A Jamie Foster Brown pair of interviews

This is the scoop from Bow Wow's parents, Rodney and Teresa Caldwell, on what it was like raising the hottest 14-year old star music. How did he start rapping? How do they keep his superstar head on straight? What is he like? Who will he tell when it's time for this amazing kid to experience the birds and bees.

And what happens to Bow Wow's money? Rodney and Teresa answered just about everything I could think of to ask them. It' s an exciting story, whether you're a Lil Bow Wow fan, or a parent interested in how another set of parents raised an ordinary kid. Listen to daddy Rodney first, then go even deeper wit mommy Teresa:

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First I talked with Rodney Caldwell, Bow Wow's stepdad.

Jamie: So how does it feel to be most sought after father in universe? Where's your wife Teresa? How's she doing?
Rodney: [Laughing] She's doing good. She's in Kansas City?

Jamie: With her son, Bow Wow?
Rodney: Yes.

Jamie: Okay, so it's either one or both of you on the road with him all the time right?
Rodney: Yes. All the time.

Jamie: I wanted to talk to you about you and Teresa. How long have you two been married, Rodney?
Rodney: It's going on three years now.

Jamie: So you were together for how long?
Rodney: We've been together for almost seven years. We've been together a long time.

Jamie: Is Bow Wow your baby?
Rodney: No. He's my stepson.

Jamie: He's your stepson? But you're the one who's raising this wonderful little child. Where's his father?
Rodney: I'm not even sure. He's out there somewhere.

Jamie: Oh, he's not trying to get in touch with him?
Rodney: No, no.

Jamie: So you've had this baby since he was like six?
Rodney: Yep. Bow was like six or seven.

Jamie: Did you fall in love with him when you first met Teresa?
Rodney: Yeah, we got along real good when we first met. 'Cause he wasn't Bow Wow then, he was just a kid then.

Jamie: Was he special? Did you think he was a special child?
Rodney: Yeah...I mean he was just like an ordinary kid to me and we played around. Teresa would get mad at us 'cause we make a lot of noise, same as we do now.

Jamie: You all would make a lot of noise doing what?
Rodney: Just playing, wrestling, fighting.

Jamie: Does Teresa have other kids or is he the only child?
Rodney: Yes, he is the only child. And I have two other kids.

Jamie: Are they older?
Rodney: One is 13, she's below Bow, and then I have a daughter, 17 but they live in West Virginia.

Jamie: Where are you from?
Rodney: I'm from Ohio.

Jamie: Now do you work out? Because I said, "Dang, look at his body!"
Rodney: I try to work out. I try to get my little work out on.

Jamie: Are you and Teresa working now? Or no?
Rodney: I'm still working. Teresa took a leave.

Jamie: What kind of job do you have?
Rodney: I work at Discover card. I work on the business side. I don't deal with the cardholders. I deal with merchants that's out there, the companies that accept Discover card. So wherever you go and they accept cards, I deal with those types of people.

Jamie: So how are you able to get off? Because this tour is crazy.
Rodney: It is. The majority of my travel time I leave out on Thursday and I return like Sunday night or early Monday morning. I come in and go to work. His tour dates are only like Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so I get to see the shows. Then instead of traveling on the tour bus, I'll fly home and work through the week.

Jamie: Is there anything that he does in the shows that you all don't agree with? 'Cause he's pretty cool.
Rodney: No. His show is nice. I mean I enjoy it, 'cause Teresa is like, "Why do you watch the show every time?" I go out there and watch it. If he got two shows the same day, I'm watching both shows. And then when we were in L.A. the other week, I had the nerve to get mad 'cause I had a flight to catch and he had his second show and I was mad 'cause I had to leave to go catch a flight and I didn't finish getting to see the show.

Jamie: Well you know what? That's important, Rodney because the fathers are important. The mothers are important but the man is extremely important and the fact that he knows you're going to be there to see that show, I think makes a big difference. Do you?
Rodney: Oh definitely. He looks for me. I tell him where I'm going to be. He knows I'm going to be out there.

Jamie: How amazed are you at this popularity? And when did he start rapping? When did you all notice that he had this talent?
Rodney: He started rapping....Teresa would always say that he would just pound on stuff and make noise. But, when we got together, this was a couple years after I knew he liked to rap, but we had never done anything. And then, you know, she and Bow, they would always talk about it. And I said "Look, I'm tired of y'all talking about what he can do. Why don't we sit down and do something?" Eventually we sat down and put stuff together and then started looking for a deal and, you know, we started doing opening acts and I was like, "Bow, he got some skills!"

Jamie: Does he write the stuff or did you help write?
Rodney: No. He was writing, him and this guy named Dane that was locally from here in Columbus.

Jamie: Was there any music to it or was it just rap?
Rodney: Just the rap.

Jamie: Now how did you all get the deal?
Rodney: We were shopping a deal and you know we sent out packages everywhere and then we were always in contact with Snoop and I think he wanted to do his label. But Snoop was real honest. He was like, "Right now is not a good time for me, but I want to introduce you guys to somebody."

Jamie: Well how were you in contact with Snoop?
Rodney: We talked on the phone.

Jamie: I mean how did you meet?
Rodney: You know, I don't remember. We met Snoop a long time ago. And then when he was around the Ohio area, we would always go and Snoop would let Bow come out on stage and do a little something. I can't remember how we met Snoop, but we've known him for a long time.

Jamie: Snoop took him to Jermaine Dupri?
Rodney: Well, Snoop actually took us to a guy named Steve Prudholme. He introduced us. We talked to Steve and we met and all that. Then Steve and Jermaine were like cousins or best friends and he introduced us to Jermaine and that's how we all hooked up.

Jamie: What does Steve do? Is he a producer?
Rodney: No. Steve used to work at Columbia Records. He used to work for Epic.

Jamie: So now has Bow Wow changed any since all this fame?
Rodney: No. He hasn't changed. I tell people if you didn't know who he was and you walk in a room, you wouldn't know what he does because he is just an ordinary kid.

Jamie: How is that? How did you and Teresa raise this child? He said on BET that he doesn't want to just go to college, he wants to go to Harvard because he has those grades.
Rodney: We pound Bow Wow's head how important education is. And I always tell Bow Wow, I grew up without a father so I never had nobody to pound this in my head. Like you said, a father is important. So we stay on Bow with school and let him know how important it is. We stay up with him, do his homework with him, and then we say, "In this business, people are already going to think you're not intelligent: One because you're a kid, you're black and you're a rapper." I said, "But that is not true and you are going to prove them wrong." It's not like we set a goal out and said "This is what we are going to do," but, regardless if Bow was doing this or not, he was going to get good grades 'cause that's how we live anyway.

Jamie: Well how are his grades now? How is he keeping up with school?
Rodney: He has a tutor that goes on the road with him.

Jamie: Did he get many whippings growing up or was he just one of those kids that just understood?
Rodney: Bow still gets whippings nowadays. He still gets trouble. And I tell everybody, it's not that I'm trying to prove a point. We keep Bow real. And he gets mad at me 'cause when he comes home he would have to go to school. And I would make him go and get on the bus, just like the other kids. Like, "You go and get on the bus. And you ride the bus home." When you're around him, he likes to know that you are not into him, but that you care. 'Cause he'll come at me like, "Now what if I did something like that? What would you do to me?" I'll be like, "Bow, I will beat your butt." He'll say little things like that. I'm like, you just trying to see if I'm going to care or not.[Laughing]

Jamie: Children have to have boundaries. That's why you can't just be their friend, you have o be the parent. And a lot of people don't know how to do that.
Rodney: And we already have that. He already knows when it's business. you know I'm not playing or when I tell you to do this, that's what you're supposed to do.

Jamie: Well This is one of the things we were concerned with, too, because some of the kids spread that rumor about him being molested. And I said that's not possible because I know the father or the mother is there with him at all times.
Rodney: We think that [rumor] got started somewhere in Atlanta. Probably somebody put it on the Internet. But yeah, we've talked to many radio stations to clear it up. Because some of them called us and we had to call some of them.

Jamie: Did that hurt Bow Wow's feelings?
Rodney: No. He just hated hearing it all the time because people kept talking about it. He surprised me for how he handled the actual rumor. Most little boys would be like, "Huh, they're going to think I'm gay." But it wasn't like that.

Jamie: He is such a grownup, though I think he's just an old man.
Rodney: A lot of people, when they sit and talk to him, they forget that's he's just a kid. And sometimes I do. I'll get to explaining and then I'll be like , "Bow, I'm not explaining to you. I'll explain later." But you get caught up because he's sitting there talking like an adult.

Jamie: What are some of the things that you and Teresa would do with Bow Wow for recreation? I'm interested in teaching parents how to parent. I know you said that you do homework with him, but on the weekends would you spend time with him? Do you all sit down and have dinner with him during the week?
Rodney: We all eat together. We all sit together. Bow and I, we go to the gym, we work together. We got a little court outside, so we play basketball together. We do a lot of hanging out together.

Jamie: Teresa, where does she work?
Rodney: She used to work for a company called Sarcom. That's out here in Columbus, it's in Delaware. It's like a computer retail place where, say, like a Discover Card wants to purchase 500 computers they would go through Teresa and she would go out and find the best possible deal.

Jamie How did you and Teresa meet?
Rodney: Me and Teresa knew each other from High School. We were always like flirty, all through the years. And then we started hanging out and got together.

Jamie: If someone asked him to do something and he knew it would make you unhappy, do you think the he would not do it? How much does he care about you, do you think?
Rodney: If he thinks that I'm going to be unhappy, he wouldn't do it.

Jamie: If he thinks that I'm going to be unhappy, he wouldn't do it.
Rodney: If he thinks that I'm going to be unhappy, he wouldn't do it.

Jamie: is he closer to you than Teresa?
Rodney: It's like two seperate things because he's really close to her as far as mommy, mommy. And he's close to me as fas as his protector. When things go down, I'm going to be the one to do things and make sure nothing happens. And not only for him-and Teresa.

Jamie: When you were going to marry Teresa, did you think that was a major responsibility to take on her and her child? How did you feel about that?
Rodney: No, because I was married before and the person I married had a little girl before we met. That little girl was probably about two years old and it's the same girl I call my daughter now she's now 17.

Jamie: You didn't have a father, so what made you such a good father? What did you put in your head to make yourself a good father? 'Cause I noticed that, with a lot of men who didn't have a good father, they're like "I'm going to be a good father."
Rodney: Well, I always look at it like, I was put on earth to do something. Since I said I didn't have a father, I wouldn't let any kids grow up around me without a father. I just thought I was supposed to take care of my kids. Like I said, my daughter, she's still...and I had my biological son with the same girl...so, I still take care of her as if she was mine and she's 17 now and she was two. So I don't know -I just like taking care of them and I make sure they have a right direction and it's just up to us to follow it.

Jamie: What are you teaching Bow Wow about all these girls coming after him now? And about sex and all that? that's important.
Rodney: Bow Wow and I, we talk about it behind Teresa's back because she really doesn't want to hear it [Laughing]. Like I said, kids start asking questions. They want to know. There's a lot of people that come at him and they say things, but we block that out. Realistically, you have got to be careful because it's going to be hard for him because he's growing up. It's different if you're of age and you already had a little friend or whatever, but the sex stuff, it will kill now, you know? It's not like back in the day, you go to a doctor.

Jamie: Well, I tell guys that when they first start coming into the industry, you're no longer the predator, you're the prey. These women come after you. When babies come into the picture, you can get to take care of kids forever. I said you just really have to ask, "What is this sex doing here and what does it want and what's it's name? What is this going to mean to me?" And you really have to stay strict with him on that.
Rodney: Oh I do. And you know how bad it is. I told Bow, I said "When you are with some girl"...I tell him everything..."It's going to be so bad. I think I'm going to have to be in the room to make sure nobody says nothing about you" [Laughing]. he said, "You're not going to be in the room with me!" I said I might be. I ain't going to be far away.

Jamie: You think he'll tell you?
Rodney: Oh yeah, he'll tell me. Oh for sure, he'll tell me.

Jamie: How'd he get the name Bow Wow?
Rodney: Snoop gave it to him.

Jamie: What's his real name?
Rodney: Shad Moss

Jamie: Has anything interesting happened on the tour that has been outstanding?
Rodney: No. Everything has been good. Security has been good. Everything is real good. I mean all his shows sold out. So it's going real good.

You know when I met Teresa, she said "Oh, I read your magazine all the time. I just love your magazine."
Rodney: And you know she tells the truth. You can't talk to Teresa while she's reading your magazine. It pisses me off so much. We're like "Teresa, you can't be into it that much." You can't ask her a question.

Jamie: I think you guys are a model couple. You made a great child. It's work well done.
Rodney: Thank you Very Much.

Then it was time to get the mommy's point of view. You know we got down and went everywhere you would want to go. Here's Teresa Caldwell, Bow Wow's mom.

Jamie: Are you awake, honey? This is Jamie Brown.
Teresa: Oh, I was like, "Who it this?" I'm up working!

Jamie: Working doing what?
Teresa: I'm working doing everything.

Jamie: You ain't got no job, Teresa! Rodney told me that you're not working.
Teresa: Whatever! I work my butt off.

Aren't you on leave or something?
Teresa: Well no, I left my job back in September of last year. I took a personal leave at first, then I couldn't go back. I got too much going on.

Jamie: You got to concentrate on that baby. Am I allowed to call him a baby?
Teresa: yeah, he's my baby.

Jamie: I know he's your baby. So ou're in Detroit for a show?
Teresa: Yeah, we have a show tonight. We had a show last week and then we had to turn about and come back.

Jamie: You know, my cousins went to the show. My little cousin was about to fight a big girl because the girl wouldn't sit down [Laughing]. Girl this is crazy. Can you imagine?
Teresa: It is crazy. Yesterday at the concert in Chicago-last night-this little girl, one of Bow Wow's fans, jumped off the bridge and landed on our bus. We had to take her to the emergency room and make sure that she didn't break any bones.

Jamie: What?! How old was she?
Teresa: She had to be about, I'm guessing 14 or 15.

Jamie: What about these grown women and these teenagers going after your son? How do you feel about that?
Teresa: Man, that's crazy. To me it's really sickening because he's a 14-year-old kid. What can you do with a 14-year-old kid?

Jamie: When is his birthday?
Teresa His birthday is March 9.

Jamie: So he just made 14.
Teresa: Yeah. He just turned 14.

Jamie: What did he do on his birthday?
Teresa: Oh his birthday, we were out of the country. We were in London where Columbia Records had like a big party.

Jamie: Did Rodney tell you that I talked to him a long time?
Teresa: Yeah, he did.

Jamie: He was so much fun? He's nice girl. God bless the two of you because he said that you have been together for a while. But I asked him, I said "Where is Bow Wow's daddy?" Is he ever around? Does he know his biological father?
Teresa: Yeah, he knows his biological father. But he doesn't see him often.

Jamie: And he doesn't try to come around now? Because Rodney raised him from like six or something right?
Teresa: Well, no. Well, we moved in with Rodney when Bow was ten.

Jamie: But, did Bow Wow know Rodney before then.
Teresa: He knew him, but that bond, that tightness wasn't really there because Bow, he's very careful with getting that closeness with men because he doesn't want to get hurt. He's really funny about that. He'll tell you in a minute. He told Rodney's Mom when first met her, "That's my mommy's friend. He's not my stepdad," So he was always....he's very protective when it comes to me and men.

Jamie: So you had to raise Bow Wow the first ten years on your own?
Teresa: Yeah. I was a single parent.

Jamie: Did you have help, like your mother or uncles?
Teresa: You know what? I always looked at like that was my responsibility. So I had to do what I had to do to take care of my kid. But as far as when he was a baby, I did have help. I had help from his grandparents and I also had help from my sisters and also from my mother. So I had a little bit of help, but I'm the type of person that is very independent and I don't reach out for help often.

Jamie: But Teresa, this little boy, in terms of character, you did a fabulous job with him. I'm really interested because a lot of parents don't know hot to raise their children. They don't know how not to be just a friend to the child, but be a parent. What are some the things that you taught Bow Wow? Obviously, he was cute from the time he was born. But you made that boy keep a level head about stuff. When did you start talking to him? At what age?
Teresa: I started talking to Bow when he was a baby. I always felt that it was very important to talk to your kids. When he was a baby I talked to him all the time. I always was honest with him. I'm very real with him. Not only am I his mother, but I am his friend. And Bow is like my best friend. Bow and I have always been close. I can remember when Bow was one or two and I would be dating guys and I'd be like, "You better not tell." We always kept our little secrets and he never ever...until this day he will never, ever, ever, tell a secret. If I say this is a secret between us, you couldn't get it out of him.

Jamie: Really?! Well. who didn't you want him to tell? Your mother?
Teresa: No. You know when you're young and you're dating guys and I didn't really like this guy. "Don't say nothing though. He gets on my nerves. I know he gets on your nerves, don't he, Boo?" "Yep!" "Don't worry, we are about to get out of this one real quick." Stuff like that. Like, "he is really irritating me right now, Bow!" And he says, "Mom, I can't stand him either." He would never say nothing. Or if I would get mad or the guy would do something stupid that I didn't like, instead of me telling my girlfriends, a lot of times I talked to Bow because he was that one person that I knew I could trust.
So Bow had no choice but to grow up fast. Bow was very mature for his age. Bow was potty trained before he could say, "Potty." He was potty trained when he was one. He's just always been a well advanced kid. And with Bow I struggled, but Bow really didn't get to see the struggle. A lot of times when I couldn't make ends meet and stuff came out of the clear blue, I would be like, "It was God. Where did this money come from? God!" So I've always taught him how to let God guide you and it's a lot easier.

Jamie: Did you all go to church a lot?

Teresa: When I was younger I did, but as I got older I don't go to church as much as I should. But I don't feel like you have to go to church to have that close relationship with God.

Jamie: You and I really agree there. Teresa: I just taught him that if people can learn hot to let God guide them, life is a lot easier and a lot better. With me, I was a hardheaded, knuckle-headed little girl. I know I was. I didn't listen to my parents. My mother really raised us. I didn't listen to my mother-I was the grown one. I'm doing it my way and my way is the right way. And my way got me in a lot of trouble. So what I learned to do-and I just learned this, Jamie, probably about six years ago-I just learned how to let God guide me through.

Jamie: How did you learn that? What happened?
Teresa: I just got sick of being sad. I got sick of being depressed. I just got sick of things not falling into place. I just went to church and I would just sit there and listen to the pastor and he was just like, "Y'all just hear-headed. Especially y'all young people." And I just heard that message that day. It was pastor Forbes and his message just hit me and I was like, "Wow."

Jamie: What church is that? Where is that located?
Teresa: It's located in Columbus, Ohio, and it's called Columbus Christian Center. His name is Pastor Forbes. I was going and one of my girlfriends started going there and I was like, "I'm sick of trying to find a church they talking about what's going on in the street." I don't want to hear that mess. She was like, "You got to go to this church. They teach you." And so I went. I was like, "Whoa! I like this." And I was going and then this happened and I've been on the road since July. And then I took Bow and we would like Sunday morning at 8 o'clock service. We would be in the line. Bow and I would go.

Jamie: Did he like going to church?
Teresa: Yeah, he liked going to that church.

Jamie: That particular church was interesting to you?
Teresa: Yeah. it was the teaching.

Jamie: When you had Bow early, you had to work? How old were you when he came?
Teresa: When I had Bow, I was 22.

Jamie: You didn't have him so early!
Teresa: Nah, but that was kind of early for me though.

Jamie: You were a grown woman. You ain't have no baby when you were like 16.
Teresa: Oh no. I waited. But that was still young to be having a baby to me.

Jamie: It's young to me because I had my first one at 28. I had to live. I was traveling all around Europe. My husband and I were together four and half years before we had children. It gives you a chance to get to know each other. In raising Bow Wow. what were some of the funny moments or interesting moments in school?
Teresa: Bow was a comedian. He always had to be the class clown. So I was always they type of parent that was involved in his schooling. The teachers would always know to call me. All they had to say was "I'm calling your mother!" and Bow would immediately straighten up and say, "Please don't call my mother!" 'Cause I will come up to the school and I will go off.

Jamie: Did he get whippings?
Jamie?! He still gets whippings!

Jamie: You can't whip him now! [Laughing]
Teresa: Yes I do. He just got a whipping last week.

Jamie: For What?
Teresa: He like to irritate people and he gets on people's nerves. And then they tell him to stop, stop, stop, and I hate to hear that and I just tore his butt up.

Jamie: With a belt?
Teresa: Yes I did.

Jamie: Don't hit him too hard.
Teresa: Whatever. That's why I don't have no problems out of Bow. And then he was funny. He just always embarrasses me. Like when I would have guys over, he would always embarrass me. I would never forget the time. I think Bow was about two...and I used to wear weaves all the time. I would always put him to bed because I never liked guys around him. You know that was like my personal life and I didn't want him to think it was cool to have different men over. There was not a lot of guys that was able to meet him because I didn't allow that. But one time I thought he was asleep and Bow comes out of the bedroom and he's like "Mommy," and he had all of my weaves over his freakin' head. And the guy didn't know I wore weaves because back then you'd hide that. It was not like how it is now and I was like "Oh my God!"

Jamie: What? Did he glue it to his head?
Teresa: No, he had it all over him. "Mommy, your hair! Your hair!" And I almost cried I was so embarrassed. All the time he was like a little comedian.

Jamie: Have you all bought a bigger house? Has your lifestyle changed yet?
Teresa: We just bought a bigger house in Columbus.

Jamie: So, you're going to stay in Columbus?
Teresa: Yeah, I'm not leaving Columbus, It's quiet, it's nice.

Jamie: Yeah, you need time away from all that. When did you know Bow Wow was a rapper and as talented as he is?
Teresa: I think I noticed him when he was about two or three because he used to sit around and he used to watch videos and he would remember them. And I didn't really know that he was going to be a rapper, but I knew that he was going to be doing something.

Jamie: And how was he discovered exactly? What happened? Did he just go up to Snoop or what?
Teresa: A lot of people think that Bow was just put up on stage and started rapping and Snoop even came along. Bow had been rapping ever since he was like four or five. I had him auditioning in talent shows being the opening act for different artists that were coming to Columbus. Every talent show, he won. So he always got to open for concerts that came to Columbus. He opened for Tupac, he opened for Yo-Yo, he opened for Luke. So he was already doing that stuff. He was at [Jack the Rapper's Black music convention]. Finally he hooked up with Michael Bivens and them and they got us in "Jack the Rapper" in Atlanta. I remember somebody had called my house and it was a guy, and I don't know who the guy was to this day. He was like, "Teresa, I got some tickets for the Snoop tour-the Chronic Tour is coming to Columbus and I want you to take him there." I was like "Whatever! I ain't going to no Snoop concert." So then Bow went to the concert and he was picked out the audience to go up on stage.

Jamie: How did they pick him?
Teresa: Because AJ Johnson (comedian) was just picking people. Like "Come on up. We want to see who can flow." And a friend of mine help him up on his shoulders and they picked Bow and Bow went up there. But, people from Columbus already knew him because he was already doing stuff here and he just started flowing. They started throwing money up there. And then they asked Bow to come backstage and they asked if he could remain on the Chronic Tour, which there were only a couple of dates left because that whole tour got canceled for whatever reason. So Bow was only able to do a couple of shows and then it got canceled. And that's how that happened.

Jamie: So then Snoop took him to Jermaine?
Teresa: No, that's not how that happened. What happened is that I kind of took a break 'cause it just didn't really work. I really thought that Bow was going to be with Death Row, but I think Suge kinda wanted him, but it wasn't the right time. He was too young. You couldn't understand him. So it never happened. So I was like, "Okay I'm going to take a break because Bow, he counted on them to do some things for him, but it never happened. he was really hurt. So I took a break from it and Bow was like, "Ma, this is something that I really want to do." So, about four or five years ago, I started it up, I said "Let me put a demo together. Let me get my baby ahead. He relies on me. I promised him this. "So, I started putting packages together. I got a demo together. I got a video together. I started sending stuff out. So I heard that Snoop was going to be in Columbus at the Newport. I'm like "Oh my God! I got to get down there. I got to get him in. If Snoop sees Bow now, they are going to freak!" I hadn't heard Snoop, I hadn't heard from Death Row in years. Nobody tried to contact me. I tried to contact Death Row Records like, "Hey, Suge, what's up?" Basically Death Row kind of like played me like "Who are you? We never heard of no Bow Wow?"

Jamie: How did Suge ever see Bow Wow?
Teresa: Suge was always good to Bow Wow, I can't say not one thing bad about Suge because Suge was good to Bow.

Jamie: But how did he meet him?
Teresa: Because Suge was at the concert in Columbus, at the Chronic show. He was there and see everybody was on Death Row at the time.

Jamie: And how old was Bow Wow at the time?
Teresa: Bow was six at that time, so Bow was thinking he was going to put out an album because that's what they told him. But he was really too young. At six years old, you can't understand. Suge knew that and Suge was good to Bow. You know he made sure Bow had toys-he was good to him but nothing never happened there as far as Bow putting out an album. Which you know, things happen for a reason. But even when I was trying to get him back out there, Death Row was the first place I called and they dogged me up there. And I think Suge was in jail then. I was like "I'm tr ying to get in contact with Suge," and they were like "We don't know who you are. We don't know no Bow Wow." I'm like, "You don't know Lil' Bow Wow?" "No!" So I'm like, "Oh, okay. Suge must don't know this." So I sent letters up to Death Row, like certified letters, because I'm like, "Okay, let me cover my butt." I started sending certified letters, they signed for them. Since they weren't calling back, let me go ahead. So then Snoop came to Columbus and I was like "Let me get my baby down here." We Went in the show and couldn't get in. Finally, I was like, "Tell Snoop got him on the stage and he turned that show out. Then Snoop said, "I want to introduce y'all to somebody, Teresa. Really, really" I was like "Snoop,Whatever." He was like "I know somebody up at Sony that works for Epic. Send him a demo." I said alright, whatever. Then before I sent then a demo, I had sent Jermaine a demo. So it wasn't Jermaine. I was like, "I got to get him to Jermaine because I know Jermaine is going to want it." I had met Jermaine when he was with Kris Kross. I really wanted Jermaine. But the guy that was in charge of the A&R department sent it back to me. He was like, "Jermaine's not interested in no more kids." I was like "Oh, okay, that's cool." So then I sent a demo to the guy that Snoop had wanted me to send it to. And the guy was like "Wow, this kid is hot." And that's how it got to Jermaine-from Epic people. Snoop never took me to Jermaine. The guy was with Epic. And I was like, "I would love for Jermaine to do this." But they sent it back to me. And that's how that happened.

Jamie: Everybody thinks that Snoop walked him in there. Now you're talking about Death Row,a nd that camp has a lot of sexual and violent lyrics. You've never been afraid that would affect your son?