Shad “Bow Wow” Moss recently credited Diddy for helping him reclaim his respect in the industry after becoming the face of the Internet’s ridicule for several years.
In a recent interview on Math Hoffa’s “My Expert Opinion” podcast, the “Let Me Hold You” rapper discussed the mockery he used to receive on social media following his silly antics, such as the popular “Bow Wow Challenge” in 2017. He said the Bad Boy CEO helped him understand that his actions will always affect his brand.
According to Bow Wow, he and Diddy had a serious conversation while at the hip-hop mogul’s house for a pajama party; other celebs like Snoop Dogg and Nelly were also in attendance.
“That n—a told me straight up,” the 36-year-old said, “‘Don’t be doing no clown s–t. F–k wrong with you?’ ”
He recounted Diddy’s tough love, “‘We don’t associate with no clown s–t n—a. You know you better than, you Bow n—a. N—a, you better understand your brand n—a and go out here and go to work.’”
Bow Wow revealed that Diddy’s advice to “be quiet, lay low, and go to work” opened his eyes and “put everything in perspective.”
While Bow Wow candidly acknowledged that the public’s negative perception of him was “self-inflicted,” he also suggested that the newfound popularity of meme culture played a role in his short-lived downfall.
The one-minute clip was edited and reposted on The Neighborhood Talk’s Instagram page, where several fans brought up Bow Wow’s former mentor and Grammy Award-winning producer Jermaine Dupri.
“But Jermaine BEEN..you know what.. he knows.”
“Jermaine ain’t tell you that Shad?
“JD been telling him that.”
Dupri played a critical role in Bow Wow’s life and music career, starting in his younger years. In 1997, the record executive signed the young emcee to his So So Def label.
While the talented duo has made popular albums and tracks together, such as “Basketball” and “Like You,” Bow has been vocal about regretting his decision to sign with Dupri.
In 2022, the “Lottery Ticket” actor answered a few questions on Twitter and suggested that he and JD have “no work chemistry.”
Last week, the “Like You” rapper went on another Twitter rant where he blasted Dupri for allegedly holding the rights to his music and accused Dupri of not producing “all the hits” people think he has.
Though their feud appears to be intense, Bow Wow described their current situation as one where they’re “taking a break” from each other. But he gave viewers hope that they one day will make amends.
