Too Short likes bad-boy image
Too Short is celebrating 30 years in the rap game — an unprecedented run in a genre that typically eats its young. The Bay Area hip-hop hero, whose real name is Todd Shaw, built his reputation on the raunchy, sinister rhymes and a string of platinum and gold albums in the ’90s. In the last decade or so, he has stepped back in the spotlight, filling the role of an elder statesmen on recordings by artists like Lady Gaga, Wiz Khalifa and Lil Jon. This month, Too Short and his live band will perform a careerspanning set at the Fox Theater. He spoke from his home in Oakland.
Q: Most people who started out in hip-hop when you did aren’t still up there doing it. How did you make it through 30 years? A: You know, when I did “Blow the Whistle” in ’06, I was already 40 years old, so I feel like I’ve been coasting for the past 10 years. People use terms like legendary. The only difference is I don’t have to have a hit to stay relevant. Q: Do you have a favorite Too Short era? A: There is a certain time frame that I feel like the learning curve reached its peak, and we were on autopilot. That would be the early ’90s, when I made albums like “Life Is … Too Short” and “Shorty the Pimp,” where everything kept getting better. It was our time. But there have been many highlights. It’s a long career. Q: Was there ever any confusion in your mind where Todd Shaw ends and Too Short begins? A: I never had that problem. When I’m on the microphone and I’m recording, or onstage, or shooting a video, I’m doing my job. When I’m not, I’m being myself. I’m not going to play that 24/7. Q: People who approach you on the street must have an impres- sion in their heads. Who do they think they’re going to meet? A: I’ve always looked like I have a sort of bad-boy image as Too Short. People take that for face value. I kind of like that. I like the image. It suits me well. People who really know me say it’s funny I’m Too Short. I don’t have a lot of stage antics. I don’t try to get attention through my animated body movements. To have that image replaces all those things. Q: I’m sure the cover art for “You Nasty,” where you’re naked with a bunch of porn stars, helps that reputation. A: A lot of things I’ve done helped. The songs themselves did all the work. The titles, the subject matter ... It left a profound impression. I don’t think a lot of artists have that connection with their fans. They feel like they know me or we’re old friends.