Sir Mix A-Lot’s notorious ode to women with a little more junk in the trunk not only help propel him from Seattle’s underground hip-hop scene to superstar status, but it also put the national spotlight on a part of the body that has long been ignored—the booty.

It used to be that a slim physique was considered the standard of beauty. As such, women would go to extreme measures, such as anorexia and bulimia, to look like Kate Moss. However, Sir Mix A-Lot, along with a host of other black and brown rappers who have penned numerous tributes to women with big butts, helped to usher in a new standard of beauty—one based around a much healthier and fuller derriere.

The days of slim, waif models have been replaced by the “Sista” with the thick curves. But not just any curves, we’re talking about curves in all the “right” places, such as in the breasts, thighs and of course, the behind. This new appreciation for a different type of femininity seems to fit nicely into the changing aesthetic of the country; since the late 80s through 90s, everyone seems to be living in excess and embracing the mantra of “the bigger, the better.”
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