Review: Bow Wow's stab at mature content an ill fit for lil' audience

By Barry Piser
Anchorage Daily News

Rapper Bow Wow and friends performed Sunday night at the Sullivan Arena under the theme “Back to School” – capitalizing on the headliner’s teen idol status. The show itself came off like an awkward teenager, unsure of itself but yearning to be cool with macho posturing and bragging.

Bow Wow live in ANC: Bow Wow rocks the mic Sunday night in the Sullivan Arena. Bill Roth/Daily News

National hip-hop star Bow Wow himself is 20-years-young and trying to make a transition to an older audience. The problem is that the more mature audience was definitely not among the thousand or so fans at the Anchorage show.

The age range of attendees was evident in the largely empty “wet” side of the arena. On the alcohol-free side, teen girls dominated the audience and one could see six-year-olds hoisted onto shoulders.
The focus of the songs Bow Wow and his “friends” – opening rappers Lil’ Fizz and David Chris – performed were the trappings of the rap lifestyle: money, cars, women, sex, houses, girls and jewelry. Repeat.
Not exactly a great message for a “Back to School” concert for teens and kids.

Bow Wow and friends didn’t pick the theme – that honor probably should go to spelling-challenged Cold Frunt Productions – but they certainly didn’t tone down their acts for a younger crowd.
A shirtless Chris told the crowd he was “lovin’ these girls here.” At one point during his set, the chorus recommended that the crowd focus on “money over (derogatory word for women, derived from dog breeding)” while a trio of back-up dancers clad in booty shorts writhed to the music.

As I pondered this deep message, I was brought back into reality when a young girl ran smack into my leg, hitting no higher than mid-thigh. Recess this was not.

Lil’ Fizz spent the majority of his set rhyming about how many chains, cars or houses he could buy, with a mix of sexual overtones thrown in for good measure. The teenyboppers loved this, especially when he asked, “How many ladies are trying to get in my bed tonight?” The small-in-stature Fizz didn’t resort to going shirtless to gain audience approval, but added numerous gyrations and threw $1 and $5 bills to elicit shrieks.

Bow Wow finally hit the stage just over two hours after the show’s announced start time. Unlike his counterparts for the night, Bow Wow is a seasoned solo performer who exudes charisma, engages the crowd and actually has hit records under his belt. He told stories, including that the first girl he dated – in middle school – was from Alaska.
He shined, despite the least-flashy outfit of the night: gray Nike sweatsuit, white T-shirt and toned down chain. He did sport a watch that was likely worth more than most of the cars in the Sully parking lot, though.

Bow Wow performed his set with confidence and it was largely radio-friendly fare – save for a freestyle-esque flow about the things he would do in bed to all his celebrity crushes. During “Let Me Hold You,” his last song of the night, he ran to each side of the stage and made a lewd sexual gesture that the fans seemed to appreciate.

Bow Wow sent the school-set home happy, but not without one final message: He dedicated the show to the Jena 6 in Louisiana, telling the kids to look it up online or watch the news. It was a mature move but one that held little value after the two hours of bad judgment that preceded it.