On this day, May 7, in hip-hop history...

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1992:  Sir Mix-A-Lot released the single "Baby Got Back" on May 7, 1992. Leading up to the song's release, the Seattle rapper signed with Rick Rubin's Def American Recordings after his 1988 debut release Swass was certified platinum in 1990.

The beginning of the track is a mission statement for all who appreciate a curvaceous body. "I like big butts and I cannot 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," Sir Mix-A-Lot spits to start things off.

 

Upon its release, "Baby Got Back"—the second single from his third album Mack Daddy—became an instant hit and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for five straight weeks. The rap about Sir's love for a woman's behind was both funny, sexy and catchy, and the song earned Mix-A-Lot a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rap Performance in 1993.

In an interview with SPIN in 1992, Sir Mix explained the track was a reaction to the notion that skinny professional models are the paragon of beauty. "The song doesn't just say I like large butts, you know?" he clarified. "The song is talking about women who damn near kill themselves to try to look like these beanpole models that you see in Vogue Magazine."

Mix-A-Lot also shared recently that his inspiration for the track was the voluptuous Jennifer Lopez back in her Fly Girl days. The catchy song continues to live on in hip-hop as Nicki Minaj sampled the joint in her 2014 hit single, "Anaconda."

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