Sir Mix-a-Lot

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Sir Mix-a-Lot
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Ray
Born	August 12, 1963 (1963-08-12) (age 44)
Origin	Seattle, Washington
Genre(s)	Hip hop
Years active	1985 – Present
Label(s)	Nastymix Records (1985–1990) American Recordings (1992–1996) Artist Direct Records (CEO) (2003 – present)

Sir Mix-a-Lot or Sir Mixalot (born Anthony Ray, August 12, 1963)^[1] is a Grammy Award-winning ^[2] rapper and producer from Seattle, Washington. He is commonly known as having revolutionized the deep bass heard in most modern hip hop tracks.

Contents 1 Life and work 2 Discography 2.1 Albums 2.2 Singles 2.3 Videos 2.4 DVD 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Life and work

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. He first was signed by Nastymix Records, then left, established Rhyme Cartel Records and was signed by American Recordings.

His first hit, released on Nastymix Records in 1988, was the single "Posse on Broadway"^[3], 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.

His best-known song is the Miami Bass styled song "Baby Got Back" (1992), 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 1993 Sir Mix-A-Lot collaborated with his hometown (Seattle) based grunge/rock group Mudhoney for the song 'Freak Momma' on the Judgment Night soundtrack.

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 seamy underbelly of Las Vegas.

A big fall-out with American Recordings in the run-up to the release of Return of the Bumpasaurus 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.

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.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album Information
Swass Released: 1988 Chart Positions: #82 US, #20 R&B/Hip-Hop Last RIAA certification: Platinum Singles: "Posse on Broadway", "Iron Man", "Rappin with Kid Sensation"
Seminar Released: 1989 Chart Positions: #67 US, #25 Top Hip Hop/R&B Last RIAA certification: Gold Singles: "Beepers", "I Got Game"
Mack Daddy Released: February 4, 1992 Chart Positions: #9 US, #19 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Last RIAA certification: Platinum Singles: "Baby Got Back", "One Time's Got No Case"
Chief Boot Knocka Released: July 19, 1994 Chart Positions: #69 US, #28 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Last RIAA certification: None Singles: "Put 'Em On the Glass", "Let It Beaounce"
Return of the Bumpasaurus Released: August 27, 1996 Chart Positions: #123 US, #55 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Last RIAA certification: None Singles: "Jump On It"
Daddy's Home Released: September 9, 2003 Chart Positions: Did Not Chart Last RIAA certification: None Singles: "Y'all Don't Know", "At the Next Show"

[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)
• "Cake Boy"
• "Monsta Mack"

[edit] Videos

• "Baby Got Back"
• "Jump On It!
• "Put 'Em on the Glass"
• "Ride"
• "Posse on Broadway"
• "My Hooptie"
• "Iron Man"
• "Beepers"
• "One Time's Got No Case"

[edit] DVD

• Shhh... Don't Tell 'Em That..

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Sir Mix-a-Lot at the Internet Movie Database
• A map of where Sir Mix-a-Lot drives in "Posse on Broadway".

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,U.S.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH