Body Measurement | – |
Body type | Athletic |
Height | 5’7″ |
Weight | 74 kg |
Hair Color | Bald |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Shoe Size | 8 (US) |
Full Name | Todd Anthony Shaw |
Nickname | Too $hort |
Gender | Male |
Date of Birth | April 28, 1966 |
Age | 57 Years |
Profession | American rapper and record producer |
Too Short Net Worth | $5 Million |
Education | Fremont High School in Oakland |
Nationality | American |
Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Hometown | Oakland, California, United States |
Religion | Christianity |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
Father | Andy Shaw |
Mother | Dorothy Shaw |
Spouse | Erica Escarcega |
Children | 1 |
Siblings | – |
Website | tooshortstore.com |
Wikipedia | wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Short |
All Music | Too Short |
Childhood & Early Life
Too Short married his wife, Erica Escarcega, in 2000 but it wasn’t until the rapper was 52 that he finally had his first and only child, Yani Shaw.
Not much is known about his private life as he tries to keep his family out of the media, but there have been reports of many legal issues throughout his life.
He was first arrested for drug possession charges during the 1990s and he was also arrested for drunk driving, in 2007.
Too Short was arrested for the third time under suspicion of soliciting a prostitute in 2013 despite being married and not having any prior arrests for the offense.
Also Read: Shakira Height, Age, Husband, Songs, Albums & Life Story
Career
In the mid-1980s, Shaw along with a high school friend Freddy B, produced custom songs (called “special requests“) locally on cassette for people in Oakland and the Bay Area.
In 1983, Too Short started his solo career and released his debut album, Don’t Stop Rappin‘ on Oakland record label 75 Girls Records And Tapes which, along with four 12″ releases, featured raw, simple drum beats from a LinnDrumdrum machine.
This was also one of the first hip hop records to use the word “bitch” – a word which became one of the rapper’s trademarks and was the focus of subsequent raps such as “Ain’t Nothin’ but a Word to Me”.
Too Short relocated to Atlanta in 1994, but he did not begin working with a more diverse variety of Southern artists until 2000 when he collaborated with Lil Jon.
With the 1999 release of Can’t Stay Away, Too Short came out of retirement, continuing his sexually explicit, relaxed style of rap.
New albums released from 2000–2003 were You Nasty (2000), Chase the Cat (2001), and What’s My Favorite Word? (2002), and Married to the Game (2003).
These albums all charted fairly well, as they all were in the top 71 of the Billboard 200, but they did not do as well as Too Short’s earlier 1990s releases, as none of them reached the top 10.
For his next album, Blow the Whistle (2006), Too Short now took advantage of the new hyphy rap music that was emerging out of his original home base in Oakland. This saw somewhat of a resurgence for Too Short as it peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, much better than each of his previous three releases.
However, his subsequent releases, such as 2007’s Get Off the Stage, have not been as successful. On October 7, 2008, Too Short was honored by VH1 at the fifth annual “Hip-Hop Honors” along with Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick and Naughty By Nature.
In 2009, Too Short recorded for Daz Dillinger, Lil Jon, Soopafly, Scarface and B-Legit. In 2011, the rapper was featured on Wiz Khalifa’s song “On My Level“. He also collaborated in Snoop Dogg’s 2011 album, Doggumentary in the song “Take U Home” and on the 50 Cent song “First Date”.
In 2012 Too Short along with E-40 released two collaboration albums on the same day titled History: Mob Music and History: Function Music. Both charted in the top 100 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Too Short has said the best verse he has ever recorded is a verse for a song on Dr. Dre’s Detox called “Man’s Best Friend (Pussy)”.
In 2013, it was announced he would collaborate with Lady Gaga on a song “Jewels n’ Drugs” for her upcoming album Artpop. Also featured on the song are T.I. and Twista.
In 2015, Too Short was featured on actor Tavion Tate Guice’s song “Oakland Brookfield Dance”.
In 2016, Too Short was featured on the song “Cochino” by Argentine-American rapper Dumbfoundead. The song is the seventh track off of Dumbfoundead’s fifth studio album We Might Die.
Six years after his last release, Too Short released his 20th album The Pimp Tape on November 9, 2018. On December 20, 2019, he released his 21st album The Vault. On December 18, 2020, Too Short and E-40 released their collaboration album Ain’t Gone Do It and Terms & Conditions.
In 2022, the City of Oakland honored Too Short with a commemorative street sign declaring a section of Foothill Boulevard “Too $hort Way” and proclaiming December 10, 2022, to be “Too $hort Day.
Also Read: Sidhu Moose Wala Wife, Height, Age, Songs, Death & Life Story
major Works/filmography/Songs
Year | Albums |
---|---|
1983 | Don’t Stop Rappin’ |
1985 | Players |
1986 | Raw, Uncut & X-Rated |
1987 | Born to Mack |
1990 | Short Dog’s in the House |
1992 | Shorty the Pimp |
1993 | Get in Where You Fit In |
1995 | Cocktails, Don’t Try This at Home with The Dangerous Crew |
1999 | Can’t Stay Away |
2000 | You Nasty |
2003 | Married to the Game, What’s My Favorite Word? |
2007 | Get off the Stage |
2010 | Still Blowin’ |
2012 | No Trespassing, History: Mob Music, History: Function Music |
2019 | The Vault |
2020 | Ain’t Gonna Do It/Terms and Conditions |
2022 | Snoop Cube 40 $hort |
Awards and Achievements
Too Short was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for the track “The Ghetto” in 1992.
He was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist in 1993.
In 2014 Rolling Stone named Too Short the “50 Greatest MCs of All Time”.
His collaboration with Tupac Shakur on the song “Gotta Get Away” in 1992, helped to increase his exposure and popularity.
Too Short was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in 2017, recognizing his contributions to the genre and cementing his place as a legendary artist in hip-hop history.
In 1999, he dropped his fifth studio album “The Mack of the Century”, which had appearances by some big names in hip-hop and got rave reviews from critics.
He teamed up with Snoop Dogg for the hit single “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None)” in 1994, which helped him gain even more exposure and popularity.
Too Short Net Worth
Property forms a significant part of Too Short’s investments and he owns a 6-bedroom property in Atlanta which he built himself for $450,000, back in 2000.
His garage is home to some of the most expensive cars in the world, having purchased a Bentley Continental GT, a Porsche 911 Carrera, and a Cadillac Eldorado.
Controversy
Too Short, whose real name is Todd Shaw, has been rapping since the early ‘80s. He might never abandon sex raps, because they’re the primary appeal of his music. It’s certainly not his rapping, which some critics charge is bland. But these attacks are mild compared to the blasts leveled by women. His first line of defense:
“I’m a businessman,” he says. “Making records is my business. I have a big operation and I employ a lot of people. My goal is to be successful, so I do what works.”
If women don’t buy that explanation . . . .
“Too Short is a character,” he says. “I don’t live his kind of pimp life, and I don’t believe what he believes. I’m just a writer putting over a character I created. Everybody knows rappers don’t do all they say they do.”
And if that explanation still doesn’t sway them . . .
“I don’t get upset because I know that’s not me they’re putting down,” he says. “I’m not trying to hurt them, but if they don’t want to believe it, to hell with them. . . . I’m not going to change that just because some women object to what I’m saying.”
The 45-year-old rapper, whose real name is Todd Anthony Shaw, asks women off camera to “cover their ears” to avoid being offended. Short then describes a scenario in graphic detail. “You push her up against the wall,” he continued. “You take your finger and put a little spit on it and you stick your finger in her underwear and you rub it on there and watch what happens.”
Too Short is known for his sexually explicit rhymes in songs like “Freaky Tales.” The rapper was arrested for assault in 2010 after an altercation related to his alleged attempt to bring underage girls backstage into his dressing room at a performance.
After being contacted, XXL digital content director Carl Cherry declined to comment on this article. Vanessa Satten has been contacted but has not responded.
10 things you didn’t know about Too Short!
FAQs
– What is Too Short’s signature style?
Too Short is known for his distinctive flow and explicit, often humorous, lyrics. His music often addresses themes of street life, relationships, and partying. He is credited for popularizing the “Pimp Rap” subgenre and is recognized for his unique delivery and laid-back style.
– Has Too Short collaborated with other artists?
Yes, Too Short has collaborated with many artists over the years, including Snoop Dogg, E-40, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, and The Notorious B.I.G., among others.
– What is Too Short’s impact on hip-hop culture?
Too Short is considered a pioneer in West Coast hip-hop and has had a significant influence on the genre. His explicit and unapologetic style paved the way for later artists, and he remains a respected figure in the hip-hop community.
– Is Too Short involved in any non-music ventures?
Too Short has been involved in various ventures outside of music, including acting and entrepreneurship. He has also been known for mentoring younger artists and contributing to community initiatives.