Bow Wow

Bow Wow
a.k.a. Bow Wow, Lil' Bow Wow, Shad Gregory Moss

OFF THE CHAIN
The Newly Unleashed Bow Wow Is All Grown Up
Discovered by Snoop Dogg and mentored by So So Def's Jermaine Dupri, precocious rapper Lil' Bow Wow burst onto the music scene in 2000 with the infectious single "Bounce with Me." But four years later, the now-16-year-old has dropped the Lil' from his moniker and returned with a more mature sound on his third disc, Unleashed. While doing promotion for the disc, Bow Wow chatted with Barnes & Noble.com's R&B and Hip-Hop editor Tracy E. Hopkins about his new direction.

Barnes & Noble.com: How do you think Unleashed has done so far?

Bow Wow: [The album is] certified gold right now, so I'm real happy. And it's still moving. I'm really excited about everything, especially because I've been working so hard on it and put everything in to it as far as writing and arranging.

B&N.com: You've worked with Jagged Edge in the past, and they're on your current single "My Baby." What do you like about working with them?

BW: They're just cool guys. I consider them family. I'm sure they'll do anything for me, and I'll do anything for them. They're good, hardworking people and really positive guys. I really like working with them.

B&N.com: Do you keep in touch with your former mentor Jermaine Dupri? And do you have a new person that's filling that role for you?

BW: I really don't talk to him. I'm getting older, and I don't need anyone like that anymore. I'm half a grown man -- that's what I say. I'm on my own, and I like it that way.

B&N.com: Do you feel like some people have a hard time accepting that you're growing up?

BW: They shouldn't. I can't stay little forever. The girls like it when you get older. I mean, they just gotta deal with it. All my fans are true Bow Wow fans, and they're getting older [too].

B&N.com: How did you select the producers that you worked with?

BW: I worked with the Neptunes before, so I already had my mind set on working with those guys. And at the same time, I really wanted this album to be different. I didn't want this album to be like other rap albums. Therefore I had to go get the Neptunes and Swizz Beatz to put different sounds [on it]. That was the unique thing about creating Unleashed,. I had the opportunity to get different producers and make music for all sides. Each song has a different meaning to it, and I think that Unleashed is my best album.

B&N.com: Were you surprised by the success of your feature film debut, Like Mike?

BW: I had big expectations that it would do well. I always think positive. [But] I didn't know if it was gonna do that well. It ended up [grossing more than] $70 million, so I was really happy.

B&N.com: Do you plan to give up rapping and focus on acting, or would you always like to do both?

BW: I do intend on doing that, but not right now. I gotta go back in the studio. Me and B2K are working on our albums together. It's gonna be a double CD.

B&N.com: You and B2K together -- young girls are gonna love that.

BW: Yeah, it's definitely gonna be crazy.

October 2003