Born Shad Gregory Moss on March 9, 1987 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Bow Wow is a rapper, actor and musical producer best known for releasing his debut album at the age of 13 and launching a successful career afterwards. Growing up, his mother had to work three jobs just to support him when his father left them. When her mother remarried, two half-sisters were added to the family. At age 5, he started his career in rap with “Kid Gangsta" as his moniker. At age 6, he performed at a Chronic tour in Columbus and was allegedly noticed by rapper Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, who gave him his stage name Lil’ Bow Wow. Dr. Dre later hired him to open his shows and consequently earning him a Death Row Records deal. When he was 11, he was introduced to big-time record producer Jermaine Dupri who helped launch his career.
Bow Wow released his first album at the age of 13 called Beware of Dog. It featured established rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Xscape, and Da Brat. It was featured in the Wild Wild West soundtrack and sold over two and a half million copies. His second album, Doggy Bag, also went double platinum. This time his guest artists include Jagged Edge and Da Brat. A third album called Unleashed saw him dropping the “Lil” from his name. The first single called “Let’s Get Down” was a success. Despite Dupri’s absence in the album’s genesis, it was certified gold. Other than the usual, it featured Birdman, Mario, and Amerie. He went on to release four more albums, all of which have been successful.
Other than music, Bow Wow also dabbled in acting, guesting in the sitcom Moesha and The Steve Harvey Show. He made his big screen debut in the film Like Mike in 2002. His other screen credits include All About The Benjamins, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, Roll Bounce, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He also gusted on episodes of Smallville and Ugly Betty.