“Sir Mix-a-Lot”
ANthony L. Ray
Grammy Award Winning Musician, ENTREPRENEUR
Sir Mix-A-Lot is a Grammy Award winning rapper, producer, and entrepreneur who helped establish Seattle as a force in hip-hop long before the city became known worldwide for grunge. Rising in the 1980s, he built a distinct sound rooted in booming bass, sharp wit, and bold cultural commentary.
He reached global fame with the 1992 No. 1 hit “Baby Got Back,” earning a Grammy Award and creating one of the most iconic songs in hip-hop history. As the founder of Nastymix Records, he was instrumental in developing the Pacific Northwest’s rap scene, opening doors for local artists and shaping Seattle’s musical identity for generations.
Photo by Rosetta Greek at the Rotary Boys and Girls Club on 19th & Spruce
Transcript
Although we pretty much lived in every low-income project in Seattle, it was the Bryant Manor Apartments that I loved the most! After that 1-1/2 hour bus ride we all had pinned up energy.
This is when I started going to the boys & Girls Club on 19th & Spruce!
There was a Black Panther Headquarters was across the street and that definitely helped to define me.
One summer a Brother named Rico Bembry walked in with a keyboard! He opened it and started showing us how to play keyboard.
Before that day, I thought all keyboards were pianos. I got a summer job and saved up enough to buy an old broken Synth called a Moog Prodigy. And a few Potentiometers later it was like new. I started making songs about the neighborhood, etc. And Mix-A-lot was born!
One night I was DJing at the Boys & Girls Club and in walked Nasty Nes! I was nervous but I kept going! playing my own tracks mixed with the hits!
Eventually Nes actually played my stuff on the radio! I know my stuff wasn’t ready but he believed in me. Later Nes introduced me to what would eventually become the head of Nasty-Mix records!
We went on to one Platinum and one Gold album on a tiny independent label here in Seattle!
You truly can’t make this up
I met Rico Bembery (Boys & Girls club)
I met NES (Boys & Girls club)
And the rest is History!
Sir Mix-A-Lot