Sir Mix-a-Lot, whose career began in the mid-1980s in Seattle, is a Grammy-winning American rapper, producer, and label founder whose blend of playful humor, funk-inspired production, and self-aware showmanship made him one of the most enduring and recognizable voices in hip-hop. Born Anthony Ray in Seattle in 1963, he co-founded Nastymix Records in his hometown in the 1980s, becoming a pioneer of independent West Coast hip-hop and putting the Pacific Northwest on the rap map at a time when the genre was dominated by New York and Los Angeles.

His early breakthrough came with his platinum debut studio album Swass (1988), which produced fan favorites "Posse on Broadway" and "Square Dance Rap," followed by his second platinum album Seminar (1989). But his global superstardom came with Mack Daddy (1992), released after signing with Rick Rubin's Def American Recordings, which went double platinum and delivered the era-defining smash "Baby Got Back."