Description
Raw, Uncut and X-Rated is the third studio album by American rapper Too Short, originally released in 1987 on cassette tape only by 75 Girls Records and Tapes. The album showcases Too Short’s signature style of explicit and sexually-charged lyrics, delivered in his trademark laid-back flow over funky, bass-heavy beats.
The album contains six tracks, with each song’s title revealing its explicit nature. The opening track “Invasion Of Flat Booty Bitches” sets the tone for the rest of the album with its catchy, synth-driven groove and Too Short’s humorous yet crude lyrics. “She’s A Bitch” is a classic Too Short track that features a sample of The Sequence’s “Funk It Up ’85” and is one of his most well-known songs. “Oakland, California” is an ode to Too Short’s hometown, with the rapper boasting about the city’s reputation and his place within its hip hop scene.
On the B-side, “The Bitch Sucks Dick” features a sample from West Street Mob’s “Mosquito” and sees Too Short telling a story of a woman who performs oral sex on him. “Short Side” is a more laid-back track that showcases Too Short’s storytelling skills, while “Blow Job Betty” closes the album with more sexually explicit lyrics.
The album’s production is handled entirely by Dean Hodges, who creates a consistent sound throughout the record with his use of funky basslines, synth hooks, and drum machine beats. The album was repressed with an alternate cover design on the j-card and a printed white cassette shell, making it a collector’s item for fans of Too Short and West Coast hip hop in general.
Overall, Raw, Uncut and X-Rated is a classic album that helped establish Too Short as one of the most influential and controversial rappers of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Its sexually explicit lyrics and funk-driven production set the tone for much of Too Short’s subsequent work, and helped define the West Coast gangsta rap sound that would come to dominate the genre in the coming years.
