Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Tuesday, December 1, 1992
Sir Mix-A-Lot shakes things up in fund-raiser
Review
Sir Mix-A-Lot, Kid Sensation, N2Deep and Paperboy, rap concert, Sunday night at the Paramount Theatre.
By Michael Browning
Special to the P-l
It was a triumphant night of Seattle rap and hip-hop that brought young people together in support of an even younger member of the community. In a show Sunday night at the 2,800-seat Paramount Theatre, local rap star Sir Mix-A-Lot staged a concert to help raise money for a bone-marrow transplant for a 3-year-old Tacoma girl. Janai Cante spent her third birthday watching the show from a wheelchair in the wings, ever-present smile blazing. Proceeds from the sold-out, S15-a-person show will be combined with money raised over the last few weeks by members of the Seahawks, Mariners and University of Washington Huskies football team. (Those wishing lo contribute to the campaign to raise the more than $250,000 needed for the bone-marrow transplant can donate money to the Janai Cante benefit account at any U.S. Bank branch.)
Sir Mix-A-Lot, who went to the top of the national singles charts this year with his hit song “Baby Got Back.” brought along his long-time protege, Seattle rapper Kid Sensation. But first on stage in this hometown hip-hop test were the group Paperboy, made up of four young performers in need of more experience, and the slightly more entertaining duo N2 Deep.
Finally, “The Kid” hit the stage, treating the mostly teen-age crowd to the big-league sounds of hip-hop. Kid Sensation’s straight-forward set, punctuated by the songs “Seatown Ballers” and “The Weekend,” begged the question. “Why isn’t this guy bigger?” Mostly ignored by the black music community, Seattle rap artists continue to struggle for recognition on a national level. Hopefully, Sir Mix-A-Lot’s impact on the record charts this year will make that a little less of a struggle.
The high point in Kid Sensation’s performance featured a guest appearance by another young man in top form — the Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. — during the song “The Way I Swing.”
From behind the platform supporting the band, Sir Mix-A-Lot appeared in a mink jacket and his trademark fedora. Performing songs from his current album. “Mack Daddy,” along with old favorites like “My Hooptie” and “Beepers.” Mix carried the crowd along. New tunes “Swap Meet Louie” and “Testarossa” were eagerly received. But the classic “Posse on Broadway” brought the house down.
Surrounded by as many as six “posse” members and five female dancers, Sir Mix-A-Lot kept cool while watching the others sweat. The theatrics during a mock shakedown of his posse by a dancer in a police uniform on “One Time’s Got No Case” were almost laughable in light of the small army of Seattle police officers that greeted concertgoers when they arrived (the police assured that the show went on without incident).
Rap artist Sir Mix-A-Lot’s benefit
concert Sunday was a sellout.
Flanked by two pistol-gripping women in shades. Sir Mix-A-Lot, in the guise of his high-rolling alter ego, Mack Daddy, looked on while the mock police officer searched his posse. Utilizing the latest in laser and lighting technology, the lurid hues overhead lent additional impact to the visual spectacle on-stage.
The whole crew came out to shake their tails for the finale of “Baby Got Back” a song celebrating women with large posteriors (for this, Sir Mix-A-Lot brought out a special dancer). Before closing with his hottest-selling single of the year. Sir Mix-A-Lot invited about 60 “homegirls” to the stage to “shake their thang.”