Bow Wow Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Bow Wow’s Net Worth?

Bow Wow, an American rapper and actor, holds a net worth of $1.5 million. He became a significant phenomenon in the music industry at just 13 years old when he released his debut album. During this early stage, he was known as “Lil’ Bow Wow.” Following his music success, Bow Wow expanded his career into acting.

Legal and Financial Issues

In July 2011, Bow Wow disclosed that he had a daughter named Shai with his former girlfriend after months of denial regarding the rumor. During an October 2012 court session concerning child support for Shai, he informed the judge that his monthly earnings were only $4,000, with just $1,500 in his checking account. He was subsequently instructed to pay $11,500 in overdue child support along with $3,000 monthly moving forward.

Earlier that year, TMZ reported that Bow Wow had debts exceeding $90,000 to the IRS. The publication also revealed that over the past few years, Bow Wow had experienced repossession of both a $200,000 Bentley and a $220,000 Ferrari by various creditors, alongside still owing $280,000 to a luxury car leasing agency.

Early Life

Born Shad Gregory Moss on March 9th, 1987, in Columbus, Ohio, Bow Wow began writing his own raps by the age of six, using the name “Kid Gangsta.” His early influences included groups like N.W.A. It was during this upbringing that Bow Wow had the opportunity to perform on stage in Los Angeles, where Snoop Dogg, present in the audience, was captivated by the young rapper’s talent. After the event, Snoop Dogg met Moss and nicknamed him “Lil’ Bow Wow,” a name that became permanent.

Career

At that time, Snoop Dogg had yet to release a debut album and invited Lil’ Bow Wow to be featured on one of his tracks. The album, “Doggystyle,” debuted in late 1993, with Lil’ Bow Wow appearing on the song “Gz and Hustlas,” marking his first foray into professional music. He gained additional fame after appearing on “The Arsenio Hall Show” later that year.

Five years later, he encountered Jermaine Dupri, a producer who took a personal interest in refining the 11-year-old talent. After contributing a track to the soundtrack for “Wild Wild West” in 1999, Lil’ Bow Wow readied himself for the release of his debut album at age 13 in 2000. The album, titled “Beware of the Dog,” featured hits like “Bounce With Me” and “Bow Wow,” the latter with Snoop Dogg, which topped the rap charts, reinforcing their collaboration. Despite being his debut, the album had impressive sales, exceeding 2 million copies within a year and eventually reaching over 3 million copies sold, which earned it platinum status.

In 2002, Lil’ Bow Wow made two important changes: he rebranded to “Bow Wow” and launched his second album, “Doggy Bag.” When questioned about his name change, Bow Wow mentioned that the “Lil” prefix was too common among rappers and that he felt he was maturing. “Doggy Bag” fared well, peaking at number eleven on the Billboard Top 200 and achieving platinum certification once again, featuring tracks like “Take Ya Home.” Another significant release for Bow Wow in 2002 was the song “Basketball,” which was part of the “Like Mike” soundtrack.

In 2003, “Unleashed,” the album by Bow Wow, featured collaborations with artists like Birdman, Mario, and Amerie. Although it received mixed reviews, it managed to peak at number three on the Billboard Top 200 and sold 129,000 units in its first week. Bow Wow’s subsequent album, “Wanted,” released in 2005, included various collaborating artists, Omarion among them. Similar to “Unleashed,” “Wanted” debuted at number three on the Billboard Top 200, selling 120,000 units in its first week. Soon after, in 2006, “The Price of Fame” was released, featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain. This album debuted at number six on the Billboard Top 200 and remarkably sold 262,000 copies within its first week.

In 2007, Bow Wow collaborated with Omarion for a joint album and subsequently released “New Jack City II” in 2009. This album marked the first in Bow Wow’s discography to carry a parental advisory warning due to its exploration of themes like drug use. That same year, he signed with Cash Money Records, marking the beginning of challenges in his musical career. Despite featuring on tracks with other artists and putting out mixtapes over the following years, he repeatedly announced and subsequently delayed the release of his next album, which ultimately never materialized. Eventually, he reverted to using his birth name, Shad Moss, and parted ways with Cash Money Records without having released an album under their label.

Later, after signing with Bad Boy Records, which is owned by P. Diddy, he announced his retirement from rap after one final album entitled “NYLTH.” As of May 2023, listeners expressed disappointment over the album’s continued absence. However, in 2016, Shad Moss did collaborate with Soulja Boy on a mixtape.

Acting/Hosting Career

Partly motivated by the growing focus on his acting and hosting career, Bow Wow decided to step away from music. However, he had acted since his music career began, making his debut in 2002’s “Like Mike.” Among his notable performances is his role in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” He has also appeared in various television shows, including “Smallville” and “Entourage.” In 2021, he returned to portray Twinkie in “F9.”

In addition to acting, Bow Wow has had a significant career as a TV personality and host. In 2013, he began hosting BET’s “106 and Park,” which was canceled a year later. In 2016, Bow Wow took on hosting duties for “RnB Friday Nights,” a show based in Australia.

Personal Life

Bow Wow was previously engaged to Erica Mena and has a daughter named Shai Moss with Joie Chavis. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother.