The year was 1996. If you were driving through Oakland, Los Angeles, or really anywhere with a decent car stereo, you weren't just hearing music; you were feeling a specific kind of sub-bass that rattled the trunk and slowed down time. That sound belonged to Todd Anthony Shaw. Most people know him as Too $hort. And the song that arguably cemented his transition from a regional hero to a global powerhouse was Gettin It.
It’s weird. Hip-hop moves so fast that a track from the mid-90s should feel like a museum piece by now. But it doesn't. There is a weirdly timeless quality to the production and the message that keeps it in rotation. It isn't just nostalgia. It’s the blueprint.
The Smooth Philosophy of the Shorty the Pimp
Too $hort has never been the guy trying to out-rap everyone with complex metaphors or triple-time flows. That’s not his lane. He’s a storyteller, a pimp-persona architect, and honestly, a bit of a life coach for the streets. When he dropped the album Gettin' It (Album Number 10), it was marketed as his retirement project. We know now that retirement in rap is usually a lie, but at the time, there was a sense of finality to it.
The title track, Gettin It, is basically a five-minute masterclass in laid-back Oakland funk.
You’ve got that signature Parliament-Funkadelic influence, filtered through the lens of producer Shorty B and the Dangerous Crew. It’s heavy on the Moog synthesizers. It’s got that rolling bassline that makes you want to lean back until you can barely see over the dashboard. But the magic is in the lyrics. Too $hort isn't just rapping about money; he’s rapping about the mindset required to stay afloat in a world designed to keep you broke.
“Life is... too short,” he says. It’s his name, sure, but it’s also the thesis statement for the whole song.
Why the Production on Gettin It Changed Everything
Before this era, West Coast rap was often divided between the high-energy electro-hop of the early days and the G-Funk sound pioneered by Dr. Dre. Too $hort did something different. He leaned into "Mobb Music." This wasn't just about being "gangster." It was about the "slump."
If you listen closely to the instrumentation on Gettin It, you’ll notice it’s surprisingly musical. You’ve got live bass players. You’ve got Parliament's own Belita Woods providing those haunting, soulful background vocals that give the track its "grown folks" vibe. It sounds expensive. It sounds like a cigar-smoke-filled room in 1970s Vegas, even though it was recorded in a studio in the 90s.
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Shorty B, a key architect of the sound, understood that for $hort to work, the beat had to be a platform. It couldn't be too busy. It needed space. That space allowed $hort’s conversational, almost monotone delivery to command the room. He isn't yelling at you. He’s talking to you. He’s your older cousin who’s seen it all and is finally telling you how the game works.
The Lyrics: More Than Just "Pimping"
A lot of people dismiss Too $hort as one-dimensional. They hear the word "bitch" and tune out. But if you actually listen to the verses in Gettin It, he’s touching on survival, mortality, and the grind.
He talks about the friends he lost. He talks about the reality of the Oakland streets. He mentions the way people look at him—the "short brother" who made it big. There’s a specific line where he mentions how he’s been doing this since 1983. Think about that. In 1996, having a 13-year career in rap was unheard of. Most rappers lasted two summers. $hort was already a veteran, and he used this track to explain his longevity.
He basically tells the listener to stop wasting time. The hook—"Get it while the gettin' is good"—is a mantra for hyper-capitalism, but also for personal agency. He’s telling his audience that the window of opportunity is small. You have to move.
The Cultural Impact: From the Bay to the World
The Bay Area has always had a complicated relationship with the mainstream. For a long time, New York and LA sucked all the air out of the room. Too $hort was the guy who forced the industry to look at Northern California.
When Gettin It hit the charts, it wasn't just a hit in Oakland. It became a national anthem. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped the album go platinum. It proved that you didn't need to sound like Biggie or Tupac to be relevant. You just had to be authentic to your zip code.
Interestingly, the song has a weirdly "clean" feel compared to some of his earlier, raunchier work. It felt sophisticated. It was the kind of song played at backyard BBQs where grandmas were present, even if they didn't approve of everything $hort stood for. They respected the hustle.
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The music video also played a huge role. It featured the iconic scenery of the Bay, showing $hort in his element. It wasn't flashy in a "Hype Williams" kind of way. It was grounded. It showed the community. It showed the cars. It showed the lifestyle that the song was describing.
Technical Breakdown: The Sound of the Dangerous Crew
To understand why this song hits so hard, you have to look at the gear.
The Dangerous Crew—consisting of guys like Shorty B, Ant Banks, and Pee-Wee—were obsessed with analog warmth. While other producers were moving toward thin, digital samples, these guys were still using the MPC60 and live instrumentation. They wanted that "bottom end."
The bass frequency in Gettin It sits right around 40Hz to 60Hz. That’s the "sweet spot" for car subwoofers. When the kick drum hits, it doesn't just tap; it thuds. It’s a physical sensation. This was intentional. Too $hort knew his primary audience was listening in their cars. If the song didn't "slap" in a Chevy Caprice, it wasn't a hit.
Then there’s the tempo. It’s slow. Roughly 85 to 90 BPM. This tempo allows for the "pimp walk" rhythm. It’s not frantic. It’s calculated. It mirrors the confidence of someone who isn't in a rush because they already know they’ve won.
Common Misconceptions About the "Retirement" Album
People always ask: "If he said he was retiring, why did he come back?"
Honestly, Gettin' It (Album Number 10) was supposed to be the end. $hort has said in interviews that he felt the game was changing and he wanted to go out on top. But the success of the song Gettin It was so massive that it basically pulled him back in. He realized he still had a captive audience.
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Another misconception is that the song is purely about greed. It’s not. If you dissect the second verse, he’s talking about the cycle of poverty and the need to break out of it. He’s encouraging his listeners to be "the man" in their own lives. It’s about self-reliance.
What We Can Learn from Too $hort's Longevity
Most artists today struggle to stay relevant for three years, let alone thirty. Too $hort is still touring. He’s still dropping verses. He’s part of the supergroup Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and E-40.
The reason he’s still here is the foundation he built with songs like Gettin It. He didn't chase trends. He didn't try to sound like he was from Atlanta or New York. He stayed "Shorty the Pimp" from Oakland.
There is a lesson there for any creator. Authenticity isn't just a buzzword; it’s a survival strategy. If you build a brand based on who you actually are, you don't have to worry about "pivoting" when the culture shifts. You just keep being you, and the culture eventually circles back to you.
Actionable Steps to Appreciate the Legacy
If you’re just discovering this era of West Coast hip-hop, don't just stop at this one track. To really understand the context of Gettin It, you should dive into the surrounding ecosystem of the 90s Bay Area scene.
- Listen to the full album: Gettin' It (Album Number 10). Pay attention to the transitions between tracks. It’s a cohesive experience, not just a collection of singles.
- Explore the Dangerous Crew: Check out Ant Banks’ solo work and Shorty B’s production credits. You’ll start to hear the "DNA" of the Oakland sound.
- Watch the live performances: Too $hort’s stage presence is legendary. Even in his 50s, he commands a crowd with just a microphone and a lot of charisma.
- Compare the "Mobb Music" vs G-Funk: Listen to Gettin It back-to-back with something from Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. Notice the difference in the bass and the "swing."
The song Gettin It isn't just a rap song. It’s a historical document. It captures a specific moment in time when the West Coast was finding its voice and defining what it meant to be successful on its own terms. It’s smooth, it’s heavy, and it’s undeniably Too $hort.
Keep the speakers loud and the windows down. That's how it was meant to be heard.
Next Steps for the Deep Dive:
Start by revisiting the official music video for "Gettin It" to see the Oakland landmarks mentioned in the lyrics. Then, look for the "Drink Champs" or "Breakfast Club" interviews with Too $hort where he breaks down the making of his 10th album. Understanding the business side of his "retirement" will give you a whole new appreciation for the lyrics.