Too $hort

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Image:Too $hort Life Is...Too Short.jpg Too Short, or Too $hort, (born Todd Anthony Shaw on April 28 1966) is a rapper who started his career in Oakland, California. Through his music, Too $hort has cultivated a persona of a no-nonsense pimp, and is widely credited for popularizing pimp culture in hip hop, along with Ice T and Slick Rick. He has released 16 albums and recently founded his own label. Too $hort is now based in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the early 1980s $hort produced custom raps for people with his high school friend, Freddie B. They would glamorize a person on a 30-minute tape, and the transaction would usually cost $10. He also played percussion in his high school marching band. Soon he became one of the first rap artists to promote and sell records independently, and as a pioneer responsible for the birth of Northern California's independent hip-hop scene, he has inspired many to pursue success in the music industry without the assistance of a major record company. Also, the sound of the music was different from East Coast hip-hop, which is known for its technique of sampling and looping to create a song. Initially, $hort's first releases had raw and simple drum beats, but by (1989)'s Life Is...Too $hort, Funk and Blues were being infused with synthesizers and drum machines, giving birth to the Bay Area hip-hop sound known as Mobb music.

As of 2004, Too $hort is one of the few artists to have released six back-to-back platinum albums (others include LL Cool J, Jay-Z, Nas and Ice Cube). Too Short is a legend in the game, and has released 16 albums to date, with his latest being Pimpin' INC which contains a newly released single titled "Blow Da' Whistle" (2006)

Over the years, Too $hort has released many albums hailed as classics, along with appearing on more top selling albums than any other artist in the game through his collaborations, which include over 60 guest appearances to date. Too Short has released 16 albums on 4 Different Labels,Dont stop rappin',raw uncut and x-rated, and PLAYERS were released on "75 Girls records".( Born to Mack (1988), Life Is...Too $hort (1989), $hort Dog's In The House (1990),Were all released on "Dangerous Music" $horty The Pimp (1992), Get In Where You Fit In (1993), Cocktails (1995), Gettin It (1996), Were released on JIVE records, and the releases since have all been on Short's own division of JIVE, know as "SHORT RECORDS" Including: Can't Stay Away (1999), You Nasty (2000), Chase The Cat, (2001), What's My Favorite Word? (2002), Married To The Game (2003) and Pimpin' Inc. (2006). His record sales are especially notable given that his music receives little to no mainstream radio airplay.

Compilations are Greatest Hits on 75 Girls records,The Player years,The Dangerous Crew (1995) & $hort Records * Nationwide - Independence Day: The Compilation *double disc* (1998)).

Every album has included a picture of Too Short on the cover, except the compilation albums. All total, Too $hort has 21 releases on major labels.

In his early years, $hort teamed up with close friends Ice Cube and producer Ant Banks to create several classic records. He signed with Jive records in (1987). In (1996), he claimed he was retiring, but returned in 1999. He appeared on the hit "Player's Holiday" which appears on T.W.D.Y.'s (1999) debut album and Priority Records compilation "Nuthin But A Gangsta Party." After the appearances, he began working on his 11th album which was appropriately titled Can't Stay Away. The album included guest appearances by Eightball & MJG, Puff Daddy (now P. Diddy), E-40, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Soopafly, B-Legit, as well as well recognized verses by $hort himself. When he relocated to Atlanta in (1994), he began working with a more diverse variety of artists including Twista and Lil Jon.

Although $hort's hit list is lengthy, the biggest hit of his career is perhaps, "Freaky Tales" which appeared on his 1988 album Born To Mack. Other notable hits include,"The Ghetto", "Life Is... Too $hort", "Mack Attack", "I Ain't Trippin'", "Cusswords", "Ain't No Bitches", "Money In The Ghetto", "I Want To Be Free", "You Nasty", "I Luv", "Just Another Day", "Good Life", "Invasion of the Flat Booty Bitches", "Short But Funky," "Don't Stop Rappin", "Gettin It", "Just Another Day", "In the Trunk" "Shake that Monkey", and "Cocktails".

$hort relocated from Oakland to Atlanta, but he still represents his Oakland roots as on his 2003 record he has a track titled "California Girls." Along with his crafty appearances, $hort has been able to remain a prominent figure on the underground scene, a West Coast hero, and an overall legend by constantly updating and reinventing his sound. $hort has come from rapping over raw drum beats, through the G-funk era, through the Bay Area signature sound, and on his latest efforts, the crunk era. He guest appeared on his close friend Lil Jon's album and scored a hit record with the track "Bia Bia" along with Ludacris and Chyna White. He is credited for coining the phrase "Bee-yatch" in hip-hop/gangsta rap -- as he states on his track "These Are The Tales," I won't sue you/ that's the trademark/ I was a grown ass man when you was playin' in the park...that's my gift to the rap game.

He has recently sign on to be another act on Jazze Pha's Record Label Sho'Nuff Recordings.

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Adult films

Too $hort has also moonlighted in the adult film industry, with the 2003 film Get In Where You Fit In, [1] starring actresses such as Mika Tan, Envy Mi, and Cherie (actress), distributed by Adam & Eve.

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