When Shad Moss marched onto the hip-hop scene under the moniker Lil Bow Wow, armed with killer rhymes, his signature cornrows and the conviction of his peers, who were 10 years his senior, it’s safe to say he came out the gates swinging. Following the blueprint that many of his contemporaries have left behind, such as Michael Jackson or Destiny’s Child, the adolescent quickly grew from teenage heartthrob to the brilliant multi-hyphenate that we see today. Moss, a native of Columbus, Ohio, may have gotten his start as the protege of Jermaine Dupri and Snoop Dogg but at 35, the “Bounce With Me” rapper has carved his name in the entertainment industry as a formidable adversary to be reckoned with.
Moss stopped by Blavity News to discuss his latest collaboration with Polaris Slingshot as part of their “Make Your Mark” series, the impact of social media on his career and the value of being authentic in his art.
His latest collaboration with Polaris Slingshot
Moss recently partnered with Polaris Slingshot as the inaugural personality to be featured on their series, “Make Your Mark.” The five-part series highlights those who have left their mark within their respective career fields. Moss said that it was important for him to get involved with this particular campaign because he feels represented by the luxury brand.
“It represents everything that I represent. Anything in life that you do, you want to do it to your fullest capability. You also want to leave your mark. You want to leave an impression, it’s like why do it?” Moss said. “Even more than just me being a celebrity or famous, but being a father and leaving my mark in that light. It just represents everything that I represent.”
Why he feels that it’s his duty to create
Moss, who released his first album at the age of 13, has curated music for more than 20 years, introducing us to timeless hits such as “Like You” and “Fresh Azimiz.” A career of such longevity would likely cause most creatives to reject the concept of creating after a while, but for Moss, he feels as if it’s his duty.
“If you’ve got the answers, share them with the world. I’ve always been an advocate of that. I’m not the type of person to hold information in or hold anything back,” Moss said. “I want to share it all. I want to share all my creativity with the world. I want to show the people how dope I am.”
His career trajectory
Looking back at the early stages of Moss’ career, one could’ve easily predicted the massive success that we currently see, but for Moss, himself? Not so much. The Ohio native said that his focus was always on the work and the ensuing success.
“I definitely didn’t think that would happen, I didn’t even plan on it to happen,” Moss said. “I was just having fun doing the work like ‘whatever’s going to come with it, will come with it.’ I just loved to rap and entertain, and I just so happened to be kind of good at it. Next thing you know, you’re three million in. A lot of these things that I’ve been involved with, I didn’t even ask for, it just happened. I’m just blessed, I’m grateful and I’m thankful. I never want it to stop.”
The impact of social media on his career
It might be a little challenging to imagine a world where artists’ digital presence and the way their art is consumed wasn’t directly correlated, but there was. Before TikTok and Instagram, musicians’ content was judged by a variety of factors unrelated to the digital phenomenon that we see today. Moss’ artistry flourished in an era that wasn’t marked by the latest social media trends or happenings, and the rapper insists that if he wasn’t a public figure, he’d likely be off the platforms for good.
“We live in a social media-dominant era right now. I try my best to scale back and not give away too much and that’s just by choice,” Moss said. “If it wasn’t for me being famous, I probably wouldn’t even have social media because I’m just so focused on living in the real world. I guess I’m still kind of old school in a way. I don’t mind living under the radar, I actually love having my privacy. I don’t want everyone in my business”
Moss said that he does use social media to keep his fans and loved ones updated on his life.
“It’s something that we have to adapt to,” Moss said. “I use it when it’s for promotion, putting my records out and keeping my fans updated. Especially for my family that I don’t get a chance to talk to, it’s a cool way for them to keep up with me.”
Why he displays authenticity in his art
One resounding quality about Moss’ musicality is the authenticity that bleeds through his lyricism. According to him, it’s simply who he is.
“It’s about just being real,” Moss said. “Me being authentic to who I am, I think that’s why my music has been able to withstand the time. I’m always going to be myself, no matter what. I think because of that, I’ve been able to be here for the amount of time that I’ve been in the game.”
His advice to today’s teenagers who aspire to make it big
Moss’ advice to the next generation who aim to follow the path to stardom that he has set is simple — keep pushing.
‘Don’t trust everyone,” Moss said. “Read your contracts thoroughly, understand what you’re getting yourself into. Always believe in yourself and understand there’s always a bigger goal at the end of the day. Keep pushing forward. Set a goal and keep pushing.”
To view Moss’ “Make Your Mark” spot, check it out here.
