Too Short Becomes Dad for First Time at Age 53

Too Short is leaving the player life behind ... and moving forward with fatherhood!!!

Sources close to the "I'm a Player" rapper tell TMZ ... Too Short is a proud father, welcoming his first child into the world at the tender age of 53, and he's been keeping the news under wraps until now.

Our sources say Too Short's girlfriend, Sue, gave birth to their daughter back in December ... and they named their baby girl Yani Shaw.

Too Short is wasting no time introducing his daughter to the spotlight from an early age ... we're told he's already been shooting a documentary with Ray J and his manager, David Weintraub, and the film's all about raising their little girls in Hollywood.

Check out the pic of Too Short and Yani ... super cute.

No word if Too Short is planning to expand his brood ... but ya gotta imagine he's got his hands full.

Congrats and welcome to the club!