The symphony conjures thoughts and melodies of Beethoven, Mozart — and Sir Mix-A-Lot?
"Baby got Back" might as well have been renamed "Baby got Bach" when rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot graced the stage of the Seattle Symphony on Friday night to perform his ode to big backsides.
The show was part of the Seattle Symphony's Sonic Evolution project, which seeks to bridge the gap between the classical style and Seattle's rich culture of popular music.
Composer Gabriel Prokofiev was commissioned to orchestrate this year's Sonic Evolution show, and the artist he chose for inspiration was Sir Mix-A-Lot. Prokofiev said he found the rapper and Seattle native to be "the most interesting and exciting," according to his blog.
A majority of the concert was played solely by a full orchestra with Sir Mix-A-Lot as the special guest. After performing "Posse on Broadway," he decided to share the spotlight.
"Since tonight is orchestral movements from the hood night, I'm going to leave some of this open if a couple of ladies would like to get up on the stage," he coaxed, according to NBC affiliate King 5.
More than two dozen women from the audience took him up on his offer and let loose dancing to "Baby got Back" in their proper symphony attire.
— Elisha Fieldstadt
