Biography of Bow Wow

The trademark vocal gymnastics exhibited in his songs have earned him a huge fan following among rap lovers all over the world. The dynamic lyrical content and rhyming patterns combine a mix of old and new school rap. Bow Wow's prodigious talent helped him release his first album at the age of thirteen.

Childhood

Born to Alfonso Moss and Teresa Cladwell, in Columbus, Ohio, Shad Moss developed a keen interest in music at the tender age of three. By the age of six he started rapping under the name kid gangsta, which was bestowed upon him by the neighborhood he lived in. In 1993, while performing at a concert in Los Angeles, he was noticed by acclaimed rapper Snoop Dogg who was impressed by his talent and subsequently came up with the name Bow Wow, which Shad used in the years to come. His flair and rhythmic rhyme patterns in his songs were noticed by record producer and rapper Dr. Dre who signed him on his record label Death Row Records. Due to his young age he was called Lil' Bow Wow, and was featured in the music video Gin and Juice from Snoop Dogg's debut album Doggystyle. At the age of eleven, record producer Jermaine Dupri took him under his wing and helped him shape his career in music.

Popularity

In 2000, at the age of thirteen, Lil' Bow Wow released his debut album Beware of Dog. The popular single Bounce With Me was featured in the movie Big Momma's House, and reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks. The song The Stick Up was included in the soundtrack of the Hollywood blockbuster Wild Wild West. The singles Puppy Love and Ghetto Girls became anthems, and on March 5, 2001 the album earned double platinum status. In 2002, Lil' Bow Wow released his second album Doggy Bag, from which the hit single Take Ya Home featuring Jagged Edge reached the number one spot on the Hot Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album attained platinum status and reached the number eleven position on the Billboard 200.

Prior to his third album, Bow Wow dropped the words Lil, citing he was getting too old for the name. The third album - Unleashed, which was released in 2003 attained gold status by September that year, and featured guest performances by Amerie, Jagged Edge, Birdman and Mario. His next album Wanted was released in 2005. It featured the hit single Let Me Hold You with Omarion and reached the number one position on the rap charts. Like his previous albums, this album too was hugely successful the world over. His subsequent albums too earned him chart-topping success and cemented his place as an established artist in the music fraternity.

Bow Wow juggled his time by testing his acting abilities on the TV sitcom, Moesha and The Steve Harvey Show. He made his debut in the movie Like Mike which received a lukewarm response from audiences. Over the years he starred in a number of Hollywood movies, including the blockbusters The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Roll Bounce.

Apart from his accomplishments as an actor and singer, Bow Wow loves to spend time listening to music and with friends. His dedication towards music has inspired a new brigade of artists in the rap and hip-hop circles.