Todd Anthony Shaw, professionally known as Too Short, is a renowned American rapper and record producer who rose to fame in the West Coast hip hop scene during the late 1980s. His lyrics, often provocative and explicit, frequently explored themes of pimping, promiscuity, drug culture, and street survival, as exemplified in his iconic songs "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto".
As a trailblazer of West Coast rap, Shaw began his music career in 1983, gradually building a massive following in his hometown of Oakland. In 1987, his fourth studio album, Born to Mack, caught the attention of Jive Records, which subsequently signed him and distributed the album nationwide. The subsequent release of his 1988 album, Life Is...Too Short, proved to be a groundbreaking success, achieving double platinum status and cementing his status as a prominent figure in the hip hop scene.
