Otheruses
Shad Gregory Moss (born March 9, 1987) is an
American rapper and
actor. He released his debut album
Beware of Dog at age 13, then under the stage name
Lil' Bow Wow, which he carried until his 2003 album
Unleashed, under simply
Bow Wow. Three more albums followed,
Wanted in 2005,
The Price of Fame in 2006 and
New Jack City II in 2009. In 2007, he released the collaboration album
Face Off with
Omarion.
Early life
Bow Wow was born in
Columbus, Ohio, the son of Teresa Caldwell and Alfonso Moss.
At age three, he became interested in music. Under the moniker "Kid Gangsta", he began rapping recreationally at age six; he was also a fan of
N.W.A at that age.
One year later, in 1993, he performed at a concert in Los Angeles, and was noticed by rapper
Snoop Dogg, who subsequently gave him a stage name, "Bow Wow".
signed Bow Wow to
Death Row Records.
Lil' Bow Wow then appeared on a skit on Snoop's debut
Doggystyle, and on his music video of "
Gin and Juice".
