Too Short
The Oakland pimp-turned-rap architect whose slow-rolling beats and streetwise narratives laid the foundation for West Coast hip-hop.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American rapper·Birthday: April 28·Generation X
Biography
Too Short didn't just make rap music; he built a sonic empire from the pavement of East Oakland. In the mid-80s, he bypassed the industry entirely, selling homemade cassette tapes out of his car, creating a direct, street-level economy for his music. His sound was a slow, funky crawl, built on minimalist bass lines and his distinctive, conversational drawl. His lyrics, a unflinching chronicle of pimp culture, street survival, and blunt social observation, provided a raw template for West Coast realism years before gangsta rap dominated the charts. As hip-hop exploded, Too Short became a crucial elder statesman, collaborating with both Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., and influencing generations of artists from E-40 to the hyphy movement. His career is a masterclass in entrepreneurial hustle and artistic authenticity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Too was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Too Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Too's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the independent hip-hop business model by self-producing and selling thousands of tapes directly from his car in the 1980s.
- Released the platinum-certified album 'Life Is... Too Short' in 1988, bringing his Oakland sound to a national audience.
- His 2006 single 'Blow the Whistle' became a massive street anthem and sports arena staple, demonstrating his lasting cultural impact.
- One of the few artists to collaborate with both Tupac Shakur (on 'Shorty Wanna Be a Thug') and The Notorious B.I.G. (on 'The World Is Filled...').
Did You Know?
His stage name originated in high school due to his height; his friends called him 'Shorty,' which he later adapted.
He initially rapped over instrumentals from funk bands like Cameo and Parliament-Funkadelic on his early tapes.
He is an avid chess player and has spoken about how the game's strategy influences his business thinking.
Before music, he aspired to be a professional baseball player.
“I wasn't trying to make a record. I was just making tapes to sell in my neighborhood.”
