In March 2017, the legendary Too $hort joined me on Scoop B Radio for a session that serves as a high-level masterclass in hip-hop appreciation. While the world was marking the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Notorious B.I.G., $hort used our “buttoned-up” dialogue to reflect on the sheer, otherworldly talent of both Biggie and his West Coast counterpart, Tupac Shakur.
Reflecting on this in December 2025, as the legacies of these two icons continue to dominate global charts and AI-generated tributes, Too $hort’s evaluation of their “super abilities” remains the definitive veteran perspective.
“They Had These Super Abilities”
Too $hort, who famously collaborated with both legends (including the classic “Biggie” with The Notorious B.I.G.), described their talent not just as skill, but as something extraterrestrial.
“When I think about people who are talented when it comes to making songs, and they just know how to put it together, you start to formulate and you just put it together,” Too $hort told me in 2017. “But these guys, they’re like something out of earth with that ability to express themselves on a song.”
For $hort, the genius of Biggie and 2Pac lay in their efficiency. He noted that while many rappers struggle to find a pocket or a message, these two could transmit an entire lifestyle and emotional spectrum in a single verse.
The “Dual Citizen” Perspective
Too $hort occupied a unique space in the 90s. As an Oakland pioneer who was respected in Brooklyn, he saw the “East vs. West” divide as a tragedy of communication rather than a lack of mutual respect.
- The Biggie Vibe: $hort admired Biggie’s “smoothness” and his ability to paint vivid, cinematic pictures of New York luxury and struggle.
- The 2Pac Fire: He witnessed Pac’s work ethic firsthand—the “machine” that would record three songs in a single night without breaking a sweat.
The 2025 Retrospective: Immortality and Influence
As of late 2025, the “super abilities” Too $hort described have become the foundation of modern music education. Both artists have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and their influence is visible in everyone from Drake to J. Cole.
| The “Super Ability” | The Notorious B.I.G. | Tupac Shakur |
| Lyrical Pocket | Effortless flow; “The King of the Pocket.” | Emotional urgency; The “Poet of the Streets.” |
| Storytelling | Detailed, humorous, and visual. | Raw, revolutionary, and prophetic. |
| Work Ethic | Calculated and polished. | Prolific and high-speed. |
| 2025 Status | The G.O.A.T. Lyricist. | The Global Revolutionary Icon. |
The Blueprint for the Next Generation
Too $hort’s 2017 session on Scoop B Radio was a reminder that we aren’t just listening to “old school” music; we are studying the work of geniuses. As he said to me:
“They just know how to put it together… they’re like something out of earth.”
In 2025, that sentiment holds true. Whether you are a “Key One” like De’Aaron Fox preparing for a game in San Antonio or a young lyricist in the Bronx, the standard remains the one set by the two men with the “super abilities.”
