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Lil’ Bow Wow Autographed magazine Photo + card Younger Years rap hip hop:
$150.00
A VINTAGE SIGNED 4X6 CARD SIGNED IN BLUE SHARPIE BY LIL BOW WOW ALONG WITH A SIGNED MAGAZINE PAGE IN FAIR SHAPE SIGNED IN BLUE SHARPIE BY LIL BOW WOWShad Gregory Moss (born March 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Bow Wow (formerly Lil\' Bow Wow), is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and broadcaster. As Lil\' Bow Wow, he released his first album, Beware of Dog, in 2000 at age 13, which was followed by Doggy Bag in 2001. In 2003, Bow Wow released his third album Unleashed, which was the first album released after dropping the \"Lil\'\" from his stage name. As of September 27, 2015, Bow Wow has signed a management deal to Bad Boy Records.[1]Bow Wow made his first movie appearance in All About the Benjamins, in 2002 as a cameo. In the same year, Bow Wow made his debut as the lead role in Like Mike. He later began to undertake lead roles in movies, such as Johnson Family Vacation in 2004 and Roll Bounce in 2005. He also played a supporting role in the film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in 2006. Bow Wow also appeared in five episodes of the television series Entourage, and starred as Brody Nelson in CSI: Cyber until the show\'s cancellation in 2016.Contents1 Life and career1.1 1987–2001: Early life and Beware of Dog1.2 2002: Doggy Bag, Like Mike and name change1.3 2003–06: Unleashed, Wanted and The Price of Fame1.4 2007–09: Face Off and New Jack City II1.5 2010–present2 Other ventures2.1 Acting career2.2 BET\'s 106 & Park2.3 RnB Friday Nights3 Legal issues4 Personal life4.1 Politics4.2 Bow Wow challenge5 Discography6 Filmography6.1 Film6.2 Television7 Awards and nominations8 Notes9 References10 External linksLife and career1987–2001: Early life and Beware of DogBow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Teresa Rena Caldwell (née Jones) and Alfonso Preston Moss.[2] At age three, he became interested in rap. Under the moniker \"Kid Gangsta\", he began rapping recreationally at age six; he was also a fan of N.W.A at that age.[3] In 1993, he performed at a concert in Los Angeles, and was noticed by rapper Snoop Dogg, who subsequently gave him a stage name, \"Lil\' Bow Wow\".[4] He then appeared on the Doggystyle album on the track, \"Gz and Hustlas\",[5] and on The Arsenio Hall Show in late 1993. He also appeared in the Gin and Juice music video. Furthermore, he was supposed to appear on the Murder Was the Case soundtrack with the song, \"After 3\", featuring Kurupt, Jewell, and CPO Boss Hogg but it remained in the vault until the early 2010s.[note 1][5]
In 1998, at the age of eleven, Bow Wow met record producer Jermaine Dupri, who helped shape his career. In 1999, the soundtrack to the movie Wild Wild West featured his song \"The Stick Up\" with his mentor Jermaine Dupri. At the age of 13, in 2000, he debuted with Beware of Dog under the stage name Lil\' Bow Wow. Its debut single was \"Bounce with Me\", which featured R&B girl group Xscape. The album also included \"Bow Wow (That\'s My Name)\" featuring Snoop Dogg, which topped the rap chart,[6] \"Puppy Love\", and \"Ghetto Girls\". The Recording Industry Association of America certified Beware of Dog double platinum on March 5, 2001, signifying sales of two million copies.[7] In a 2009 interview, the rapper claimed that the album had sold over 3 million copies since its release.[8]
2002: Doggy Bag, Like Mike and name change
Bow Wow in 2002In 2002, his second album Doggy Bag was released with singles \"Take Ya Home\" which peaked at #72 on the Hot 100 and #21 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and \"Thank You\" with Jagged Edge, #1 on the R&B chart.[6] Doggy Bag peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart[9] and was certified platinum.[7] Lil\' Bow Wow performed the track \"Basketball\" for the soundtrack of his film Like Mike; that song peaked at #1 on the R&B and #25 on the rap chart.[6]
Bow Wow dropped the \"Lil\'\" from his stage name in April 2002; he told MTV News: \"I changed my name because I\'m getting older now and it\'s too many Lil\'s. All these Lil\' rappers, I\'m just kind of getting real irritated by it. I said, \'You know what? Drop the Lil\'. Forget it. I\'m Bow Wow. Besides, I\'m growing up, I\'m not little anymore. [I just decided that] two weeks ago. I really got irritable. It\'s all these Lil\' cats, forget it. I\'m Bow Wow now. Everything is just \'Bow Wow,\' no \'Lil\' Bow Wow.\'\"[10]
2003–06: Unleashed, Wanted and The Price of FameThe first album released under his new name was Unleashed in 2003. Its first single was \"Let\'s Get Down\" featuring Birdman, the founder of Cash Money Records, which reached #14 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts. The second single was then released, \"My Baby\", featuring Jagged Edge. Unlike his previous albums, this one was not produced under the mentorship of Jermaine Dupri.[11] Guest appearances include Jagged Edge, Birdman, Mario, and Amerie.[11] Unleashed was certified gold on September 25, 2003.[7] Bow Wow appeared on the remix of JoJo\'s single \"Baby It\'s You\" in 2004.
Wanted was released in 2005. Its first single was \"Let Me Hold You\", featuring Omarion, and peaked at #1 on the rap chart and #4 on the Hot 100. The next single, \"Like You\", featuring Ciara, coincided with the beginning of Bow Wow\'s relationship with the singer.[12] \"Fresh Azimiz\", featured J-Kwon and Jermaine Dupri, followed and peaked at #23 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.[6] The album was certified platinum.[7] He also appeared on the remix of Dem Franchize Boyz\' \"I Think They Like Me\", which peaked at #15 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks. Bow Wow ended his relationship with Ciara in 2006.[13] In 2006, The Price of Fame was released with the lead single \"Shortie Like Mine\", featuring Chris Brown, peaking at #9 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks.[6] \"Outta My System\", which featured T-Pain, reflected on Bow Wow\'s break-up with Ciara.[14] It peaked at #22 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the Rap chart.[6] The Price of Fame was certified gold.[7]
2007–09: Face Off and New Jack City IIBow Wow and Omarion released a collaborative album on December 11, 2007, Face Off. The first single was \"Girlfriend\", which peaked at #33 on the Hot 100. The second single was \"Hey Baby (Jump Off)\".[6] He released a mixtape title Half Man, Half Dog Vol. 1 that year. Half Man, Half Dog Vol. 2 was released as a sequel to the mixtape in February 2009.[15] New Jack City II, his sixth album, was released in March 2009 was his first album to include a Parental Advisory: Steven Roberts of MTV News observed that this album explored \"the influence of crack cocaine in inner-city communities\", and featured such guests as T.I.[16] Three promo singles were released in late 2008: \"Marco Polo\" featuring Soulja Boy, \"Big Girls\", and \"Roc The Mic\". The first official single, \"You Can Get It All\" featuring Johnta Austin, samples TLC\'s \"Baby-Baby-Baby\" and peaked at #55 on the Hot 100 and #9 on the Hot Rap Tracks.[6] On July 4, 2009, his new song \"I Know I\'m The Shit\" off his DJ Drama-hosted mixtape, makes a references working on his new album Underrated and that it is already in production. On August 16, Bow Wow announced his signing to Cash Money Records, joining an all-star roster that already includes Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne and Birdman, among others.[17]
2010–presentBow Wow planned to release his new then-titled album Underrated on Cash Money Records, but the record underwent a number of delays and, in mid-November 2011, Bow Wow announced on his blog that the record wouldn\'t be out before 2012.[18] The album was intended to feature Birdman, Boyz II Men, Chris Brown, DJ Khaled, Fabolous, Game, Lil Wayne, Lloyd Banks, Meek Mill, Nas, Nelly, Sean Kingston, Snoop Dogg, DMX, Styles P and Talib Kweli. The first promo single being \"For My Hood\", featuring DJ Khaled & Sean Kingston.[19] On November 1, 2010, Bow Wow released his first promotional single from the album entitled \"Ain\'t Thinkin\' \'Bout You\" featuring Chris Brown. The music video was a success on 106 & Park and made the countdown in just one day. Two weeks later, it peaked at #1 on the show\'s charts and remained #1 for three days. On June 2, 2011, a song from his album called \"I\'m Da Man\", which features Chris Brown, was leaked and wasn\'t the first official single from the album. On October 24, 2011, Bow Wow released the single entitled \"Sweat\" featuring Lil Wayne, and though it was thought to be the first official single from the album, it was also dubbed by Bow Wow as a promotional single.
On May 18, 2012, after several delays, Bow Wow released the first single from the album titled \"Better\" featuring T-Pain. The music video for the song was directed by Bow Wow\'s personal cameraman Rico Da Crook and was a success on 106 & Park and made it to the top of the countdown.[20][21][22] On June 26, 2012, Bow Wow released the second single from the album titled \"We In Da Club\" and was produced by DJ Mustard.[23] The song went nowhere on any billboard charts, but the video was also another success on 106 & Park making it to the top of the countdown.[24] The third single scheduled from the album was intended to feature Miguel that was titled \"Right Now\". Later, there was an announcement that Universal Republic Records was going defunct; all of the artists on the roster that were moved from the label, including Bow Wow, were moved to Republic Records, making the label itself revived.[25]
On August 10, 2013, via his official YouTube page, Bow Wow stated the reason that Underrated had been delayed was the result of raising his daughter and waiting until he was more mature; he also stated he planned on working on and releasing the album after he turned 28.[26] On June 24, 2014, Bow Wow announced via Instagram that after the 2014 BET Awards, he was going by his real name Shad Moss, claiming that he made a lot of history as Bow Wow and that it was now time for \"the next chapter and challenge\". He stated that \"Bow Wow\" no longer fit with his new personality as he was now a father, host, and actor, and he had matured from what he had been early on in his life.[27]
In May 2015, with his long-delayed album with Cash Money still without a release date, Bow Wow announced that he had amicably parted ways with Cash Money Records so he could move on with his music career. He said, \"I wanna dictate when my music come out. I\'m tired of going to the studio to make records and then I listen to them. \'Cuz then they get old. Then when y\'all ask for new music I don\'t wanna hear it \'cuz I\'ve been listening to it for two or three months. I just can\'t be held up up by nobody. It\'s as simple as that. I got a daughter. I got a family I gotta provide for.\"[28] On September 27, 2015, Bow Wow signed to Puff Daddy\'s record label Bad Boy Records. He then named the members of his new management team and finished the post by writing, \"Making money won\'t be the issue. Figuring out where to keep it all is another story!\"[29]
On August 7, 2016, Bow Wow officially announced that he is retiring from rapping and will release one more album, titled NYLTH, which was initially tentatively scheduled for release in 2017.[30] As of November 2019 it has not come out.
Prior to his final album release, Bow Wow and Soulja Boy released a joint retail mixtape titled Ignorant Shit on October 25, 2016.[31][32]
Other venturesActing careerBow Wow has made guest appearances on Brandy\'s TV sitcom, Moesha, as well as The Steve Harvey Show and Brothers Garcia.[33] He made his acting debut in the film Like Mike which was released on July 3, 2002, in which he starred as a young orphan who gets a shot at playing in the NBA. Before Like Mike he made cameos in All About The Benjamins and \"Carmen: A Hip Hopera\". Bow Wow also co-starred with Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa L. Williams, and Solange Knowles in Johnson Family Vacation. Since the success of Like Mike, Bow Wow has starred in several Hollywood films, including Roll Bounce, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Hurricane Season.[34] He has also made guest appearances on Smallville and Ugly Betty. He was part of the cast of the fifth season of HBO\'s Entourage, playing Charlie an up-and-coming comedian, and Eric Murphy\'s newest client. He starred in a 2010 comedy film, Lottery Ticket, with Ice Cube.[35] He is working on a documentary on his life titled Who Is Shad Moss?; Bow Wow stated that the documentary goes all the way back to when he was on Death Row Records, and it was released in 2011.[needs update][36]
Bow Wow starred in the film version of Madea\'s Big Happy Family, released in April 2011. In August 2014, Bow Wow announced that he would star in a CSI spinoff titled CSI: Cyber.[37]
BET\'s 106 & ParkOn October 1, 2013, it was confirmed that Bow Wow was chosen as the current host for BET\'s 106 & Park after former hosts Terrence J and Rocsi retired from the show, it can be seen in over 85 million homes in the U.S., Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Africa, the Caribbean, and Germany.[38]
RnB Friday NightsIn 2016, Bow Wow began hosting a nighttime edition of the Australian Hit Network\'s radio show RnB Fridays, titled RnB Friday Nights.[39]
Legal issuesOn March 28, 2012, it was announced that Bow Wow was ordered by a court to pay $3,000 a month in child support.[40][41][42]
On October 2, 2012, Bow Wow claimed he was broke and only making $4,000 dollars a month and only had $1,500 in his checking account. However, the next day he signed on to be one of the four new co-hosts of BET\'s 106 & Park.[40] Later on he would address this by saying;
One thing about me, I\'m a smart guy. Very smart. Things that I do, are for reasons. Things that I don\'t do are for reasons. So for myself, I\'m comfortable, very comfortable. For me, it\'s all about the work. But as far as rumors, those are people\'s opinions -- until you see me on a corner with a cardboard box saying I\'ll tap dance for food or canned goods, then you can say that [I\'m broke].[43]
On February 2, 2019, Bow Wow was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia for battery after a fight with a woman. At the time of arrest, both suffered minor injuries and it was unclear who the aggressor was, so both parties were charged. They were both taken to the Fulton County Jail, but Moss was released from jail Saturday afternoon after he being held on $8,000 signature bond.[44]
Personal lifeHis family supported him through his choice of music as a career.[45] Bow Wow lives in Atlanta, Georgia, along with his mother.[46][47] Bow Wow has a daughter Shai Moss (born April 27, 2011) with Joie Chavis.[48] Bow Wow was formerly engaged to Erica Mena.[49]
PoliticsIn October 2008, for the U.S. presidential election, Bow Wow led a 15-city \"Walk Across America\" event to register new voters.[50] In 2014, during a charity flag-football game organized by Chris Brown, Bow Wow participated in a celebrity tribute to Ferguson, Missouri police-shooting victim Michael Brown.[51] In 2016, Bow Wow was involved in a controversy on Twitter when he told his followers that he had decided not to vote in the presidential election that year.[52] In response to a suggestion that refusing to vote dishonors the struggle for civil rights in the United States, Moss said that he did not identify with the fight for civil rights because his heritage was \"mixed\" and not exclusively black.[52]
On March 15, 2017, Bow Wow, responding to President Donald Trump\'s criticism of Snoop Dogg\'s music video for \"Lavender (Nightfall Remix)\", sent a tweet to Trump in which he threatened to \"pimp your wife and make her work for us\". In less than 24 hours, Bow Wow deleted the offending tweet.[53][54]
Bow Wow challengeIn 2017, a new photo challenge went viral over social media, called \"Bow Wow Challenge\". It all started from the Bow Wow post supposedly portraying his private jet travel lifestyle, only to turn out as fake, since the photo used was actually taken from the MIA VIP Transportation website and was actually a stock photography. The challenge gained major popularity from people sharing their misleading photos tagged as article: Bow Wow discographyBeware of Dog (2000)Doggy Bag (2001)Unleashed (2003)Wanted (2005)The Price of Fame (2006)Face Off (with Omarion) (2007)New Jack City II (2009)FilmographyFilmYear Title Role Notes2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera Jalil Supporting role2002 All About the Benjamins Kelly CameoLike Mike Calvin Cambridge Lead role2004 Johnson Family Vacation Divirnius James \"D.J.\" Johnson Lead role2005 Roll Bounce Xavier \"X\" Smith Lead role2006 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Twinkie Supporting role2009 Hurricane Season Gary Davis Supporting role2010 Lottery Ticket Kevin Carson Lead role2011 Who Is Shad Moss? Himself Documentary2011 Madeas Big Happy Family Byron Supporting role2013 Scary Movie 5[56] Eric 2013 Allegiance Specialist Chris Reyes 2020 F9 Twinkie TelevisionYear Title Role Notes2001 The Steve Harvey Show Himself Episode: \"No Free Samples\"Moesha Ray Episode: \"That\'s My Mama\"2006 Smallville Baern Episode: \"Fallout\"2008 Ugly Betty Himself Episode: \"Zero Worship\"Entourage Charlie Recurring role2011 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Dante Episodes: \"4-1-1\", \"Smokin Like a Virgin\"2012–14 106 & Park Himself Host2015 CSI: Cyber Brody \"Baby Face\" Nelson Series regular (credited as Shad Moss)2017–present Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta Himself Main castAwards and nominationsBET Awards
2001, Viewer\'s Choice \"Bow Wow (That\'s My Name)\" (Won)2006, Best Collaboration \"Like You\" (with Ciara) (Nominated)2007, Viewer\'s Choice \"Shortie Like Mine\" (with Chris Brown) (Nominated)Billboard Music Awards
2001, Rap Single of the Year \"Bow Wow (That\'s My Name)\" (Won)Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards
2004, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles – Sales \"Let\'s Get Down\" (with Baby) (Nominated)2006, Hot Rap Track \"Like You\" (with Ciara) (Nominated)Black Reel Awards
2003, Best Breakthrough Performance – Viewer\'s Choice: Like Mike (Nominated)MTV Video Music Awards Japan
2006, Best Collaboration \"Let Me Hold You\" (with Omarion) (Nominated)NAACP Image Awards
2008, Outstanding Duo or Group (with Omarion) (Nominated)Nickelodeon Kids\' Choice Awards
2001, Favorite Male Singer (Won)2006, Favorite Male Singer (Nominated)2008, Favorite Male Singer (Nominated)Soul Train Music Awards
2001, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist \"Bounce with Me\" (with Xscape) (Nominated)Teen Choice Awards
2007, Choice Music: Male Artist (Nominated)2008, Choice Music: R&B Track \"Hey Baby (Jump Off)\" (with Omarion) (Nominated)2009, Choice Music: Rap Artist (Nominated)Vibe Awards
2005, Coolest Collabo \"Like You\" (with Ciara) (Nominated)Young Artist Awards
2003, Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor: Like Mike (Nominated)
Bow Wow Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Eighth Ave. North Tonight at 7:30 $25-$43.50, through TicketmasterHe\'s not Lil\' anymore.
In fact, Shad Gregory Moss, who turned 21 in March, hasn\'t gone by Lil\' Bow Wow since 2002.
As if to prove a point, the artist formerly known as Lil\' has continued to mold and shape a career that would make much bigger -- and older -- stars envious.
His latest coup? Being cast on the hip, acclaimed HBO series \"Entourage.\" You\'ll see him when the series starts its fifth season in the fall, but first, you\'ll have a chance to see him tonight at Boutwell Auditorium.Don\'t know a Bow Wow from a Snoop Dogg? Here are some things you may want to know about the lil\' guy:
• Why Lil\'? He was given the nickname Lil\' Bow Wow by Dr. Dre, who discovered the tyke with Snoop Dogg. Lil\' Bow Wow appeared in Snoop\'s \"Gin and Juice\" video.
• First bark: Lil\' Bow Wow began working with super-producer Jermaine Dupri, and in 2000, at age 13, he released his first album, \"Beware of Dog.\"
• Dog years: \"Beware of Dog\" was followed by 2001\'s \"Doggy Bag\" and 2003\'s \"Unleashed,\" which was the first CD released without Bow Wow using Lil\'.
• Pooch power: Subsequent CDs have included 2005\'s \"Wanted,\" 2006\'s \"The Price of Fame\" and, with Omarion, 2007\'s \"Face Off.\" Singles have included \"Let Me Hold You\" (with Omarion), \"Like You\" (featuring Ciara), \"Shortie Like Mine\" (with Chris Brown) and \"Outta My System\" (with T-Pain).
• Pet sounds: Bow Wow isn\'t through singing. Next up is \"H.I.M. (History in Making),\" a CD due later this year.
• Bad dog: Though he has generally stayed out of trouble, Bow Wow has feuded with Lil Romeo.
• Good dog: Bow Wow and Omarion are up for a Teen Choice Award for \"Hey Baby (Jump Off).\" They\'ll find out in August if they\'re winners.
• A dog by any other name: Ticketmaster says that beginning in August, Bow Wow will begin performing some dates using his birth name, Shad Moss.
• Acting up: Bow Wow has expanded his career horizons by adding quite a bit of acting to his resume. TV series appearances have included \"Moesha,\" \"The Steve Harvey Show,\" \"Smallville\" and \"Ugly Betty.\" Films include \"Like Mike,\" \"Johnson Family Vacation,\" \"Roll Bounce\" and \"The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.\"
• Dog\'s life: He recently announced a shift toward even more acting, including a recurring role in \"Entourage\" (as a stand-up comedian and new client of E\'s) and the Forest Whitaker film \"Patriots.\" He said this recently to the Hollywood Reporter: \"After 16 years in the music industry and six successful albums, I\'ve decided to shift my energy to something else I\'m passionate about, acting. I\'m going to try to be the next Will Smith.\"
• Dog house: Bow (yes, his Web site indicates this is his first name) has homes in Miami and Atlanta, and his MySpace page indicates he\'s based in New York.
When the yellow school bus pulls to the curb, out dashes a group of junior high students. At first glance Shad Moss looks like your typical teen, but then it hits you. This 13-year-old is far from typical. Moss is no ordinary kid because to his millions of adoring fans, he\'s known as the hip-hop heartthrob Lil\' Bow Wow.Since his popular dance tune Bounce With Me first hit airwaves this year, Bow Wow has become a hot favorite with the girls and the newest sensation in the rap industry with his debut CD Beware of Dog.JET recently caught up with Bow Wow in his hometown, Reynoldsburg, OH, where he discussed his skyrocketing rap career and why he sees himself as just \"a regular kid.\"Wherever Bow Wow performs, the 4-foot-7, 85-pound rapper knows how to keep a spot jumping. During a recent performance at Chicago\'s Evergreen Plaza shopping mall to promote Beware of Dog, the place was jam-packed. Girls were screaming, crying and fainting everywhere. And when fans became over zealous, the mall had to close early for the day!Bow Wow finds it surreal at times. \"I really thought it was crazy,\" he says, staring in disbelief. \"To be in a position where if I do just one little thing, everything just shuts down, it\'s something. I was really happy about that and happy no one got hurt.\"Capturing an audience with his sharp, fast rap delivery is nothing new for the diminutive entertainer.AdsEnglisch lernen onlineEnglishtown.com/1-Euro-SpezialIn der weltgrößten Onlineschule. Jetzt 1 Monat für nur 1€ statt 39€Girokonto + 50 € Prämiewww.comdirect.de/KontoJetzt kostenloses Girokonto bei der Besten Bank 2011 & 2012 eröffnen!Hip Hop Tickets Verkaufenwww.fansale.de/hip-hopTicket über Fansale.de verkaufen. Mit Cash & Ticket Garantie!Video_data MUX_DMUX ROVwww.princetel.com4 video_6 data on one fiber SM_MM PC-104 card format ideal for ROVs
His love for music first began at the age of 3. By the time he was 6, Bow Wow, who then performed under the moniker Kid Gangsta and was a dedicated follower of the gangsta pioneering rap group NWA, was performing in front of audiences.\"He\'d pick up my kitchen utensils and combs and brushes and start rapping. I noticed it was something he liked and he just progressed as he got older,\" recalls his mother, Teresa Caldwell, 35, who also serves as her only child\'s manager and stylist. \"He was known in Columbus (OH) because he was in a lot of talent shows and was winning every one of them.\"Things changed for Kid Gangsta in 1993 when he met rap star Snoop Dogg at a concert in Columbus. The youngster was brought on stage to rap and immediately impressed Snoop. Kid Gangsta was not only invited to be the show\'s opening act for the tour, but he was christened by Snoop with a new name--Lil\' Bow Wow.\"He reminded me of myself as a kid--his energy, his look. He was a little me. Instead of naming him Lil\' Snoop Dogg, I named him Lil\' Bow Wow,\" Snoop reveals to JET about Bow Wow, who made a cameo on his 1993 Doggystyle CD. Snoop and Bow-- who, incidentally, has a box turtle named Snoop--recently performed together on Bow Wow (That\'s My Name), Bow Wow\'s latest song.Two years ago hip-hop music mogul Jermaine \"JD\" Dupri took Bow Wow under his wing, signing him to his So So Def Record label. Dupri, the man who made the rap duo Kris Kross and singer Usher hit-making heartthrobs for Black girls, has worked up the same potion for Bow Wow.\"These days in rap, kids don\'t have any role models. I knew it was time for him to come out because little girls from 11 to 16 don\'t have anybody who they can claim as their own,\" explains Dupri, who collaborated with Bow Wow on last year\'s Wild Wild West soundtrack and Beware of Dog.Bow Wow is taking his newfound celebrity in stride, because he insists he\'s just a regular kid.\"I\'m just a normal kid. I just take things slowly and don\'t let things like fame go to my head or I won\'t act the same,\" he says. \"I just try to stay the same and keep my head level.\"Bow Wow is an eighth-grade honor student who enjoys English. A certificate on his wall from the Ohio Interscholastic Writing League proves this. \"It was for writing throughout the whole district. We had to write a three-page essay in 30 minutes on something like if you were invisible, how you would change the world.\"Education is important to Bow Wow. He says that he has to maintain an A and B average in order to \"do things around the house,\" like ride his bike or play video games on his new Sony Play Station 2. \"That\'s the family stipulation and JD (Dupri) told me I couldn\'t stay on the label if my grades were not right. So I just try my best to keep up my good grades,\" he says.The well-spoken teen, who sports a platinum and diamond Mickey Mouse pendant that was a Christmas gift from JD, is especially pleased that his profanity-free raps have been so well received by teens, because he realizes that many youths think rappers must be \"hard,\" which means having a hefty vocabulary of cusswords.\"I used to think the same thing, that if you\'re not cursing, you\'d be considered soft or corny,\" he resolves. \"But hey, I\'m selling records and that\'s all I\'m saying. They said the same thing about Will Smith and he sold 10 million records. I\'m just selling records.\"
MTV News: When you were six years old, you were on the \"Chronic\" tour. How did that happen?
Lil\' Bow Wow: When I was at the age of six, my thing was to rap. After watching Snoop and N.W.A., it just made me just wanna rap so much. So as I kept listening to \'em, I would just get anything that looked like a microphone and walk around the house and rap. When the \"Chronic\" tour came to Columbus, Ohio, which is where I\'m from, I had got onstage and I started rapping, and Snoop liked it. He put me backstage, and when I was backstage, he was telling me how good I was for a little six year old. The next day he flew me to L.A., and that\'s how things got started.
MTV: Did you just jump onstage, or did somebody pull you up there?
LBW: Every act had a little break between \'em. I got on stage during the break and I just started rapping. I was rapping about, you know, just little kid things at the age of six, like toys, school, \"1,2,3,\" stuff like that.
MTV: Snoop flew you out to L.A. and gave you your name. Can you tell us about that?
LBW: When I went out to L.A. with Snoop, I had done a couple of little shows, and I finished the tour out with Snoop. That day he said, \"YOur name is gonna be Bow Wow. We\'re gonna change it.\" I didn\'t like it; he did. Since everybody had dog names, it kinda just flowed. I was like \"Well, OK, that\'s fine,\" and I just kept that name ever since. I ain\'t gonna change it.
MTV: What would you have named yourself?
LBW: Mmm, I don\'t know. I have no clue.
MTV: You\'re six years old, and you\'re onstage performing in front of all those people. Were you scared or nervous at all?
LBW: Well, performing in front of all those people, it made me just wanna do more. When I see a large crowd, it excites me. If I see a little crowd, it really doesn\'t excite me, but I know that I have to give 100 percent every time for each person. My thing is, I never get nervous before I go on, \'cause I pray before I go on.
MTV: How about school? Do you have a tutor that goes with you on the road?
LBW: As far as school\'s concerned, if I\'m in my hometown, which is Columbus, Ohio, I will be attending school. If I\'m on the road working, I\'m gonna have a tutor.
MTV: You are certainly are living an exciting life right now, but do you ever miss going to school with the other kids?
LBW: Yeah. Sometimes I miss a lot of things. But most of the time we try our best to make sure that I can do certain things. As far as football, like, I missed some of football [season] this year, but I\'m gonna play my last game, so hopefully that\'s gonna be pretty good. I really never miss out on anything big, \'cause everything big is in the music industry.
MTV: When you go home, how do your friends treat you now?
LBW: They treat me the same. My friends at school, they don\'t treat me no different.
MTV: And what about the little girls?
LBW: The girls treat me different. \"Go with him, he got money.\" Their parents be saying, \"Go with him.\"
MTV: Really?
LBW: Yeah.
MTV: That\'s interesting. Now, how did you meet up with Jermaine Dupri?
LBW: Well, a friend of mine sent the tape to Jermaine. Jermaine liked the tape, and he said, \"We gotta fly this kid out to Atlanta.\" He flew me down to Atlanta, and I had met with Jermaine, me and my parents, and Jermaine was liking it. He had a show that night, and I had did that show with him and Jay-Z. That\'s how the Jermaine Dupri, Bow Wow, and So So Def thing came.
MTV: They write lyrics for you without profanity in them. Do you ever write for yourself?
LBW: When I\'m at home, I write for myself. Next album, I will be writing a whole bunch of things.
MTV: What kinds of topics are you going to address?
LBW: Basically, I try to tell things that involve my daily life or that come with my daily life. We couldn\'t start the album without Jermaine hanging around me for a whole year, just writing about everyday things we do or we talk about.
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