Bow Wow on Leaving Cash Money and Linking Back Up With Jermaine Dupri

For the past two decades, Bow Wow has been what many would call a chameleon in the entertainment business, adapting to various surroundings and adding new hustles to his resume. Starting off as a rapper with his first single "Bounce With Me" in 2000 at the age of 13, he moved into acting in movies two years later starting with 2002's Like Mike. In 2013, he became the host of BET's 106 & Park, and in the last year he's launched both a liquor line and a clothing line. In short, Bow Wow, who goes by his real name Shad Moss in the business world, has expanded into several different facets of the entertainment world.

Now, Bow Wow nabbed a role in the fourth installment of the hugely popular CSI series, CSI: Cyber. Not bad for someone who started off as a pint-sized hype man for Snoop Dogg. However, even with the new checks, it came as a big surprise to many when the MC announced that he had parted ways with Cash Money, his record label home for the past six years, to return to making music with the man who helped start it all, Jermaine Dupri. His return to music came with the release of "Where You At" last month, along with the announcement that he's back on Dupri's So So Def Records.

Skeptical or not, Bow Wow the rapper's first release in more than six years seems to be staying afloat. XXL hopped on the line with Shad Moss to catch up on the last few years, including his time spent at Cash Money, reuniting with Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg's mentor role and the future of his various endeavors. —Miranda J.