# Too $hort Labels Career End Attempt

> Too $hort recalls major label trying to retire him at 40 during economic collapse.
- Title: Too $hort Labels Career End Attempt · Complex | Shortify
- Summary: Too $hort recalls major label trying to retire him at 40 during economic collapse. Too $hort says Jive Records told him his career was over at 40 in 2006…
- Keywords: too $hort, jive records, 2008, economic collapse, blow the whistle, 2006, independent label, culture, music, Too, hort, Labels
- Source: Complex — https://complex.com/music/a/alex-ocho/too-short-label-retire-40-get-got-pod
- Published: 2026-10-13T02:28:43.569+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: too $hort, jive records, 2008, economic collapse, blow the whistle, 2006, independent label, culture, music
## Label's career end attempt
Too $hort says Jive Records told him his career was over at 40 in 2006.

> They put us all on the back burner so they can make all this new crossover money, this pop money
## Label's pop focus shift
Jive Records prioritized pop acts like Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears over Too $hort.

> They put us all on the back burner so they can make all this new crossover money, this pop money
## 2006 contract struggle
Too $hort dropped 'Blow the Whistle' in 2006 but faced budget cuts and label abandonment.

> Them last couple years I did the Blow the Whistle album, and I did one more after that and I was out of my contract
## 2008 independent move
Too $hort went independent in 2008 during economic collapse to stabilize his career.

> I was scrapping for mine. I was doing all kind of shit and a n***a figured a way out
## Key takeaway

Too $hort says Jive Records told him his career was over at 40 in 2006, forcing him to go independent in 2008.