Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966),[4][1][2] better known by his stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper.

A pioneer of West Coast hip hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late 1980s.

His lyrics were often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival;[5] exemplified respectively in his most popular singles "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto."

His fourth album, Born to Mack (1987) sold an estimated 50,000 units from Shaw's car trunk,[7] leading to a commercial re-issue by Jive Records the following year.

His fifth album, Life Is... Too Short (1988), received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and became his first entry on the Billboard 200.

His sixth album, Short Dog's In The House (1990), peaked at number 20 on the chart and spawned the single "The Ghetto," which became his first and highest-charting entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist.

[10] In the mid-1980s, Shaw, along with high school friend Freddy B, produced custom songs (called "special requests") locally on cassette for people in Oakland and the Bay Area.

In 1985, 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 LinnDrum drum machine.

With his 1988 release, Life Is... Too Short, he began using replayed established funk riffs (rather than samples) with his beats.

He also appeared on TWDY's hit single "Player's Holiday" from their 1999 debut album Derty Werk[13] as well as the Priority Records compilation Nuthin but a Gangsta Party.

The album included guest appearances by 8Ball & MJG, Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, Sean Combs, E-40, Daz Dillinger, Lil Jon, Soopafly, Scarface and B-Legit.

[15] 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.

[17] 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.