Who Is Bow Wow?
Shad Gregory Moss, known as Lil Bow Wow (later Bow Wow), is a Columbus, Ohio rapper who began performing as a child rapper at age 6 under Snoop Dogg's mentorship and became one of the most commercially successful teen rap acts of the early 2000s. New Jack City II (2009) was his attempt to transition into adult rap, and it debuted at #16 with 31,000 copies.
Quick Stats
Career Overview
Bow Wow was performing as Lil Bow Wow at age 6 when Snoop Dogg invited him onstage. Jermaine Dupri signed him to So So Def and produced his debut Beware of Dog (2000), which went double platinum with Bounce With Me. Unleashed (2003) and Wanted (2005) sustained his commercial presence. In his early twenties, he made New Jack City II (2009) — his first album with a Parental Advisory sticker — as an explicit transition from child star to adult rapper. It debuted at #16 with 31,000 copies. His most recent cultural moment was the 2017 Bow Wow Challenge, in which he was caught travelling economy class after posting photos implying he was on a private jet.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | New Jack City II ⚠️ | #16 US — 31,000 week one |
⚠️ = Reviewed on Rap Reviews Daily
Why New Jack City II Failed
New Jack City II (2009) earned 3/10 from us. The album had a fundamental identity crisis: Bow Wow trying to be an adult rapper while maintaining pop crossover appeal for the audience that had bought his teenage output. DJBooth said he was not a man-sized rapper yet. The Jermaine Dupri production was decent. The transition was not.
Legacy & Cultural Impact
Bow Wow's career is the textbook child star transition problem. He had genuine commercial success as a teenage rapper and a personality that worked for that audience. Growing up on camera — releasing six albums between ages 12 and 21 — meant his adult identity formation was public and commercially fraught. The 2017 Bow Wow Challenge became one of social media's most widely shared celebrity clout-chasing moments.
Bow Wow on Rap Reviews Daily
★ New Jack City II (2009) — Rating: 3/10 | Read the review →