Too Short, born Todd Shaw in 1966, is a pioneering West Coast rapper whose influence on hip-hop spans more than three decades. Emerging from Oakland, California in the early 1980s, he built a grassroots following by selling homemade tapes out of the trunk of his car before signing with Jive Records in 1987. Known for his laid back flow, unmistakable voice, and unapologetically raw lyrics, Too Short became a defining figure in West Coast rap's rise.

His breakout album “Born to Mack” (1987), introduced his signature sound to a national audience followed by 1989’s platinum-certified “Life Is… Too Short,” which featured the enduring hit “The Ghetto.”