Name at birth: Shad Gregory Moss

A rapper since he was five years old, Lil Bow Wow caught the attention of rap stars and producers such as Snoop Dogg (who gave him his nickname), Dr. Dre and Jermaine Dupri in the late 1990s. Lil Bow Wow first made guest appearances in songs for the movies Wild Wild West (1999, with Will Smith) and Big Mommas House (2000, with Martin Lawrence), and in 2000 released his debut album, Beware of Dog. The album featured the hit singles Bounce With Me and Bow Wow (Thats My Name), and Lil Bow Wow was in steady rotation on MTV, in television appearances and on magazine covers, a star at the age of 13. In December 2001 he released his second album, Doggy Bag, and in 2003 he dropped the Lil from his name in favor of simply Bow Wow. He released the album Wanted in 2005, featuring the songs Let Me Hold You (with Omarion) and Like You (with then-girlfriend Ciara). Moss has also established himself as an able actor, starring in Like Mike (2002) and Roll Bounce (2005). His other records include The Price of Fame (2006), Face Off (2007) and New Jack City II (2009).