January 23, 2004
BOW WOW WATCHES NBA GAME
Bow Wow takes in the the Atlanta Hawks-New York Knicks game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
February 12, 2004
NBA ALL-STAR JAM SESSION
Bow Wow in action at the NBA Entertainment League Game as part of the events of 2004 NBA All-Star Jam Session at Los Angeles Convention Center.
February 12, 2004
NEW READING AND LEARNING CENTER AT THE LOS ANGELES BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Bow Wow and actor Frankie Munoz pose for a photo during the unveiling of a new Reading and Learning Center at the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club during the 2004 NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles, California.
February 14, 2004
NBA ALL-STAR JAM SESSION
Bow Wow shoots during the Celebrity Shootout at Jam Session at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California.
February 14, 2004
4TH ANNUAL HOOP MAGIC CELEBRITY ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAME
Bow Wow in action during the 4th Annual Hoop Magic Celebrity All-Star Basketball Game to benefit the Magic Johnson Foundation.
February 14, 2004
NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND
Bow Wow attends the All Star Saturday Night as part of 2004 NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center.
February 15, 2004
NBA ALL-STAR GAME ARRIVALS
Bow Wow during NBA All-Star Game 2004 - Celebrity Arrivals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, United States.
March 3, 2004
AFTERPARTY FOR WARNER BROS NASCAR 3D: THE IMAX EXPERIANCE
Bow Wow and Jemaine Dupri gesture as they arrive for the after party of Warner Brothers 'NASCAR 3D: The Imax Experiance' at Universal Studios City Walk in Los Angeles, California.
March 6, 2004
CELEBS AT THE LAKERS GAME
Bow Wow, Sedric The Entertainer and Steve Harvey on Fox Sports Net befor the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on March 6, 2004 in Los Angeles, California.
March 6, 2004
35TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ARRIVALS
Bow Wow, Cedric The Entertainer, Vanessa Williams and Gabby Soleil from movie "Johnson Family Vacation"
March 6, 2004
35th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS SHOW
Actor/Comedian Cedric The Entertainer (L) and Actress Vanessa Williams and Bow Wow on stage at the 35th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre, March 6, 2004 in Hollywood, California.
March 20, 2004
18TH ANNUAL SOUL TRAIN MUSIC AWARDS
Singers Solange Knowles (L), Bow Wow (R) and Chico Benymon (rear) present at the "18th Annual Soul Train Music Awards" at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on March 20, 2004 in Los Angeles, California.
March 31, 2004
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE "JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION"
Bow Wow during "Johnson Family Vacation" Los Angeles Premiere at Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, California, United States.
April 3, 2004
NICKELODEON'S 17TH ANNUAL KIDS CHOICE AWARDS ARRIVALS
Bow Wow during Nickelodeon's 17th Annual Kids' Choice Awards - Arrivals at Pauley Pavillion in Westwood, California, United States.
April 7, 2004
BOW WOW BACKSTAGE AT MTV TRL
Bow Wow and Solange Knowles pose for a photo backstage during MTV's High School Week on Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios April 7, 2004 in New York City.
April 7, 2004
BOW WOW AND SOLANGE KNOWLES VISIT MTV'S TRL HIGH SCHOOL WEEK
MTV VJ Quddus, Bow Wow and Solange Knowles during Solange Knowles, Bow Wow and Yellowcard Visit MTV's "TRL High School Week" at MTV Studios, Times Square in New York City, New York, United States.
April 16, 2004
BET'S SPRING BLING
Jermaine Dupri and Bow Wow attend BET's Spring Bling in Daytona Beach, Florida.
May 21, 2004
UNLEASH THE PUNCH
Hawaiian Punch, in collaboration with rapper Bow Wow, has launched an "Unleash the Punch" contest, with a $10,000 prize for the winner of a rap-song writing competition.
All consumers can also receive a free Hawaiian Punch Bow Wow T-shirt by mailing in proofs of purchase from two one-gallon bottles (plus shipping and handling fees).
For contest details, check specially marked packages, or visit the Web site at www.hawaiianpunch.com.
June 30, 2004
BOW WOW KICKING IT OLD-SCHOOL-ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2001
Bow Wow is only 17 years old, and he's already talking about reinventing himself — for the second time. This time, however, it means he'll be kicking it old-school, all the way back to 2001. He's reuniting with original producer Jermaine Dupri for his fourth LP and he's bringing back one of his most beloved trademarks.
"We're trying to go for the whole vibe," Bow Wow said recently. "I'm growing my braids back. As you can see, my hair is kinda crazy — I got a 'fro right now, man. So we're bringing the old Bow Wow back — but I'm still Bow Wow, not Lil' Bow Wow no more." Earlier this year, the MC suggested that the throwback was in the works.
"I think his last record was a mistake," said Dupri, who was not involved with that album. "I think he lost a lot of kids. He had a lot of followers, and one thing [people] don't realize is that once these kids start following you and start getting their hair done like you, it's hard to drastically come out different, [with] a completely different style. It throws the kids off. I felt when Bow Wow cut his hair off, he kinda lost kids, 'cause that was his thing. Bow Wow is the leader of that little pack and I think he threw all of them off."
Bow Wow said he's hoping to release his next LP around Thanksgiving or Christmas, and although he and Dupri haven't even started recording, the pair have discussed where they want to go musically. "He was at the forefront of the teenage rap movement and he's got to get back to it," Dupri said. "I was responsible for putting him in that place, so I'm gonna try again to put him back in the forefront."
As you might know, Dupri signed Bow Wow and produced his 2000 debut, Beware of Dog, along with most of Bow's second album, 2001's Doggy Bag. But after Dupri's label, So So Def, severed ties with Sony Music in 2002, Bow was contractually bound to Sony while Dupri headed over to Arista. The teen titan released his third album, Unleashed, in 2003 and suffered meager sales.
Although separated by business, mentor and protégé remained friends, and in February they met in Los Angeles and discussed getting back together in the studio. "Me and Jermaine's relationship is just incredible," Bow testified. "I don't even call him 'Jermaine,' I call him 'my big bro.' I'm like his little brother. I look up to JD, and JD knows that. Deep down inside, I'm sure it hurt him too, to watch me to go on by myself, knowing that he had a lot of input into my career. It was kinda hurting both of us. But yeah, man, me and JD are back."
Bow said he wants to continue to evolve as an artist, and on his new album, you'll hear his rapping and making beats. "I'm even starting to produce," he revealed. "I've been watching JD for like five years now, so I'm taking everything I learned and using it in my own way. This fourth album is gonna stay on that mature level and just better my craft. I'm gonna talk about a lot of crazy topics that fans don't know about. I want to talk about my father — growing up, just me and my mother with no father. I want to just touch base with teenagers. I want to do a record that talks about the different things that are involved with teenagers."
One teenager he's been talking to is Dupri's newest So So Def success, J-Kwon. Bow appeared in Kwon's "Tipsy" video, and the two have done one song together that should be showing up on mixtapes soon. "He lives down here in Atlanta, I hang out with 'Kwon. I'm gonna definitely get him on my album," Bow said.
The only other guest that might take the mic on Bow's album is the man who discovered him, Snoop Dogg. "That's about it," Bow said. "I'm good. I really want this album to be all about me kicking it with the fans." Bow's fans will have the chance to kick it with him in person and win 10 G's at the same time: He's involved in Hawaiian Punch's. "The winner has to write a rap," he explained, "and whoever I feel has the hottest rap, that's who wins the $10,000 and gets the chance to meet me."
August 7, 2004
1ST ANNUAL TEEN PEOPLE "YOUNG HOLLYWOOD" ISSUE
Bow Wow during 1st Annual Teen People "Young Hollywood" Issue at Teen People Mansion in West Hollywood, California, United States.
September 4, 2004
SOULFEST ATLANTA
Bow Wow during SoulFest Atlanta 2004 - Day 1 at Turner Field - Green Lot in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
September 23, 2004
USHER CONCERT AFTER PARTY
Bow Wow arrives at Usher concert after party at a nightclub in Miami Beach, Florida.
November 6, 2004
MIAMI HEAT VS. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Bow Wow watches the Washington Wizards in a game against the Miami Heat on November 6, 2004 at the MCI Center in Washington D.C.
November 13, 2004
GRAND OPENING OF TASTE BOUTIQUE
Bow Wow and Teresa Caldwell, "Taste" owner and Bow Wow's mother at the Taste Boutique in Duluth, Georgia.
November 14, 2004
TEEN PEOPLE'S ARTISTS OF THE YEAR PARTY ARRIVALS
Bow Wow and Khleo Thomas.
November 16, 2004
WARNER BROS PREMIERE OF "ALEXANDER" ARRIVALS
Bow Wow arrives at the premiere of "Alexander" at Grauman's Chinese Theater on November 16, 2004 in Hollywood, California.
November 24, 2004
MIAMI HEAT VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
Bow Wow and hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri watch the Atlanta Hawks NBA game against the Miami Heat courtside at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
November 26, 2004
ORLANDO MAGIC VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
Atlanta Hawks fans producer Jermaine Dupri, Miss Black Georgia 2004 Shelby Renee Larkin, and rapper Bow Wow pose for a portrait during the game with the Orlando Magic on November 26, 2004 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The Magic won 117-99.
November 30, 2004
NEW YORK KNICKS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
Jermaine Dupri and rapper Bow Wow cheer courtside during the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks at Philips Arena on November 30, 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Knicks won 110-109 in OT.
December 17, 2004
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
Bow Wow smiles at Darius Miles #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers during their game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 17, 2004 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The Blazers defeated the Hawks 100-84.
December 22, 2004
DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
Bow Wow watches from courtside as the Atlanta Hawks play against the Dallas Mavericks on December 22, 2004 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
