LIL' BOW WOW, DA BRAT KMEL SUMMER JAM AUDIENCE

 

Many artists, including Jay-Z, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, Next and Lucy Pearl, came to KMEL's annual Summer Jam armed with a list of hit songs Saturday, but it was 13-year-old Jermaine Dupri protégé Lil' Bow Wow who — with just one single under his belt — rocked the sold-out Shoreline Amphitheater crowd

 

Near the end of Da Brat's (born Shawntae Harris) set, the adolescent Columbus, Ohio, rapper zipped onstage on a silver scooter and controlled the crowd like a veteran. "If y'all down with Bow Wow, say, 'Bow wow wow,' " said Lil' Bow Wow, dressed in baggy shorts and sporting his signature cornrows. Then he launched into his current hit, "Bounce With Me," from the "Big Momma's House" movie soundtrack.

 

From the front row to the lawn seats, the crowd — which was already on its feet from Da Brat's performance — erupted into jerky dance moves. But even as the small rapper, who plans to release his debut Sept. 26, controlled the crowd, he seemed to be as unpredictable as other boys his age. "Aren't you gonna do something else?" asked Da Brat, who seemed to expect another song from Lil' Bow Wow. "No, that's it," Lil' Bow Wow said. "OK then," Da Brat said. She thanked the screaming audience and left the stage with the young rapper.

 

Lil' Bow Wow was the surprise hit, but many music fans came to see Lil' Kim (born Kimberly Jones), who recently released another sexually raw LP, The Notorious K.I.M.

 

August 26, 2000

LIL BOW WOW ENTERS THE SPOTLIGHT: 13-YEAR-OLD RAPPER GOES SOLO ON SO SO DEF/COLUMBIA DEBUT

 

At the tender age of 13, Lil' Bow Wow is an veteran with seven years in the business and guest tracks on several albums, incuding Snoop Dogg's 1993 ''Doggystyle'' and Will Smith's 1999 ''Wild Wild West'' soundtrack. Now the teen rapper finally gets to shine on his own debut album, ''Beware of Dog'', arriving september 26 from So So Def/Columbia records.

 

Bow Wow (a.k.a. Shad Moss) has been in the game since he was 6, when he was signed to Death Row Records after freestyling for Snoop at a show during the Chronic tour. Snoop dubbed him Lil' Bow Wow, and he went on to open serveral of the tour dates.

 

''The best thing about being an artist is getting the attention, being in a position to work with great people and rap with great people,'' says the Columbus, Ohio native, whose work ethic has earned him comparisons with the young Michael Jackson.

 

But just because Bow Wow is young doesn't mean he hasn't had to pay some dues. In one incident, he quickly learned that practice makes perfect. ''I was in the studio with Snoop, and he had written something for me,'' Bow Wow recalls. ''I really couldn't get it. They were yelling at me, and I didn't like it. I wanted to quit. I went back home and sudied that rap. I went back the next day and showed them I could do it.''

 

Bow Wow later signed with Epic Records. A label A&R representative approached Jermaine Dupri, CEO of SO So Def/Columbia, to lend his expertise to the project. That move made perfect sense: Dupri had developed the young Atlanta male rap duo Kris Kross (Chris Kelly Chris Smith), whose debut album ''Totally Krossed Out'', was eventually certified quadruple-platinum. It was later decided within the Sony ranks that Bow Wow be transferred to So So Def for full artistic support.

 

''Bow Wow comes to the table with the knowledge of a rapper,'' Dupri says of his protégé. ''Kris Kross, they just had a look. They were never rappers before they met me. They had never done shows. They knew how to rap just like most other kids. But Bow Wow is 13 with the knowledge of somebody who has been here before. I want to make sure I set Bow Wow up for a lifelong career, so that when people finally hear him say 'shit', they are not shocked. A lot of people were pissed off that Kris Kross grew up. I don't want that to happen to Bow Wow.''

 

The set features more than 10 songs produced and written primarily by Dupri, who also appears on ''You Know Me'' with Da Brat and ''This Playboy'' with Big Duke and Rock. Snoop Dogg makes an appearance on ''Bow Wow (That's My Name).'' The first single ''Bounce With me,'' features Xscape and was releashed commercially july 31 on CD-5 after being featured as the second single from the ''Big Momma's House'' soundtrack.

 

''It's been a long time since we had a run like this when a single is doing so well,'' says George Daniels, owner of George's Music Room in Chicago. ''The fact that they did put out a commercial single is a pleasant surprise, and one that's a it is even better.''

 

''Right now the goal is to keep building this single and get it blazing on radio,'' says Michael Mauldin, COO of So So Def and Dupri's father. ''Bow Wow is visiting a lot of radio station events like the KMEL and KKBT summer james. What we're doing now is trying him in to perform his song during Da Brat's and Jermaine's shows.''

 

Bow Wow is making a lasting impression at these events. Since Lee Cagle, PD of KXHT Memphis, added the single, it's remained a top five requests. ''The way he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand did it for me,'' Cagle recalls of Bow Wow's appearance with Da Brat at the station's anniversary show in june. ''He has a very impressive stage presence.''

 

Thanks to So So Def/Columbia's association with ArtistDirect, an internet firm that maintains So So Def's website and markets its products and merchandise, visitors can play a Bow Wow onine game. Dr. Pepper is sponsoring So So Def book covers that include Bow Wow, which will be distributed to schools across the country this fall. Bow Wow will also appear on The Source Awards, which air august 29.

 

Dupri says that part of developing young talent is not producing hits for the artists but keeping them on the right track. ''Jermaine told me I couldn't be on the label if my grades were not right,'' Bow Wow says. ''My grades are right; I'm an honor roll student. That's how I maintain and stay on So So Def. I do good work, stay in school, and I don't do drugs.'' William Morris Agency books Bow Wow, who's co-managed by Atlanta-based Artistic Control and his mother, Teresa Caldwell.

 

September 29, 2000

CHILD'S PLAY; LIL' BOW WOW HAS TO KEEP UP HIS GRADES, BUT CAN STAY UP LATE

 

He may only be 13 years old, but Shad Moss, professionally know as Lil’ Bow Wow, is an old-timer in hip-hop.This New Jack kiddie was discovered and dubbed “Lil’ Bow Wow” by Snoop Dogg and appeared on his ’93 blockbuster disc, “Doggie Style.” You don’t need a calculator to figure Bow Wow has been in the biz since he was 5.

 

For the past few years, the lad has been honing his chops. Last year, he earned a slot on the Will Smith “Wild Wild West” sound track, and his song “Bounce With Me” is one of the standouts on the “Big Momma’s House” sound track. And this week, Bow Wow unleashed his solo debut, “Beware of Dog.”

 

As a protégé of hip-hop mogul Jermaine Dupri – the CEO of So So Def Records and the man who brought stardom to teen rap duo Kris Kross a few years ago – Lil’ Bow Wow is under strict orders: no profanity and work hard in school. “JD won’t let me in the studio if my grades fall,” Bow Wow barked in this interview.

 

Dupri has big plans for Lil’ Bow Wow – likening the kid to a young Michael Jackson. “These days in rap, kids don’t have any role models,” Dupri said. “I want Bow Wow to represent a young black superstar.”

 

In this interview, the soft-spoken youngster from Reynoldsberg, Ohio, was totally self-assured – strong, but polite. We caught Bow Wow at an interesting point in his life. He’s still very much a child, yet at times he walks the walk and talks the talk of the superstar Dupri wants him to be.

 

NYpost: When you are in the company of adults, do they treat you like an adult? Bow: Yeah, they usually treat me like I was an adult. I like that. If I was treated like a kid, I wouldn’t get away with as much stuff. NYpost: Like what? Bow: You know, like staying up late. NYpost: Anyone who hears that you are just 13 years old will say you’re a child, but what you are doing is very adult. Do you consider yourself an adult? Bow: I’m somewhere in between. The things that I rap about are adult. NYpost: Is that because Jermaine Dupri writes most of the raps? Bow: He writes most of the raps, but if I want to change something, I’m going to change it. NYpost: What would you change? What don’t you want to rap about? Bow: I try to let Jermaine know what I’m thinking, and then we start working as a team. Things that he knows are right, we keep; same for me. NYpost: Can we talk about a few of your favorite things? Bow: Let’s go. NYpost: Favorite TV show?Bow: “Monday Night Football.” NYpost: Do you always get to stay up till the end? Bow: Yeah. NYpost:Video game? Bow: “NFL 2k1.” NYpost: Basketball team? Bow: Lakers. NYpost: Football team? Bow: Vikings. NYpost: What’s your favorite subject in school? Bow: History. NYpost: Who in history do you admire? Bow: Jackie Robinson, because of what he did for baseball.

NYpost: If you had the chance to meet either Michael Jackson or Janet Jackson, whom would you prefer? Bow: Janet … no, Michael … I don’t know. I really want to meet them both. NYpost: What’s your favorite possession? Bow: God’s love. NYpost: Really? Do you go to church every Sunday? Bow: No, and I’m real sorry about that.

NYpost: But God plays a big part in your life? Bow: Yeah. I talk to Him a lot; just about every day. NYpost: Do you listen to all the new pop music? Bow: No, not really. I listen to a lot of rap. I like Eminem. NYpost: Was Eminem right or wrong when he said those nasty things about Christina Aguilera on “The Real Slim Shady”? Bow: Eminem was just expressing himself. I have no comment on that because he just be doing what he be doing. NYpost: Do you expect adults to listen to your raps on “Beware of Dog” and take you as seriously as they world take Eminem or Snoop? Bow: Some adults will. NYpost: Do you remember when you first met Snoop Dogg? Bow: I was real little. It was a long time ago to remember. NYpost: How about when you recorded the rap “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” with him this year for your album? What was he like? Bow: He was real fun in the studio, but he was quick, and once he did it, he was gone. NYpost: Is Snoop one of the guys you admire? Bow: No, he’s more like a big friend. He’s the one who named me Bow Wow. NYpost: Is rap music getting too commercial? Bow: Not at all. NYpost: Would you do a ad for a sneaker company, or a fast-food chain? Bow: Probably. I’d like to try everything; anything I can get my hands on. NYpost: Even though Tupac and Biggie are gone, their music and names live on. Whom do you like more? Bow: They were both excellent. And it’s real sad that we don’t have them here anymore. You know, my thing is that I think that the violence is crazy. It’s out of control. NYpost: Would you ever do a rap that had lyrics that talked about drugs or guns? Bow: Probably not, and Jermaine feels the same way about it. NYpost: Very soon, you will be making lots of money, lots more money than other kids your age. What will you do with it? Bow: I haven’t thought about it because to me, it’s not about making money; it’s about having fun.

November 20, 2000

LIL' BOW WOW BARKS ON 'NSYNC TOUR

 

Thirteen-year-old rapper Lil' Bow Wow, already known for sparking hysteria among his young fans, will witness teen madness on an even larger scale this month as a late addition to 'NSYNC's ''No Strings Attached'' tour.

 

The rapper, whose debut album, Beware of Dog, was certified gold in October, will join the tour as an opening act beginning Friday (November 24) in Las Vegas. From there, he'll open for 'NSYNC on six more dates, including a tour-ending show in San Diego, California, on December 2, according to a statement from his label, So So Def/Columbia.

 

Lil' Bow Wow duets with his mentor, Snoop Dogg, on his latest single, '' Bow Wow (That's My name).'' Other opening acts on the current leg of 'NSYNC's tour have included the pop acts Baha Men, Dream and SoulDecision. Lil' Bow Wow tour dates with 'NSYNC:

 

November 24, Las Vegas, NV at  MGM Grand Garden, november 25, Las Vegas, NV at  MGM Grand Garden, november 26, Los Angeles, CA at Staples Center, november 27, Inglewood, CA at Great Western Forum, november 28, Inglewood, CA at Great Western Forum, december 1, San Diego, CA at San Diego Sports Arena, december 2, San Diego, CA at San Diego Sports Arena.

 

December 11, 2000

GETTING DOWN WITH LIL' BOW WOW

 

What could be cooler than being discovered by one of rap’s biggest stars? Maybe when that star gives you your nickname. Just ask Lil’ Bow Wow. “I was six when I met Snoop.” Lil’ Bow Wow went onstage that night and dazzled the audience as well as Snoop Dogg. After that show, it was Snoop who dubbed him Lil’ Bow Wow. It wasn’t long before this little pack of dynamite was on the tongues of the likes of Will Smith and Jermaine Dupri.

 

You wouldnt think that a first grader coming out of Columbus, Ohio had a chance to become a superstar. But there he was and here he is. Youve seen his face on Mtv. Youve heard his song, “Bounce With Me”. “Its pretty cool, but its still sort of weird”, he says about seeing his video and hearing his song on the radio.

 

The story picks up after Lil Bow Wow left the Chronic Tour behind. Through some people he happened to know, he met super producer Jermaine Dupri. Dupri signed Lil Bow Wow to his record label, So So Def, and they got to work on the freshman release, Beware Of Dog. Bow Wow discussed the making of the album. “I had so much fun working with Jermaine. I liked all the songs and we worked really hard. I cant wait to make the next one.” Lil Bow Wow got the chance to work with Jermaine in the booth, and Da Brat too. “The songs they wrote were so tight. And they are songs that anyone can listen to.” Working with Dupri opened the door for Lil Bow Wow to work with such artists as Will Smith and again with Snoop Dogg. “Will was cool. I guess I was sort of intimidated by him.”

 

What other idols has Lil Bow Wow been able to meet? “Michael Jordan,” he says. For such a little guy, Jordan must have been huge. “His hands were bigger than my head. He is so big. But hes the nicest guy”. Outside of his world as Lil Bow Wow, called Shad by his friends, hes still able to lead a normal life, or as normal as can be expected. “I can't go to the mall because people start crowding all around. That kind of stinks, but my family treats me just the same. At home Im treated just like I was before all of this happened.”

 

Lil Bow Wow has a tutor since he cant go to school with his schedule of touring, publicity, and everything that comes with being a rising star. So life has changed some, but Lil Bow Wow says he still feels like the same kid he was before all this happened. “I dont really feel any different. I probably wouldnt have ever come to New York (City) or done a lot of the things Ive been able to,” explains Lil Bow Wow. Its great to meet a seemingly well adjusted star. If Lil Bow Wow keeps his head about him, he just might have a long career ahead of him. Can you imagine a twenty year old named Lil Bow Wow? “Snoop changed his name, I might have to do the same someday,” Lil Bow Wow says with a laugh.

December 22, 2000

LIL' BOW WOW'S RUNNING WITH RAP'S BIG DOGS

 

In the audience are hundreds of greedy, giddy, giggling, grasping 10-year-old girls, screaming his name, no, shrieking his name, flinging themselves out of their seats, ricocheting against the walls of the auditorium. Bouncing up and down and around. Demanding his presence. Because, well, you know, he’s fiiiiiiiiiine. And they want him... Now. The deejay serves as their conductor, playing their desire until it’s one finely calibrated, ear-shattering symphony of prepubescent frenzy. “Who y’all come to see?”

 

“BOW WOW!!!!” “Who y’all come to see?” “BOWWWWWWWW WOWWWWWW!!!” Still they must wait.

 

Because right now the 13-year-old object of their obsession, Lil’ Bow Wow, needs his rest. And so, backstage in his dressing room, he curls up on a couch. Touring is a...  well, he doesn’t cuss, but you get the picture. He’s tired. Dog tired.

 

Lil’ Bow Wow is surprisingly small--and pretty. His eyes are light brown and extravagantly lashed, his chestnut hair coiled in elaborate cornrows that stretch down to just above his shoulders. Dimples poke through from time to time. When he smiles.

 

He’s certainly not smiling now. “I’ve been working nonstop,” he says, his voice hovering somewhere between a deep kiddie tone and puberty. “When you’re number one, you have to do everything in your power to stay number one.” Which means that this promotional appearance is just another day in the life of your average workaholic, platinum-selling, 4-foot-7, 85-pound rap superstar.

 

Lil’ Bow Wow--So So Def/Columbia recording artist, protege of Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri--is hot. Think Michael Jackson before the nose job. And the shrieking fans are part of the perks that come when your debut CD, “Beware of Dog,” has sold more than a million copies, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America, and your hit single, “Bounce With Me,” is on perennial airplay on MTV and BET. Life is good. If you call working all the time good. ''Hair nappy but I’m happy pocket full of dough. From the C-O representing the So So. The girls recognize and these n----- do too. I’m the flyest thing walking through junior high school.''

 

That would be Reynoldsburgh Junior High in Columbus, Ohio, where the eighth-grader lives with his mom and stepdad. Of course, Bow Wow, a.k.a. Shad (“Don’t call me Shad”) Moss, isn’t there very much these days. Which is why God made tutors. Got to keep the 4.0 up. And yes, his last report card was a 4.0, according to his mom, Teresa Caldwell. Rap pays. A lot. But that’s not stopping him from planning to go to Harvard. Ivy League all the way. “I always push school,” says Caldwell, the braces that gleam from her mouth subtracting a good 10 years from her actual 35. “Education is number one. He knows he has to go to college.” And if his grades slip amid all the touring, the late-night video shoots with the likes of Destiny’s Child, Snoop and Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit? “Oh yeah, he’ll be put on hold,” Caldwell says. “Quick.”

 

For years she was a struggling single mom, working three jobs. Now she’s taken a leave from her management job at a computer company to oversee his breakneck schedule. At 6, her son got a chance to perform when Snoop Dogg’s Chronic Tour passed through Columbus. Snoop was so impressed he dubbed the boy “Lil’ Bow Wow,” and promptly hired him as his tour’s opening act.

 

Which prompted Caldwell to have a little heart-to-heart with her son. “I told him, early on, that famous people work a lot,” Caldwell says. “I told him, ‘Your fans don’t know Shad, they know Bow Wow. They don’t know Bow Wow has bad days. They see this happy little kid. Are you sure you want this?’ ”Yeah, he wants it. He likes writing his own rhymes (“I listen to the beat and then I think. I have to be in a space where I’m alone”) but agreed to let Dupri and rap star Da Brat pen the words for his first CD. Next one, he says, will be all Bow Wow. He’s learned to focus. Doesn’t have much time for friends. Doesn’t really want friends. “I’m a self person,” he says, toying with his two-way pager. He’s jaded. Except he doesn’t know what jaded means. “I’ve seen everything,” he says. “I haven’t done everything, but I’ve seen everything. “I’ve been at this since I was 6.” One thing he’s seen quite a lot of is fans. Fans fighting over him, cussing each other out on the message boards at https://lilbowwow.com.

 

To Bow Wow, this is all good. It translates into record sales. His security team handles the more troublesome fans. “They help out with situations,” says Bow Wow. You know, situations. “Riots. People acting stupid.” Today he’s trying to avoid all that. “Dino!” he says to his security manager, eyes squinting in concentration. “What does the crowd look like?” “It’s packed to the back.” “Not the back. The seats. I’m-a walk through the aisles. Tell them to get security straight.”

 

As the audience waits, deejays spin records. Little girls, and a handful of little boys, rap along to Jay-Z’s new hit, “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”: ''Got six model chicks, six bottles of Cris’. Four Belvederes, got weed everywhere. What do you say, me, you and your Clovey glasses. Go somewhere private where we can discuss fashion. Like, Prada blouse, Gucci bra. Filth marked jeans, take that off. Give it to me . . .''

 

Spotlights start spinning, keeping time to the booming bass thumping through gargantuan speakers. Somewhere, offstage, Lil’ Bow Wow can be heard: “What! What! Oh! Oh!” Then he’s running down the aisle--security guards keeping him far from the madding crowd--and leaping onto the stage. He raps. He rocks. He rolls, prowling the stage, slapping palms. Soaking up the love. “When I say Bow, y’all say wow! BOW!” “WOW!” Three songs, and it’s over. He’s outta there. But not without leaving behind an order: “Show some support! In stores now! Knamean? “I love y’all girls!!!!!”