Too $hort Going to Court Over Breast-Groping

Is art getting too close to life? Perhaps, but Oakland rapper Too $hort definitely got too close to a woman's breast, according to a lawsuit.

A San Francisco woman has filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the legendary rapper, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Kenya Winston, 41, says that Too $hort made "vulgar comments" to her before grabbing her breasts at a show at Yoshi's San Francisco Jazz Club on March 6.

Too $hort, whose given name is Todd Shaw, has released songs whose titles, at least, aren't exactly friendly towards women. Last year's album release, the Chronicle observed, was entitled "Respect the Pimpin'," and included tracks such as "Bitch, I'm a Pimp."

A lawyer for the rapper refused to comment on the lawsuit.

Too $hort currently resides in Atlanta but was in the Bay Area last week to give a concert at Yoshi's to benefit state Sen. Leland Yee, a mayoral candidate (who attempted to push a ban on violent video games, such as the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, in which Too $hort's music appears). Staffers for Yee said they had no comment.

"Ms. Winston is a hardworking mother who just wanted to treat herself to a fun night out," Daniel Dean, the plaintiff's attorney, told the Chronicle. "What Too $hort did was reprehensible and our goal is to hold him accountable."

"We understand Too $hort , he's a rapper and a lot of his lyrics are vulgar and what he says onstage is vulgar," Dean added. "Those are his First Amendment rights. But to reach down and grab someone's breasts?"