ATLANTA 

Jermaine Dupri, Jay-Z, Lil' Bow Wow and Da Brat, photographed during the release party for Dupri's debut album "Life in 1472" at the Atrium on Memorial Drive in Atlanta.

This event happened to be on the day that Bow Wow first came to Atlanta to meet with Dupri and see if they had recording chemistry. The 11-year-old had been underutilized on Death Row, so when Snoop Dogg left the label he suggested that JD take Bow under his wing. 

During the release party JD brought Lil' Bow Wow on stage to freestyle for the crowd, and everyone was surprised at how well he rapped and how grown he carried himself. When Bow releashed his debut "Beware of Dog" in 2000 Jay-Z would tell him that he "talks better than 50% of the rappers our here."

1998

JERMAINE DUPRI, LIL' BOW WOW AND JAY-Z BACKSTAGE

December, 1998

SO SO DEF CHRISTMAS PARTY

Even before people knew who he was, an 11-year-old Bow Wow was camera-ready during a 1998 So So Def Christmas party in Atlanta. Once known as Kid Gangsta, Bow Wow says he "came to the business ready. I've been in the game for like 10 years. I've learned a lot."