Many people wonder if Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg are related, since they share a similar stage name and rap style. The answer is no, they are not blood relatives, but they do have a close bond that goes back to the early 1990s. Here is the story of how Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg met, and how they influenced each other’s careers.
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How Bow Wow Became Lil’ Bow Wow
Bow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Teresa Rena Caldwell (née Jones) and Alfonso Preston Moss. He became interested in rap at age three, and started performing under the moniker “Kid Gangsta” at age six. He was also a fan of N.W.A and Snoop Dogg at that age.
In 1993, when he was only 11 years old, he performed at a concert in Los Angeles, and was noticed by Snoop Dogg, who was impressed by his talent and charisma. Snoop Dogg gave him a stage name, “Lil’ Bow Wow”, and invited him to appear on his album Doggystyle, on the track “Gz and Hustlas”. He also appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and in the “Gin and Juice” music video with Snoop Dogg.
How Snoop Dogg Helped Bow Wow’s Career
Snoop Dogg introduced Bow Wow to record producer Jermaine Dupri, who helped shape his career and signed him to So So Def Recordings. In 2000, Bow Wow released his debut album Beware of Dog, which featured his hit single “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)”, a collaboration with Snoop Dogg. The song sampled “Dernier Domicile Connu” by François de Roubaix and “Atomic Dog” by George Clinton, and became a rap anthem for the young generation.
The song also won several awards, including Billboard Music Award for Rap Single of the Year, BET Award for Viewer’s Choice, and MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. The video was directed by Dave Meyers, and featured cameos from Fred Durst, Chanté Moore, Moby, and Jermaine Dupri. It was the first music video on BET’s 106 & Park to be retired.
Bow Wow continued to release successful albums and singles with So So Def Recordings, such as Doggy Bag (2001), Unleashed (2003), Wanted (2005), and The Price of Fame (2006). He also branched out into acting, starring in movies like Like Mike (2002), Johnson Family Vacation (2004), Roll Bounce (2005), and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006).
How Bow Wow Grew Out of Lil’ Bow Wow
In 2003, Bow Wow dropped the “Lil’” from his stage name, as a sign of his maturity and artistic evolution. He also parted ways with So So Def Recordings, and signed with Cash Money Records in 2009. He released his seventh album New Jack City II in 2009, which featured collaborations with T.I., Nelly, Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, and Jermaine Dupri.
In 2015, Bow Wow signed a management deal with Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records. He also appeared in several TV shows, such as Entourage, CSI: Cyber, Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, and The Masked Singer. He also reprised his role as Twinkie in F9 (2021), the ninth installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise.
How Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg Remain Close
Despite their different paths and labels, Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg have maintained a close relationship over the years. They have performed together on several occasions, such as the BET Awards in 2010, the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2014, and the Millennium Tour in 2019. They have also expressed their mutual respect and admiration for each other on social media.
In 2021, Bow Wow revealed that he regrets signing with Jermaine Dupri instead of staying with Snoop Dogg. He tweeted: “Stayed w Snoop. And never signed w nobody else.” He also credited Snoop Dogg with his career, saying: “Snoop is my godfather. Without him there is no me.”