In 1997, Seattle rap artist Sir-Mix-A-Lot left the music business behind. The rap star known for his 1992 hit, "Baby Got Back," freed himself from his contract with Rick Rubin''s label, American Recordings, and went into semi-retirement.

"The reason I left the business is because I hate the business," Sir Mix-A-Lot said Monday during a phone interview while cruising around Stockton looking for food. "I absolutely hate the business. I love music, but I''ve always hated the record business."

So why is the humorous rapper back with his first release in seven years>, Daddy''s Home?

"The music started to change," he says. "I mean, for a while, it was like shoot ''em up, shoot ''em up, bang, bang, die, die. That was all anyone wanted to talk about."

Mix-A-Lot cites newer rap artists like Ludacris, Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Busta Rhymes as inspiration to get back into the game. He also believes that the major labels'' current economic troubles will result in positive changes for consumers and artists.

"Honestly, what excites me the most is the fact that the record business is horrible right now," he says. "I love it."

Instead of trying to find another record deal, Mix-A-Lot recorded his new album at home.

"What I decided to do was do it myself," he says.

The new album features Mix-A-Lot''s trademark humor, especially on the track "Big Johnson," which addresses male genitalia in the same sort of manner that "Baby Got Back" spoke about females'' backsides. Mix-A-Lot says that he wrote the song to appease the ladies.

"Girls have been getting on me about ''Baby Got Back'' forever, like, when''s our turn, you know what I mean?" he says.

On another track, "Y''all Don''t Know," Mix-A-Lot raps over a breezy guitar riff. For Mix-A-Lot, a rock n'' roll fan who spends part of our interview talking about a recent day at Metallica''s Summer Sanitarium Tour, mixing rap and rock is nothing new. His second single was a rap-rock version of Black Sabbath''s "Iron Man," but maybe even more interesting is his still unreleased album with Seattle''s Presidents of the United States of America. Mix-A-Lot describes the group as a cross between Linkin Park and the B-52s.

"We go from some big, chunky stuff to dainty, kind of beach music," he says.

Even though Mix-A-Lot has had an interesting career, he will probably forever be known as the artist behind "Baby Got Back." But, for Mix-A-Lot, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

"It makes me feel good that people feel good about it," he says.

Sir Mix-A-Lot performs at Club Octane, 321 Alvarado St. in Monterey, on Saturday. Doors open at 9pm--Sir Mix-A-Lot will not hit the stage until midnight. Tickets are $20. For more information, call 646-9244.