Bow Wow

Shad Gregory Moss, better known as Bow Wow (formerly Lil’ Bow Wow), is an American rapper and actor from Columbus. Discovered by Snoop Dogg in 1993 at age six, he signed with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Recordings, an imprint of Columbia Records, five years later. As Lil’ Bow Wow, his debut album Beware of Dog arrived when he was 13, followed by Doggy Bag; both were commercial successes, peaking at numbers 8 and 11 on the Billboard 200.

After parting with So So Def, he signed with parent Columbia for Unleashed (2003), his first release after dropping “Lil’”; it peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. Wanted (2005) produced his highest-charting singles, “Let Me Hold You” with Omarion and “Like You” with Ciara. The 2006 single “Shortie Like Mine” preceded The Price of Fame, while New Jack City II (2009) became his final major-label album. Later deals with Cash Money and Bad Boy produced no further albums.

Moss also built a substantial acting career: a cameo in All About the Benjamins, the lead in Like Mike, roles in Johnson Family Vacation, Roll Bounce, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and F9, plus appearances on Entourage and CSI: Cyber.

Discography

• Beware of Dog (2000)
• Doggy Bag (2001)
• Unleashed (2003)
• Wanted (2005)
• The Price of Fame (2006)
• New Jack City II (2009)