“Baby Got Back” is back…again! 5 other returns of the Booty-centric song

With the news that Nicki Minaj’s new song “Anaconda” samples its chorus Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”, it’s a great time to look back at 5 other times the Duke of Badonk has triumphantly returned to the pop culture spotlight:

1. Ross and Rachel are bad parents: In 2002, “Friends” aired “The One with Ross’ Inappropriate Song”, where Ross figured out that the easiest way to get Baby Emma to laugh and smile was to sing “Baby Got Back”. At first, Rachel is hesitant to sing the ode to posteriors to their infant child, but she quickly comes around…and is caught by the rest of the group.
2. SpongeBob and Burger King get criticized over square butts: In 2009, while running a promotion with SpongeBob SquarePants toys in their kids’ meals, Burger King took some heat for running an ad with a parody version of a song about liking “square butts”. Certain parents’ groups complained, and the ad was pulled from television, thereby proving once and for all that even though silicon parts are made for toys, those toys probably shouldn’t be advertised using this song.
3. “Glee” accused of ripping off Jonathan Coulton’s cover: In 2013, the network cover machine that is “Glee” airs a slowed-down version of “Baby Got Back”, which many thought to be a direct copy of the Jonathan Coulton version without the show first approaching him or crediting him. Coulton finds out, takes to the internet, and shines a light on the sometimes frayed relationship between artists and the hit Ryan Murphy show.
4. Brian Williams “performs” the song on “The Tonight Show”: In June of 2014, as a part of his on-going crusade to help the world realize that NBC newsman Brian Williams is actually a hip-hop star, Jimmy Fallon airs a clipped-together version of Brian Williams singing “Baby Got Back”. Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee Gifford and Natalie Morales provide enthusiastic back-up on this version.
5. “Futurama” proves that the song will last forever: Originally airing in 1999, but taking place in the early 31st century, a “Futurama” episode features the star Fry listening to “Baby Got Back” but immediately getting chastised by Bender “Bending” Rodriguez. Bender later refers to the song as a “stuffy old song about the buttocks”.

If Nicki Minaj’s sampling of “Baby Got Back” is just the latest in a long line of returns for Sir Mix-a-Lot, then we can’t wait to see when and where the song will pop up next! Somewhere, Biz Markie lights a candle and waits patiently.