Bow Wow Used His Tiny Desk to Put Ohio On
Bow Wow finally checked off a major career milestone this week. The rapper graced NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk stage as part of its Black Music Month series celebrating the legacy of BET.
According to NPR, the June series honors the network that “put Black artistry first,” with performances that reflect “the essence of Black music.”
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Bow Wow’s inclusion made perfect sense.
“His debut single spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, he released three successful albums and landed a string of big screen appearances, all before turning 18,” NPR wrote on its website. “His transformation from child star to well-rounded entertainer serves as a blueprint for longevity, and honoring the impact and legacy of BET without him would have been incomplete.”
The Columbus-bred rapper used the moment to revisit some of his biggest records, running through acoustic versions of “Outta My System,” “Fresh Azimiz,” “Shortie Like Mine,” “Bounce With Me,” “Let Me Hold You,” and “Like You.”
While most fans were focused on the nostalgia and the hit records (rightfully so)— us Ohio natives couldn’t ignore how much love Bow Wow showed his home state throughout the performance.
He donned a black and white New Era fitted cap with “Ohio” embroidered in cursive across the back and repeatedly shouted out both Ohio and Columbus during the set. He even switched up lyrics during “Let Me Hold You,” giving a nod to both Ohio and Atlanta.
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Born Shad Moss in Columbus and raised in Reynoldsburg, his career famously began after being discovered by Snoop Dogg in 1993 at just six years old under the name “Kid Gangsta.” Five years later, he signed with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def Recordings, where the producer helped reshape and reintroduce him to the world as Lil Bow Wow.
The rest is history.
Atlanta may have helped create the star, but Bow Wow made sure everyone watching Tiny Desk remembered where the story started.
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