In March 2017, I continued my “buttoned-up” conversation with Too $hort on Scoop B Radio, moving from the politics of NBA beef to the legacy of his music. Specifically, we discussed the “immortalization” of his 2006 hit, “Blow the Whistle.” While some artists might get defensive about other stars “borrowing” their lines, $hort views the sampling by Drake and Jay-Z as the ultimate validation of his longevity.
Reflecting on this in 2025—as “Blow the Whistle” remains a staple in stadiums and clubs worldwide—Too $hort’s 2017 perspective highlights how a West Coast legend stays relevant across generations.
“How Would You Feel About That Sh*t?”
Too $hort was incredibly humble about the fact that two of the biggest names in the history of hip-hop tapped into his records. Jay-Z used the instrumental for his 2008 LeBron-defending freestyle, and Drake famously sampled the “on and on” lines for his 2016 hit “For Free” with DJ Khaled.
“So Blow the Whistle has been tapped into twice by other artists; one was Jay-Z and one was Drake,”Too $hort told me. “How would you feel about that sh*t? You know what I mean? It’s nothing ill about it. It gave me all new fans and it gave my song more life.”
For $hort, it wasn’t about “biting”; it was about the immortality of the lyric. He took pride in knowing that the words he wrote in a studio with Lil Jon would now be “on people’s brains forever.”
The “First Alert” and the Drake Connection
Too $hort noted a specific synergy between his original and Drake’s “For Free.” He observed that in clubs, DJs often play a snippet of “Blow the Whistle” as a “first alert” before transitioning into the Drake record, or vice versa.
“He took it and immortalized it. So that’s now a major part. Two hit records and it’s in people’s brains. I wrote those words.”
The Lil Jon Magic: Crafting a “Lost” Record
Our dialogue also touched on the technical creation of the song. Too $hort revealed that Lil Jon specifically wanted to move away from his signature “Crunk” sound and instead capture the “old school Too $hort” vibe from the 80s.
- The Intent: Lil Jon wanted it to sound like a “lost record” found in a vault.
- The Sound: Basic, stripped-down beats with “random ass sounds”—including the whistle that became the hook.
- The Metaphor: $hort used sports metaphors to signify that anyone “fouling” the game would get the whistle blown on them.
2025 Retrospective: The Legacy of a G
Today, Too $hort is celebrated not just as an Oakland pioneer, but as one of the smartest “buttoned-up” businessmen in hip-hop. His 2017 session on Scoop B Radio reminds us that true legends don’t fear the new generation—they provide the blueprint for them.
| Artist | Usage of “Blow the Whistle” | Cultural Impact |
| Jay-Z (2008) | Instrumental for Freestyle | Merged NBA drama with hip-hop royalty. |
| Drake (2016) | Lyrical Sample in “For Free” | Introduced $hort’s flow to a new global audience. |
| Saweetie (2021) | Sampled in “Tap In” | Continued the “Bay Area” legacy into the TikTok era. |
As Too $hort said to me:
“I’m just naming all this sht that you can’t do… all this sht like me.”
In 2025, that sentiment still rings true. There is only one Too $hort, but thanks to the “Blow the Whistle” tradition, his voice is everywhere.
