Key Takeaways
- Jaewon called Bow Wow “hip-hop’s Michael Jackson,” citing his rise as a child star, move into acting, and lasting fan base despite years of jokes and criticism.
- CJ Wallace told his Silver Spoons co-host to “slow it down,” arguing that Michael Jackson’s worldwide fame puts him in a different league.
- Bow Wow released the double-platinum Beware of Dog at 13, became the youngest rapper with a No. 1 hit, and later starred in films including Like Mike and Roll Bounce.
Jadakiss' son Jaewon believes Bow Wow deserves more recognition for his impact on hip-hop, comparing him to Michael Jackson to prove his point.
On a recent episode of the Silver Spoons podcast, which Jaewon co-hosts with The Notorious B.I.G.'s son CJ Wallace, the two discussed Bow Wow's career and his ability to stay relevant despite years of criticism and social media jokes.
"Bow is like hip-hop's Michael Jackson. First child star," Jaewon said, describing the rapper as "a child star in hip-hop at a time when it's dominated by grown men."
Jaewon explained that there’s parallels between their careers to further his point.
"Came in as a child, had grown women on his body. Movies. Still selling out. Bow Wow ain't dropped an album music in mad long," Jaewon said. "He announced it towards, selling out worldwide like... trials and tribulations, all of the jokes and trolling on social media just like Michael Jackson had, but he still has his fan base."
However, Wallace wasn't convinced that Bow Wow belonged in the same conversation as the King of Pop.
"Slow down, bro. Slow it down," Wallace responded before joking, "This dude gonna get cancelled."
He then pushed back on the comparison by emphasizing Jackson's worldwide popularity and saying, “Michael Jackson's the second most famous person next to Jesus.”
Jaewon eventually cooled off the comparison before both hosts agreed to show Bow Wow some love.
While Wallace wasn't buying the Michael Jackson comparison, Bow Wow's early career certainly helped pave the way for young rappers.
Discovered by Snoop Dogg at just six years old, Bow Wow eventually signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings in 1997.
His debut album, Beware of Dog, arrived in 2000 when he was only 13 and went double platinum. His breakout single "Bounce With Me" also earned him recognition from Guinness World Records as the youngest rapper to score a No. 1 hit.
Bow Wow later expanded into acting, starring in films including Like Mike, Johnson Family Vacation and Roll Bounce, while continuing to build his music career.
As for whether Bow Wow agrees with the comparison, the hosts expressed interest in eventually having him on the podcast.
