived TV series The Watcher. The show was one of the first dramas aired on the fledgling broadcast network, UPN. Reminiscent of series such as The Twilight Zone, Sir-Mix-a-Lot functioned as an omniscient narrator who introduced each episode, which would feature a new tale set in the seemy underbelly of Las Vegas.

In 2007, Nas released the track Where Are They Now (West Coast Remix) which features Sir Mix-A-Lot, Breeze, King Tee, Kam, Candyman, Threat, Ice-T and the Conscious Daughters.

Contents

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Swass (1988)
  • Seminar (1989)
  • Mack Daddy (1992)
  • Chief Boot Knocka (1994)
  • Return of the Bumpasaurus (1996)
  • Beepers, Benzos, and Booty: The Best of Sir Mix-a-Lot (2000)
  • Daddy's Home (2003)

[edit] Singles

  • "Let's G"
  • "I'm a Trip"
  • "Square Dance Rap"
  • "Swap Meet Louie"
  • "Rippin"
  • "Posse on Broadway"
  • "Gold"
  • "Ironman"
  • "My Hooptie"
  • "Beepers"
  • "I'll Roll You Up"
  • "I Got Game"
  • "Baby Got Back" (1992)
  • "Ride"
  • "Let It Beaounce"
  • "Til da Sun Cums Up"
  • "Batter Up"
  • "Sleepin' Wit My Fonk"
  • "Jump on It" (1996)

[edit] Videos

[edit] DVD

  • Shhh... Don't Tell 'Em That..

[edit] Trivia

  • Recently Sir Mix-A-Lot played a minor role in the animated television comedy Tom Goes to the Mayor, helping to advertise the My Big Cups store.
  • The song Jump On It! can be frequently heard played by various marching bands at colleges (and even high schools) around the U.S, at sporting events.

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Ray, Anthony
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sir Mix-a-Lot
SHORT DESCRIPTION American musician
DATE OF BIRTH August 12, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH Seattle, Washington,USA
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
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