What is Bow Wow’s net worth?
Net Worth | $1.5 Million |
Source of Wealth | Professional Rapper, Actor |
Date of Birth | March 9, 1987 |
Nationality | American |
Height | 5’7 / 170 cm |
Place of Birth | Columbus, Ohio |
Star Sign | Pisces |
Religion | Christianity |
Marital Status | Single |
The Usual Intro
Bow Wow, officially named Shad Gregory Moss, is best known as an American professional rap artist. Bow Wow first acquired fame when he was featured on a single in Snoop Dogg’s debut album “Doggystyle” in 1993.
Bow Wow was formerly known as “Lil’ Bow Wow’, a name given to him by Snoop Dogg.
In addition to his career as a rap artist, Moss has seen success as an actor, having performed multiple starring and supporting roles over the last two decades.
Before the Spotlight
Shad Gregory Moss was born on March 9, 1987, in Columbus, Ohio. He is the son of Alfonso Preston Moss and Teresa Rana Caldwell. Moss’s father abandoned the family soon after his birth. His mother and stepfather raised him in Reynoldsburg along with his stepsisters, Erica and Jasarah.
At age three, Moss showed interest in hip-hop music and started to practice rapping as a hobby by age 6. His mother was fond of his passion for music and made him participate in local talent shows. He rapped under the name “Kid Gangsta.”
Much of his rap style was inspired by N.W.A. as he was a huge fan. When he performed a concert in Los Angeles, Snoop Dogg took an interest in the young rapper’s talent and invited him to work together. He dubbed Moss “Lil Bow Wow,” which later became his stage name.
The Journey to Success
Bow Wow’s career started after appearing in Snoop Dogg’s album “Doggystyle.” In 1998, he met producer Jermaine Dupri, who signed him to So So Def Recordings. His debut album “Beware of Dogs” was released in 2000 when he was only 13. He followed this up with his 2nd album, “Doggy Bag,” in 2002, which ranked on several charts. The same year he starred in his first movie, “Like Mike,” and recorded the film’s chart-topping soundtrack. Eventually, he removed “Lil” from his name stating that he has matured.
In 2003, Bow Wow released his third album, “Unleashed,” and went on to release a series of albums until the early 2010s. He has released two chart-topping albums and 14 chart-topping singles so far. His tracks feature many big names such as T-Pain, Chris Brown, and Soulja Boy. In 2009, he signed with Cash Money Records and released his remaining albums through them. Later, he worked under Universal Republic Records label, but was soon moved to Republic Records.
Bow Wow’s career in acting goes back to 2001, when he made small cameos in multiple movies. His two most popular debuts were ‘The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift’ and ‘Scary Movie 5’. He made guest appearances in shows like “Smallville,” “Ugly Betty,” and “The Steve Harvey Show.” In 2016, he was selected to host BET’s 106 & Park show.
The Best Moments
- Featured in Snoop Dogg’s 1993 debut album “Doggystyle.”
- Debuted in 2000 with the album “Beware of Dogs.”
- Won the Billboard Music Awards’ “Rap Single of the Year” for his track “That’s My Name” in 2001.
- His last album “Greenlight 5” was released in 2013.
The Private Side
Shad Moss is currently single; however, he has had at least one confirmed relationship in the past. In 2011, he had his daughter, Shai Moss, with girlfriend Joie Chavis. For the first few months, he denied rumors of having a child.
In 2012, a judge ordered him to pay $3,000 monthly child support with an $11,500 up-front payment.
Bow Wow takes a keen interest in politics. In the 2008 Presidential elections, he conducted a “Walk Across America,” in which he traveled to 15 cities to register new voters. However, he faced a lot of backlash for his decision to not vote in the 2016 Presidential Elections. He argued against the dishonoring of the struggle for civil rights by claiming he is not “exclusively black” by heritage.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Bow Wow was scrutinized for performing at a nightclub in Houston without a mask. He responded by stating that he was not getting paid for the one song he performed and that he put on his mask afterward.
Bow Wow’s Related YouTube Video
Famous Quotes of Bow Wow
Here are some of our favorite quotes from Bow Wow:
- “Dealing with the fame and going from nothing and becoming something where everyone wants a piece of you, your life changes in a day.”
- “I was born with no money. So when people talk about Bow Wow being rich his whole life, I don’t know where they get that.”
- “The whole point of the game is not to stick with one thing, because when that one thing ends, then what are you going to do? For me, I have movies, ‘106 & Park,’ music, and other things to fall back on.”
The Social World
Bow Wow is active on social media. Here are the links to his official social media accounts, along with the number of followers he has:
- Instagram: 4.7 million followers.
- Facebook: 6.7 million followers.
- Twitter: 3 million followers.
- YouTube: 1.25 million subscribers.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Some success lessons we can learn from Bow Wow:
- Make friends with the right people. His collaborations with other rap artists, especially Snoop Dogg, brought him much of his popularity.
- Diversify. Bow Wow has diversified into films and other fields to enhance his portfolio and establish various sources of income.
- Follow your own heart. Bow Wow has proved on multiple occasions that he does not let public opinion influence his actions.
- Stand up for what you believe in. Bow Wow actively supports politics and led a walk to encourage more voters to register for the 2008 Presidential elections.
The Unusual Stuff
Some interesting facts about Bow Wow you might not have known:
- Bow Wow dropped ‘Lil’ from his name as he was irritated by new rap artists’ overuse of the word as a prefix.
- Bow Wow reported being broke in 2012. He revealed that he had a monthly income of $4,000.
- Bow Wow performed as ‘frog’ in the third season of ‘The Masked Singer’ in 2020.
- Moss’s favorite author is reportedly Walter Dean Myers.
Answering Frequent Questions
What is the Bow Wow challenge?
In 2017, Bow Wow posted a picture of his private jet. The photo turned out to be fake, so people started posting fake and misleading photos on social media as a part of the “Bow Wow challenge.”
Does Bow Wow still make music?
Bow Wow’s last album was released in 2013. He announced his plans to release his final album in 2016 and retire; however, he has not released said album. His planned albums “Underrated” and “NYLTH” were never released either.
Where is Bow Wow now?
He currently lives with his mother in an 8-bedroom mansion in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Closing Remarks
Bow Wow is an American professional rap artist and actor. He started rapping at five and made his debut at 13. He has released multiple albums and singles in his career as a rapper.
Bow Wow performed several prominent roles as an actor, including a supporting role in the film “The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.”
Despite announcing plans to do so, Bow Vow has not released an album since 2013. Today, many assume that he is retired.
Featured image credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com