Too $hort
Too $hort is a gangsta rap artist from Oakland, California.
Oakland pioneer who sold tapes from his trunk and became one of the first West Coast rappers to break nationally.
Who is Too $hort?
Too $hort (Todd Shaw) is a rapper from Oakland, California. In the early 1980s he sold homemade tapes on the streets of Oakland, long before he had a record deal.
Known for
Born to Mack (1987) with "Freaky Tales", Life Is... Too $hort (1988), "The Ghetto" (1990) and, much later, "Blow the Whistle" (2006).
Style
Slow, deliberate rhymes over deep funk basslines. Pimp tales and raw humor, alongside socially aware tracks like "The Ghetto".
Impact
With his independent hustle and early national success, Too $hort helped put the West Coast on the rap map, alongside Ice-T and N.W.A. Bay Area rap still looks to him as its founding father.
Too $hort: quick answers
What genre is Too $hort?
Too $hort’s music falls under Gangsta Rap. Too $hort is part of West Coast hip-hop, with the most important work in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
Where is Too $hort from?
Too $hort is from Oakland, California.
What is Too $hort’s real name?
Too $hort’s real name is Todd Shaw.
When did Too $hort start?
Too $hort has been active since 1985.
