Too Short

Too $hort sounds pissed. But he's not mad about gang warfare or the drug game; the targets of his hysterical yet vitriolic rhymes are broke groupies and overzealous strippers. The Bay Area MC's 17th album, Get Off the Stage, is a catchy club romp with the king of the "b" word, himself. On the title track, Too $hort yells at a groupie, "Get off the stage—I don't come to your job and flip your burgers," and his flow is funny and direct on "Broke B*tch" as he breaks down a cocky girl. "Pull Them Panties Down" gets a bit crude, but it's not without a certain evil genius as Too $hort begins to evoke Kool Keith's old-school "pornocore" style. NorCal homie E-40 guests on the tight "This Is My One," while album closer "It Ain't Over" features a solid spot from Tanu.

Coming off a hit like "Blow the Whistle" definitely isn't easy, but Too $hort steps up with some infectious and downright funny cuts. However, at ten tracks, the record is way too short—no pun intended. Fortunately, the club-ready beats and sarcastic quips more than make up for the dearth of material. Bump it on the way to the strip club for sure, maybe even on your next date.

—Rick Florino
12.17.07

Too Short keeps the proceedings brief on Get Off the Stage, whose ten tracks, over half of which feature a guest, clock in just over a half-hour. If Short Dog is taking it easy this go-round, at least he sounds good doing it, as he works with a couple of the Bay Area's best rappers (E-40, Mistah F.A.B.) and a bunch of up-and-comers (Traxamillion, the Pack). At this point in his career, Too Short is more or less going through the motions, doing what needs to be done to make a living for himself and giving up-and-comers a platform to promote themselves alongside a legend. This became clear several years before the release of Get Off the Stage in 2007. Fans will be grateful for yet another latter-day album, especially one with such a fresh sound; everyone else need not pay mind. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide