Sir Mix-A-Lot Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
After a six-year absence from the rap game Sir Mix-A-Lot returns with a full-length containing only an EP's worth of new and inspired ideas. A hint of the album that could have been, "Game Don't Get Old," and its commentary on the rap industry represents a refreshingly reflective side to the rapper. The track is effervescent and catchy, as is the rocking "Ya'll Don't Know," but when Sir Mix-A-Lot falls back on his old reliable sex-party music for the better part of the album, things get weak. Maybe it's the lack of decent production that makes the rapper sound more sleazy than sexy, maybe it's just the fact he's not the strapping young buck he used to be. For the party tunes, the music is harder and more skeletal than usual with only "2 Horse," delivering the funky shuffle of his big hits. Without the required accompaniment, his raps come off as amusing but nothing to return to (the size-obsessed "Big Johnson," is a good example). Things get downright dull towards the end until an entertaining guest spot from Digital Underground's Humpty Hump on "At the Next Show," breaks up the tedious second-half. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Return of the Bumpasaurus'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 19
Label American
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Having been quite visible in the R&B and pop markets thanks to such hits as "Baby Got Back," "Beepers" and the erotic "Put Em on the Glass," Sir Mix-A-Lot had his share of detractors in hardcore rap circles -- which can be every bit as rigid and dogmatic as jazz purism. The Seattleite gives his detractors a vehement tongue-lashing on his fifth album, Return of the Bumpasaurus, which is essentially a fun and escapist party album despite all the anger it expresses. True to form, the distinctive Mix effectively combines the hard-hitting, the gritty and the intense with healthy pop quirkiness. Once again, he makes a mistake by not including more social or political commentary -- one of his strong points. But when it comes to party songs, he still delivers the goods. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Anyone who has had the pleasure of interviewing Sir Mix-a-Lot can tell you that he's extremely intelligent. The Seattle rapper can spend hours talking about political and social issues, and his best sociopolitical offerings are in a class with anything that Public Enemy, KRS-1, and Ice-T have done. But Mix was never marketed as a hip-hop intellectual or a hardcore rapper; listeners usually think of him as the quirky, goofy pop-rapper who gave us "Baby Got Back" and "Posse's on Broadway," and Mix gladly went with the flow because fun, escapist tunes are what earned him the big bucks. Chief Boot Knocka, Mix's second album for American and fourth album overall, doesn't pretend to be a Public Enemy release -- this is pop-rap that must be judged by pop-rap standards instead of hardcore rap standards. And when those standards are applied, the album is a winner. While fun, frivolous numbers like "Let It Beaounce" and the hit "Put 'Em on the Glass" didn't get much respect from hip-hop's hardcore, there is no denying how infectious they are. The fact is that there is good pop-rap and bad pop-rap; like Salt-N-Pepa and Young MC, Mix knows how to provide material that is commercial but still has some bite. The Seattle resident does get into serious topics on "Take My Stash" (which was inspired by his problems with the IRS) and "Don't Call Me Da Da," but, overall, this is very much a party album. Is it regrettable that someone who is capable of writing sociopolitical gems like "National Anthem" and "Society's Creation" has neglected his more hard-hitting side? Absolutely. But that doesn't make Chief Boot Knocka any less effective as party music. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The massive success of "Baby Got Back" may have earned Sir Mix-a-Lot the dreaded "one-hit wonder" label, as well as an appearance on VH1's "Where Are They Now?," but the Seattle native has always been a much more interesting and important figure than his reputation would suggest. One of the first rappers outside of New York and L.A. to score significant chart success, Mix-a-Lot's music is generally a lot more irreverent and tongue-in-cheek than people give him credit for, the work of a chubby studio geek living out his most ridiculous playboy fantasies on wax. "Baby Got Back" may be the song that put Sir Mix-a-Lot on the map, but it's actually one of the album's weaker tracks. Far better is Mack Daddy's first single, "One Time's Got No Case," a song that finds Mix-a-Lot addressing standard hip-hop subject matter in a novel fashion, striking out against racist police officers not through gunplay or violence but by handing the guilty parties a righteous legal smackdown in a court of law. The rest of Mack Daddy charts a similarly cheeky cruise through the not-so-mean streets of Seattle, with Mix-a-Lot addressing such vital subject matters as the nefarious proprietors of fake designer merchandise at swap meets ("Swap Meet Louie") and the importance of not getting whipped by opportunistic females ("Sprung on the Cat"). It's all extremely silly stuff, made even more so by Mix-a-Lot's nasal flow and knack for ridiculous double entendres: "Yo baby, I got a big snake, all you gotta do is make it dance" is a typically subtle Mix-a-Lot come-on. But damn if isn't infectious, funky, and downright fun, making Mack Daddy one of the premiere hip-hop guilty pleasures of the '90s. ~ Nathan Rabin, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With his second album, Sir Mix-A-Lot continued focusing primarily on the type of material that made his first reach gold status: escapist, lighthearted pop/rap that fared well among pop, R&B and dance-music circles, but generally wasn't well received in "the hood." What few sociopolitical songs the CD does contain are first-rate, including "The (Peek-A-Boo) Game" (which uses Siouxsie & the Banshees as a reference point) and "National Anthem." An angry number addressing the Iran-contra scandal, the drug plague and the plight of Vietnam vets, the latter is as powerful as anything Public Enemy, KRS-One or Ice-T has done. Nonetheless, what made Seminar a hit weren't those gems, but odes to cars, gold chains and "fly girls." As enjoyable as such escapist fare as "My Hooptie" and "Beepers" is, Mix sells himself short by not including more message songs. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Sir Mix-A-Lot is one of greatest ironies in the history of rap. His occasional sociopolitical statements show he can be every bit as intelligent a commentator as KRS-One or Chuck D, but Mix's forte has always been the type of fun, escapist, even goofy fare that dominates his debut album, Swass. Though forceful and aggressive at times, the distinctive Seattle native never considered himself a hardcore rapper and is quick to point out that his influences range from quirky new waver Gary Numan to metal bands to George Clinton. Ranging from aggressive rap/metal like "Hip-Hop Soldier" and an inspired interpretation of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" (which employs headbangers Metal Church) to his enjoyably silly impression of hillbillies on "Square Dance Rap" and "Buttermilk Biscuits," Swass set the tone for Mix's career by appealing to pop fans more than hardcore rap listeners. His strongest sociopolitical raps (including "Society's Creation" and "Jack Back") would come later. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
