BOW WOW UNLEASHED ON NEXT LP, TALKS ABOUT LIFE POST-JERMAINE DUPRI

On his third album, aptly titled Unleashed, Bow Wow is barking like you've never heard him. "I'm 16 years old now, [so] I'm talking a lot of garbage, talking a lot of trash, you know what I'm saying?" a brash Bow Wow said Saturday at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards. "That's how I'm doing it on this album."

So who will be the victim of the no-longer-Lil'-one's unleashing? "I'm talking trash to everybody, man," Bow Wow said. "If you buy the album and listen to it, you'll know who I'm talking to."

One might expect a war of words with fellow youngster rhyme slinger Lil' Romeo, but that's not the case. "That little cat ain't no rival with me," Bow Wow said. "You got to think about it. I'm 16 years old. He's 13. He could be my little brother, so, you know, I never really feel like no competition, but it would be a different ... if he started talking about me, but little man never said nothing wrong about me."

Unleashed, due in June, features production from the Neptunes, Bone Crusher and Jazzy Pha (Lil' Wayne), among others, but none from longtime Bow Wow collaborator Jermaine Dupri. "I didn't work with Jermaine this whole album, so it kind of gave me the opportunity to just step up and just do what I want to do, put everything together and just write for the fans," Bow Wow said.

Before dropping his third album, the rapper, who starred in "Like Mike" last year, is shooting his next movie, an ensemble comedy called "Johnson Family Vacation".

"He's a great actor," co-star Vanessa Williams said of Bow Wow. "We're having a good time." In what free time is left, Bow Wow is developing his own fashion line, Shago Clothing.

May 5, 2003

BOW WOW FOR 'PRESIDENT'?

"This is Bow Wow season," the 16-year-old beamed Wednesday night at Sony Studios.

Bow Wow has sheared off his long braids for a new look, is headlining the Unleashed Tour later this summer, has gotten beats from the Neptunes, Lil Jon, Bink and Jazze Pha for a new album and will launch his new clothing line on June 10. Not to mention the fact that he's got two new movies on the burner.

"I'm the main character of course, again," Bow explained of his role in the upcoming flick "Mr. President," which he will begin shooting next year. He inked the deal Tuesday night with the Will Smith-owned Overbook Entertainment, which is producing the comedy.

"It's about a teenage kid who wins an essay-writing contest and gets to be the president for a day, but ends up being the head of state permanently. It's gonna be funny. No telling what I'm gonna do in office [but] I'mma be wilding out fo' sho.' [The movie] is a great opportunity for me."

B.W., who is also "still in the talking stages" with the WB network for a sitcom, will be hitting the silver screen much earlier than 2004, however. "The Johnson Family Vacation," in which he and Solange Knowles play the children of Vanessa Williams and Cedric "The Entertainer," will debut this fall. He said that Cedric would often give him advice on the movie set.

Bow also obtained pearls of wisdom recently from another celebrity he had the pleasure of working with this year — Baby from Cash Money. The Birdman lays his mack down on "Let's Get Down," the first single from Bow's Unleashed, due July 22. "I told my A&R [guy] that I really wanted to do a record with Baby," Bow said. "Throughout [recording] the whole album, that's who I wanted to do a song with. He was actually going to be on another record but it turned out that he was on 'Let's Get Down.' I was real excited.

" 'Let's Get Down' is a party record," he added. "Baby is instructing me on my pimp game. [He said,] 'Dog, this is what you need to go do.' I'm listening to Baby. He's like the godfather. The concept of the video is that I go to the DMV to get my license. I get in the car and Baby's my instructor. We're in Atlanta taking a tour [and] Baby is like, 'Bow, pull over. Tell this to shorty.' He tests me on my speaking game with the ladies. A normal DMV person would be testing you on your right turn, [saying] 'check your mirrors.' Me, I was tested on did I spit game to the girl correctly."

Another track off Unleashed, "I'll Move On," finds Bow Weezey talking to everyone, not just the girls. "Let your boy grow up," he raps on the track, which the Neptunes produced with Mario singing on the hook. On it he tells his fans that just like everyone else, he will make mistakes, and they should not over-analyze his moves as he grows from a boy to man. "Life goes on as I roll on," he says in his new, deeper voice over the tune's bouncy piano and drum-enhanced beat. "I can only be a child for so long/ Y'all don't want to see my childhood prolonged/ But it's time Bow Wow said so long/ Y'all ain't ready for the new phase."

But when B.W. finally does reach adulthood, he said, watch out. No more baby ballin' for him. Produced by Lil Jon, "Eighteen" is a musical wish list of things Bow wants to do once he becomes legal — the first being hitting the clubs. The cut starts off with him being turned away at the door by a bouncer because he's too young. Wow goes on to proclaim that he's looking forward to hitting that age milestone when he'll be able to ride on his own clean rims, buy his own house and get a girlfriend who's older than him.

Other tracks off Unleashed include "The Don," where he raps with swagger ("He's the Don, the Dutch," Pharell Williams says on the hook) and "My Baby," where he comforts a broken-hearted friend.

July 9, 2003

BOW WOW HITS STORES WITH CLOTHING COLLECTION FOR LIL' BALLERS

Just in time for the back-to-school shoppers, Bow Wow's new Shago clothing line hits stores this week. The apparel is influenced by other rappers' menswear lines, such as P. Diddy's Sean John, but is designed for boys and features sizes ranging from 2 to 20, according to Bow Wow's spokesperson. Shago, which takes its moniker from letters in Bow Wow's real name, Shad Gregory Moss, includes three collections: Classic, Knight and Racing.

Several of the items, which are available at more than 150 department and specialty stores, including Macy's and Burdines, feature an SG logo or 87, the year the rapper was born. The Classic Collection includes jerseys, long-sleeved tees, sweaters, two-piece front-zip velour sweat suits, denim jeans, and jackets with patches and multicolor stitching. Navy and burgundy with white and gold trim pieces make up the more vintage Knight Collection, which includes T-shirts, sweat suits, hooded pullovers, letterman sweaters, fleece jackets and button-down woven shirts.

The Racing Collection is the sportiest of the three, featuring crew shirts accented with patches, khaki and stone cargo pants, gel-print T-shirts, sweat suits and a reversible quilted jacket.

Shago also offers a few accessories, including caps, backpacks and a sports bag.

When he's not chasing his fashion-mogul dreams, Bow Wow is rapping and acting. His third album, Unleashed, is due August 19, pushed back from July 22. Bow Wow's next movie, "Johnson Family Vacation," will hit theaters next spring.

August 11, 2003

BOW WOW UNLEASHED 

As if the everyday stress of adolescence isn't enough, imagine going through it in the public eye. That's the challenge that faces Bow Wow.