happy birthday

On this day in Hip Hop history, we celebrate the birth of a man who loved asses more than most without shame, Six Mix-a-Lot. Although some may only now him for his timeless crossover mega hit, “Baby Got Back,” to call the man a one hit wonder would be an ignorant oversight of the career of a successful crossover pop-rappers. His multiple Grammy nominations and platinum selling albums may be overshadowed by his affinity for big butts (which got him a double platinum #1 single and a Grammy), but they exist nonetheless, proving Sir Mix-a-Lot has earned his place in Hip Hop history.

When people think of Seattle in the late ’80s, an ever-growing and evolving Hip Hop scene is the last thing that comes to mind. The overcast, grunge capital was much more intrigued by the birth of new sound in Hip Hop to match their local climate. In these days, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains ruled the Pacific Northwest with the lane for rappers to gain support virtually nonexistent. This was Sir Mix-a-Lot’s world.

Without any infrastructure or support system to guide his development, Sir Mix-a-Lot was forced to build his brand from the ground up. With his partner Nasty Nes, he founded his own record label, Nastymix Records, in 1983. In 1988, Mix-a-Lot put out his first hit single “Posse on Broadway,” peaked at #70 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Nastymix a distribution deal with Def Jam. What followed was his platinum debut LP Swass. A year later he released his second album on Nastymix, 1989’s Seminar, and finally earned himself a record deal with Def American Recordings.

After three years of studying the game under Rick Rubin, Sir Mix-a-Lot put out his masterpiece album Mack Daddy. Although it may not have been on par with the hardcore gangsta sound that was beginning to become the tone of the industry, this album still hit the scene hard and peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200. The album’s hit single “Baby Got Back” claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and made appearances on charts across the world.

Following Mack Daddy and “Baby Got Back,” Mix-a-Lot’s career began to lose some steam. His fourth LP Chief Boot Knocka peaked only at #69 on the Billboard 200 chart although being nominated for a Grammy in 1994. His next two albums were met with the same decline in support.

Sir Mix-a-Lot’s career is a DIY fairy tale. Coming from an area in the country where rap music isn’t widely accepted, he rose up against the odds to become a household name. His name may never come up in the “best rapper of all time” conversation, but Sir Mix-a-Lot’s career will never be erased from Hip Hop history. From everyone here at The Source, Happy Birthday Sir Mix-a-Lot. May you see many more years of success and big butts.

The post Happy 61st Birthday To Seattle Rap Legend Sir Mix-A-Lot! first appeared on The Source.

The post Happy 61st Birthday To Seattle Rap Legend Sir Mix-A-Lot! appeared first on The Source.