Shordie Shordie

In a world inundated with viral moments, the Baltimore rapper Shordie Shordie makes music that people go back to. An albums artist to his core, Shordie sifts through hundreds of songs to meticulously curate projects made to last a lifetime. For his dedicated fans, Shordie’s albums mark years of their lives—even as the years go by, they bring the music with them. Shordie made his first major break with “Bitchuary” (Betchua) in 2018, a now two-times platinum record with over 260 million streams that made him the first Baltimore artist to ever earn a platinum plaque. A master of crooked love songs that pour out in gravely melodies, Shordie has since accrued over 1.5 billion catalog streams. Following up on last year’s critically acclaimed album More Than Music, Pt. 2 and headlining nationwide tour packed with sold out dates, Shordie Shordie is gearing up to release his latest project, A Life for Two.

Growing up, Shordie learned the importance of delivery—often it’s less about what you say, and more about how you say it. He enjoyed the thrill of pushing limits, and found his natural charm always did wonders to talk him off of trouble’s edge. It wasn’t until after high school that he began to channel his boundless energy and bright-eyed charisma into music. In 2015, he formed Peso Da Mafia alongside his brother Lor Dee and their cousin PDM Purp. In part due to Shordie Shordie’s slow burning hook, and in part due to a dance trend inspired by the track, the crew exploded with their 2017 breakout Baltimore anthem “Money Man”.

The following year, Shordie Shordie took his songwriting to the next level as he began to put out his first solo music, eventually releasing his debut solo mixtape Captain Hook—a nickname Shordie earned as the irresistible melody man of his former trio—at the close of 2018. Already a megastar in his region, it was only a matter of time before Shordie’s one-of-a-kind sound attracted and enthralled a national audience, captivating listeners from coast to coast. The project’s closing track, “Bitchuary (Betchua)” quickly took on a life of its own, making history two times over. With “Bitchuary (Betchua)”, Shordie Shordie became the first Baltimore artist to go platinum—and then the first Baltimore artist to go double platinum soon thereafter.

With its spacious baseline, crisp claps, false starts, and undeniable bounce, “Bitchuary (Betchua)” was adamantly adopted by the West Coast. Shordie Shordie and his signature sound quickly found a second home in the region, further cemented when he joined forces with LA phenoms Shoreline Mafia on their 2019 hit “Both Sides” (74M streams). In the coming years, he’d blend seamlessly on collaborations with other West Coast icons such as Drakeo The Ruler, 03 Greedo, Mozzy and more.

In April of 2020, Shordie Shordie released his first studio album, >Music (read: More Than Music), debuting at #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and featuring fan favorites like “Save A Little” (65M streams) and “Fucc Friends” (48M streams) Like Captain Hook, >Music contains zero features—just Shordie himself on full display—a fitting choice for such a personal record. A true pandemic album, these 13 tracks of Shordie’s croaking sing-raps, twisting turning melodies, and emotional transparency kept his dedicated audience company through months of isolation and uncertainty, as listeners tucked into the project time and time again. Shordie has always pushed the line between rapping and singing, but on his 2021 album Memory Lane, a joint project with Murda Beatz, he began leaning further into his R&B, and at points even pop, sensibilities. In the summer of 2022, he released More Than Music, Pt. 2, following up on a project held near and dear to fans’ hearts and showcasing his growth—as both an artist and individual—in the two years since its release. Shordie flies high on uptempo tracks like “Body Language”, which sounds like it was ready-made for the heyday of radio, but leaves room for his words to resonate on bluer ballads like “Is It True”, which stands a true testament to Shordie’s writing as he croons both perspectives of a conversation between two lovers at the beginning of the end, right as the distance begins to creep in.

Released right after the pandemic kicked off, Shordie Shordie was never able to perform >Music. In a full circle moment, More Than Music, Pt. 2 dropped just as he embarked in his first ever headlining nationwide tour. Many struggle in their efforts to categorize Shordie’s irreplicable sound. He’s a Baltimore artist to his core, yet his career took off on the West Coast. Shordie proved throughout his On The Block Tour that his impact is limited to neither region, selling out shows on each coast and everywhere in between and performing for packed out rooms that belt out every single word with him.

Shordie has always left everything on the track, working through complicated feelings in real the beat moves through him—whether contemplating soaring infatuation or a resulting heartbreak, he brings his listeners along for the ride. As described by the Baltimore Banner, Shordie’s “one-of-one vocal timbre” automatically puts him in a league of his own; but his “intentional development of songwriting will further distinguish him from the pack.” Next month, Shordie Shordie is set to release his latest project, A Life For Two, inspired by a real life Romeo and Juliet saga. He’s an avid perfectionist who strives to achieve maximum growth between each project. He’ll never stop writing love songs—but in his mind, each one should be better than the last. As Shordie continues to grow both artistically and personally, maturity has become his new guiding principal. As he reflects on his upcoming album, Shordie makes a casual observation that speaks volumes: as he grows up, “my fans are growing with me.” Once people find Shordie, they never leave.