The city of Oakland celebrated “Too $hort Day” Saturday with a street renaming, in honor of the iconic Bay Area rapper.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf was part of the event and a large crowd braved the rain to see the official unveiling of “Too $hort Way” near Fremont High School, where the rapper attended.
At Fremont High School, there was a big celebration of the rapper, who was there and was thrilled by the performances. The stands were packed as a band played for the rapper.
Fellow legendary rappers Ice Cube, Mistah F.A.B. and radio personality Sway Calloway attended the ceremony as they all took turns and talked about how influential Too $hort is.
Too $hort also got a framed proclamation of his day and took to the mic himself.
“I came here and I had the ability to rap. I had musical talents and stuff. But when I came here, the one and only thing that inspired me to become the rapper I was, that I am is Oakland, California,” he said.
The rapper, whose birth name is Todd Anthony Shaw, was born in Los Angeles but later moved to Oakland as a teenager.
Too $hort Way is located on a three-block stretch of Foothill Boulevard between 47th Avenue and High Street.