Bow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss on
March 9, 1987 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio (near of Cleveland). His
biological father left his mother before he was born. He was raised
by his mom and his step-dad. He has a step-sister named Erica and
another sister from his mom and step father.
He began to rap at a very young age –
in fact, he started rhyming at the age of 5 (but did not become
serious about it until he turned six. While still
very young, he
was taken under the wing of Jermaine Dupri and signed to So So Def
record label (they were used to developing young talent such as
Kriss Kross and Da Brat). Along with Brian Michael Cox, they
developed Shad’s Lil’ Bow Wow rapper image and began to produce his
first album, Beware of the Dog, which debuted in 2000. The
album, and many of its singles became hits such as “Bounce With Me,”
“Ghetto Girls” and “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” featuring
Snoop Dogg. The songs were young
and fresh with a youthful beat and were not as harsh as most of
today’s hip hop.
This talented young star wanted to try
his hand at new mediums in 2001 and appeared in the television
special Carmen: A Hip Opera. Then in 2002, she appeared on
the big screen in All About the Benjamins. He then starred
in the movie Like Mike which had a basketball theme. The
movie was a fairly decent movie and gave viewers a taste of Lil’ Bow
Wow’s acting talents. For this movie, he was nominated for the
Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance – Viewer’s Choice
and a nomination for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in
a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor.
In 2002, he followed up with his
sophomore album, Doggy Bag, which was just as popular and
included big hits such as “Take Ya Home.”
Lil’ Bow Wow was growing up. In 2003
he shed his “Lil’” Bow Wow name and is now called Bow Wow. He also
went through some other changes professionally - he left So So Def
and went over to Columbia Records. They quickly put him into the
studio and he recorded his next album, Unleashed later that
year. The music and lyrics showcased a more mature person, but were
very like most of the day’s hip hop sound. The album did not do as
well as expected.
In 2003 Bow Wow started his own
clothing line, Shago Clothing, which he promotes when not singing or
acting.
In 2004, he continued
pursuing his movie career and appeared as D.J. Johnson in Johnson
Family Vacation with Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer. He
will also be appearing in two more movies slated to be released
later this year (2005), Roll Bounce, about roller skating teens in
the mid 1970’s and Mr. Prez, where he wins a contest to become
President for a day.
In 2005 he was
hooked-up romantically with hip hop diva
Ciara. He has also released his fourth album, Wanted, which
features a more musically mature and polished Bow Wow. He also
released his fourth album in 2005, Wanted, which went to #3 on the
US charts.
In 2006, he co-starred
in the movie The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, to good reviews.
In December 2006, he released The Price of Fame, which peaked at #6
on the charts - with the song "Shortie Like Me" hitting #1 on the
rap charts. He also collaborated with
Omarion that year on an album entitled Face Off which had mild
success.
He released his sixth
studio album, New Jack City Part II in 2008, and signed up with Cash
Money Records. He also had a recurring role as Charlie in the TV
series Entourage.
In 2010, he co-starred
in the movie Lottery Ticket with Ice Cube.
Bow Wow co-starred in
the movie Madea’s Big Happy Family in 2011. In 2011, he also
admitted that he had a child earlier in the year named Shai, with a
former girlfriend.
He will be releasing
his seventh album, Underrated in 2012. The first single off the
album, “Ain’t Thinin; ‘Bout You” (featuring
Chris Brown) has already hit the
top of the charts
Biography by Ian Ripley,
PopStarsPlus.com, Sr. Staff Writer
This biography may be copied in part
or in whole for non commercial purposes online or in hard copy and must
contain: (1) the name of the author, (2) the text "copied with
permission from PopStarsPlus.com" and (3) a link to the page that
contains the original biography.
BOW WOW DISCOGRAPHY: ALBUMS, SINGLES, COMPILATIONS,
BOXED SETS, ETC.
If you are interested in writing
album reviews, CLICK HERE.
Year
2000
2001
2003
2005
2006
Album Title
Beware of Dog
Doggy Bag
Unleashed
Wanted
The Price of Fame
Tracks
1. Intro
2. The Future
3. Bounce With Me
4. Puppy Love
5. You Know Me
6. The Dog In Me
7. Bow Wow (That's My Name)
8. This Playboy
9. Ghetto Girls
10. You Already Know
11. Bounce With Me (Extended LP Mix)
1. We Want Weezy (Intro)
2. Get Up
3. Thank You
4. Take Ya Home
5. Perfect Girl Interlude
6. All I Know
7. The Wickedest
8. Pick Of The Litter
9. Crazy
10. Crazy Girls Interlude
11. Up In Here
12. Jiminy Cricket Interlude
13. Off The Glass
1. Get It Poppin'
2. Let's Get Down
3. Eighteen
4. Follow Me
5. My Baby
6. Don, the Dutch
7. Movement
8. I Can't Lose
9. Hey Little Momma
10. I Got Ya'll
11. I'll Move On
12. To My Mama -
Amerie
13. I'm Back [*]
1. Do You
2. Big Dreams
3. Let Me Hold You
4. Fresh Azimiz
5. Caviar
6. Like You
7. B.O.W.
8. Go
9. Do What It Do
10. Is That You (P.Y.T)
11. Mo Money
Intro
Price of Fame
4 Corners (featuring Short Dawg, Lil Scrappy,
Lil Wayne & Pimp C)
Outta My System (featuring T-Pain &
Johnta Austin)
How You Move It (featuring Khleo Thomas)
Shortie Like Mine (featuring Chris Brown)
Don't Know About That (featuring Young Capone & Cocaine J)
Tell Me
Damn Thing (featuring Da Brat)
Bet That
On Fiya
Give It to You
I'm A Flirt (featuring
R. Kelly)
Get It In (featuring Young Jinsu)
1. Face Off
2. Hood Star
3. Girlfriend
4. Hey Baby (Jump Off)
5. He Ain't Gotta Know
6. Bachelor Pad
7. Listen
8. Can't Get Tired Of Me
9. Number Ones
10. Baby Girl
11. Take Off Your Clothes
12. Another Girl
1. "Get That Paper" 3:19
2. "What They Call Me" (featuring
Nelly
and Ron Browz) 3:58
3. "Roc da Mic" (featuring Jermaine Dupri) 3:48
4. "Been Doin' This" (featuring
T.I.) 4:52
5. "You Can Get It All" (featuring Johntá Austin) 3:37
6. "Sunshine" 3:27
7 "Like This" (featuring Dondria and Johntá Austin) 3:40
8. "She's My" (featuring
T-Pain) 3:51
9. "I Ain't Playing" (featuring Trey Songz) 4:47
10. "Pole in My Basement" 4:16
11. "Shake It" (featuring Swizz Beatz) 3:31
TBA
ON VIDEO, A FILMOGRAPHY
If you are interested in writing movie reviews,
CLICK HERE.
