NEWS: Bow Wow: Acting First, Rapping Second

Bow Wow better hope his bite is as bad as his bark. The former teen superstar told the Hollywood Reporter that he's going to focus on acting full-time now, instead of rapping.

"After 16 years in the music industry and six successful albums, I've decided to shift my energy to something else I'm passionate about, acting," he said. "I'm going to try to be the next Will Smith." Certainly those are big shoes to fill.

The Atlanta-by-way-of Ohio rhyme spitter released a collaborative album with Omarion last year titled Face/Off. The group project created plenty of buzz, however, album sales didn't pile up as expected. Bow Wow had greater success with his earlier solo albums, as did Omarion with group mates B2K.

Bow Wow (nee' Shad Moss) will have plenty on his plate despite not working on music.

He's scheduled to appear on the forthcoming fifth season of HBO's "Entourage". Bow Wow will play a stand-up comedian in a recurring role. E., played by Kevin Connolly, will managed him as a client.

Also, Bow Wow is set to take to the big screen alongside Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker and Isaiah Washington in a post-Katrina sports drama titled "Patriots." The rapper recently wrapped work on an indie flick "Driving Lessons."

He hasn't given up music entirely either. His next studio album, H.I.M. (History In Making), is due later this year.-Jayson Rodriguez