This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music.
Bow Wow built his own lane. His debut single spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, he released three successful albums and landed a string of big screen appearances, all before turning 18. His transformation from child star to well-rounded entertainer serves as a blueprint for longevity, and honoring the impact and legacy of BET without him would have been incomplete.
They don’t call him “Mr. 106 & Park” for nothing. The platform was practically built around the type of fandom he created. I was admittedly one of those devoted fans, with Lil’ Bow Wow t-shirts and posters, glued to the screen every afternoon to watch as he dominated the countdowns. A generation of us continued to tune in as he eventually stepped in as a host of the show himself. It’s a loyalty that Bow Wow earned, and he basks in that glory as he blazes through his Tiny Desk concert full of back-to-back hits.
As the Ohio-bred rapper says himself, Bow Wow keeps his set in the “No. 1 region,” presenting fresh takes on a handful of his top-charting rap records throughout the years. The decades of dedication to his craft were evident in the cadence, stage presence and high-energy infused in performances of “Shortie Like Mine,” “Fresh Azimiz” and “Let Me Hold You.” Bow Wow also makes sure to include “Bounce with Me (from the motion picture Big Momma’s House),” the song that started it all. Hearing it in the room felt full circle, a reminder that everything he built from just 13 years old has led to this exact moment.
SET LIST
“Outta My System””Fresh Azimiz””Shortie Like Mine””Bounce with Me (from the motion picture Big Momma’s House)””Let Me Hold You””Like You”
MUSICIANS
Bow Wow: vocalsMarcus Devine: keys, music directorDJ Jus: DJ, background vocalsAndrew Ashford: keysNathaniel Lewis: guitarDre Bell: drumsJohnyce “Johdi” Jackson: background vocalsJahz Watts: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Alanté SereneDirector/Editor: Joshua BryantAudio Engineer/Mix: Josephine NyounaiHost/Series Producer: Bobby CarterVideographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Mitra I. Arthur Audio Engineer: Hannah GluvnaProduction Assistant: Ashley PointerPhotographer: Vanessa CastilloTiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Josh NewellSeries Editor: Lars GotrichExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedExecutive Director: Sonali MehtaSeries Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton