The untold story behind one of the greatest works of modern culture: Baby Got Back.

OMG this is a great article.

And now I *must* watch the video.

"I like big butts and I cannot lie."

Is this correlation or causation or just two random statements strung together?

The music video director went on to work on Breaking Bad:

America received the ultimate booty call on May 7, 1992, courtesy of Seattle rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot and his song “Baby Got Back.” Since its release through legendary rap-rock producer Rick Rubin’s Def American label, the up-tempo track — which spent five weeks at No. 1 and was the second-best-selling single of 1992, after Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” — has become our national anthem of ass, spawning innumerable parodies, cover versions (most notably Jonathan Coulton’s viral 2005 version), and references, including on Friends and in Shrek and Charlie’s Angels movies. The song’s long-lasting success owes greatly to its winking video, which, aside from featuring Sir Mix-a-Lot dancing atop a giant derrière and countless buttocks-related visual puns, generated a healthy amount of buzz when MTV banned it and fans, including Bruce Springsteen, countered that it offered a far more realistic glimpse at the female form than other music videos of the day. As part of our micro oral histories week, Vulture corralled Rubin, Sir Mix-a-Lot (real name: Anthony Ray), the video’s director Adam Bernstein (also of Breaking Bad fame), and others to bring you the story behind the behind-centric classic.

Adam Bernstein also directed music videos for They Might Be Giants and the B-52s.

And the Beastie Boys, but not LL Cool J:

I had previously been offered the chance to direct an LL Cool J song, “Big Ole Butt,” but I didn’t do it. This time, I needed to get out of New York because I broke up with my girlfriend and she got the apartment. So doing this video was a matter of good timing — though I had done “Hey Ladies” for the Beastie Boys.

In retrospect it is unbelievable this song went mainstream, but the video likely helped.

The "oh my gawd Becky" voice was dating Sir at the time:

Sir Mix-a-Lot (producer/writer/performer, “Baby Got Back”): Amylia Dorsey was my girlfriend at the time, the girl that did the “Oh my gawd, Becky” intro [to the song]. You think J.Lo had a body? No contest! We were together eight, nine years.

Already this article is way more informative than Rap Genius about this song:

http://rapgenius.com/Sir-mix-a-lot-baby-got-back-lyrics

Hilarious visual by Sir:

Sir Mix-a-Lot: I was wearing a brown shirt and brown pants, and they were taking Polaroids, and I saw that I looked like dancing turd. My boys said, “You always talking like you’re the shit. Well, now you really the shit.” They still ride me on that.

Jamie Foxx parody "Baby Got Snacks":

I'm from Seattle, so Sir Mix A Lot had a few more hits, I think only Western Washington people could relate ;)

I had no idea! This is unusual... And good!

And who could forget "My Hooptie", Mix A Lot pays homage to every young man driving a beater car ;)

Sir is unafraid to air it all out. 

Square Dance Rap was pretty popular

I'm starting to get a feel for his style: quirky, out there, yet accessible.