Too $hort

Todd Anthony Shaw, known professionally as Too $hort, was born on April 28, 1966, in Los Angeles, California. In 1980, his family relocated to Oakland, California, where he attended Fremont High School. His musical journey began in the mid-1980s when he and high school friend Freddy B produced custom songs for local residents on cassette tapes. In 1985, Too $hort launched his solo career with his debut album, “Don’t Stop Rappin'”, released on Oakland’s 75 Girls Records And Tapes. This early work utilized raw drum beats from a LinnDrum machine and was among the first hip-hop recordings to extensively feature the word “bitch,” which became a trademark of his style. In 1983, he co-founded the label Dangerous Music with Freddy B to distribute his music regionally, eventually leading to Short Records and later Up All Nite Records.

Too $hort continued to build his career with a series of successful albums. His fourth album, “Born to Mack” (1987), initially sold approximately 50,000 units from his car trunk, which led to a commercial re-issue by Jive Records the following year. His fifth album, “Life Is… Too Short” (1989), achieved double platinum certification from the RIAA and marked his first entry on the Billboard 200. He further solidified his presence with “Short Dog’s In The House” (1990), which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 and featured the single “The Ghetto,” his highest-charting entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist. Over the years, he has collaborated with notable artists like Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and Pimp C, expanding his audience and influence.

In 1988, he established The Dangerous Crew, a collective of Oakland-based rappers and producers. Decades later, in 2020, he co-founded the West Coast hip-hop supergroup Mount Westmore with Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and E-40. Beyond music, Too $hort has demonstrated a commitment to community, serving as a mentor at Youth UpRising, an Oakland-based non-profit supporting at-risk youth since 2006. In 2022, the City of Oakland honored his contributions by dedicating a section of Foothill Boulevard as “Too $hort Way” and declaring December 10th as “Too $hort Day,” recognizing his lasting cultural impact.