Bow Wow (rapper)
American rapper and actor discovered by Snoop Dogg at age six.
Shad Gregory Moss, known as Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow), is an American rapper and actor who began his career at age six after being discovered by Snoop Dogg. He achieved commercial success as a teenage rapper with albums such as Beware of Dog and Doggy Bag, and later transitioned into acting with leading roles in films like Like Mike.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Shad Gregory Moss
- Also known as
- Lil' Bow Wow, Kid Gangsta
- Born
- 9 March 1987
- Birthplace
- Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
- Occupation
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- actor
- television presenter
- Discography
- Discography, filmography
- Years active
- 1993–present
- Genre
- Pop rap, R&B
Facts from the source article.
Life and career
Bow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss in Columbus, Ohio, to Teresa Rena Caldwell and Alfonso Preston Moss. He became interested in rap at age three and began rapping recreationally at age six under the moniker Kid Gangsta, also being a fan of N.W.A. In 1993, he performed at a concert in Los Angeles and was noticed by Snoop Doggy Dogg, who gave him the stage name Lil' Bow Wow. He appeared on the Doggystyle album track Gz and Hustlas and on The Arsenio Hall Show in late 1993, as well as in the Gin and Juice music video. A song he was supposed to appear on for the Murder Was the Case soundtrack, After 3, remained unreleased until the early 2010s. In 1998, at age eleven, he met record producer Jermaine Dupri, who helped shape his career. In 1999, his song Stick Up with Dupri appeared on the Wild Wild West soundtrack. At age 13 in 2000, he debuted with the album Beware of Dog under the name Lil' Bow Wow, featuring singles such as Bounce with Me and Bow Wow (That's My Name). The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA in March 2001, and Bow Wow later claimed it sold over 3 million copies. His second album Doggy Bag (2002) included the singles Take Ya Home and Thank You, and was certified platinum. He performed the track Basketball for the Like Mike soundtrack. In April 2002, he dropped Lil from his stage name, citing irritation with the number of Lil rappers and his own growth.
Other ventures
Bow Wow made guest appearances on television shows including Moesha, The Steve Harvey Show, and Brothers Garcia. His acting debut came in the film Like Mike (2002), where he played a young orphan who gets a chance to play in the NBA, following cameos in All About the Benjamins and Carmen: A Hip Hopera. He co-starred in Johnson Family Vacation and later appeared in films such as Roll Bounce, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Hurricane Season. He made guest appearances on Smallville and Ugly Betty, and was part of the cast of the fifth season of HBO's Entourage, playing a character named Charlie. He starred in the 2010 comedy Lottery Ticket with Ice Cube. A documentary about his life titled Who Is Shad Moss? was released in 2011, in which he stated it goes back to his time on Death Row Records. He starred in Madea's Big Happy Family (2011) and later in CSI: Cyber, a CSI spinoff announced in 2014. In 2021, he reprised his role as Twinkie in F9. In October 2013, he was confirmed as a host for BET's 106 & Park, which aired in over 85 million homes until its cancellation in 2014. In 2016, he began hosting a nighttime edition of the Australian radio show RnB Fridays. In 2018, he partnered with Red By Kiss to launch a line of luxury durags, and in 2024 he opened a restaurant in Atlanta called Prime on Peachtree.
Legal issues
On March 28, 2012, Bow Wow was ordered by a court to pay $3,000 a month in child support. On October 2, 2012, he claimed he was broke, making only $4,000 a month and having $1,500 in his checking account, but the next day he signed on as a co-host of BET's 106 & Park. He later addressed the claim, stating he was comfortable and that rumors were opinions until he was seen on a corner with a cardboard box. On February 2, 2019, he was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, for battery after a fight with a woman; both parties suffered minor injuries and were charged, and he was released on an $8,000 signature bond.
Personal life
Bow Wow's family supported his music career. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother. He has a daughter, Shai Moss, with Joie Chavis, and was formerly engaged to Erica Mena. In September 2020, he had a son with model Olivia Sky. In October 2008, he led a 15-city Walk Across America event to register new voters for the U.S. presidential election. In 2014, he participated in a celebrity tribute to Michael Brown during a charity flag football game organized by Chris Brown. In 2016, he sparked controversy on Twitter by saying he would not vote in the presidential election, stating he did not identify with the civil rights struggle because his heritage was mixed. On March 15, 2017, he sent a tweet to President Donald Trump threatening to pimp his wife, which he deleted within 24 hours.
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