Old pup, new tricks
If there were any doubts that Bow Wow is all grown up, his new CD – which comes with a parental advisory sticker – drives it home.
The 22-year-old rapper says “New Jack City II” shows his growth, from his executive producer duties to its lyrical content.
He’s also growing as an actor. He returns to HBO’s “Entourage” this summer and will appear in the Hurricane Katrina-inspired basketball drama “Hurricane Season” with Forest Whitaker and Taraji P. Henson.
Q: You used to be known as Lil Bow Wow. Do you feel like you’ve officially ventured away from the kid rapper image?
A: I told myself that I would never force it upon people to make them think or make them believe that I’m grown (and) I said I’ll just do it all through my music … I never acted out with my actions to show people that I’m getting grown, you never see me with a cigarette, or see me wilding out or doing anything like that.
Q: Did you ever wish you didn’t grow up in the media?
A: Not at all. Everything happens for a reason. I’m just one of the chosen few that actually grew up in the limelight and maintained and still be normal.
Q: What’s been the most challenging part about it?
A: Trying your best not to get stressed out, the hardest part is not to get down, not to let the business get to you. I think the business is more mental than it is talent. I think you can have the talent, but if you don’t have it up here, I think you can easily just break down. That’s why you see so many artists just go crazy (and people ask), “Why’s he doing that? Why is he on drugs? Why? …” Because the business can drive you to do that if you don’t have it here.
Q: What else do you want to do in your career?
A: Take over the world if I can. I’m pretty much happy with the things that have been handed to me already. Seven albums, eight arena tours … I think there’s nothing I really would look forward to besides winning a Grammy one day if that would happen.
Q: Or an Oscar, right?
A: I think I have a better chance at getting an Oscar before a Grammy.
Q: Why so?
A: Because the music industry is so fickle, there’s so many politics. I think a lot of people don’t pay attention to the credits or the artistry no more. I think there’s so much concern about what’s going on right now instead of the actual artistry. … But for acting, I got that covered.
The birthday bunch
Actor George Takei (“Star Trek”) is 72. Actor Ryan O’Neal is 68. Actress Jessica Lange is 60. Actor Clint Howard is 50. Actor Crispin Glover is 45. Country singer Wade Hayes is 40. Actress Carmen Electra is 37. Actor Joey Lawrence is 33.