That being said, as we age the reason we lose that ability is because we learn right from wrong and begin to understand codes of behavior. In short, we mature.  Maturation is clearly not in Bow Wow’s repertoire, as illustrated so plainly though his latest release New Jack City II (So So Def).

The release is the epitome of white noise. As a 13-year-old kid, Bow Wow put out the shockingly entertaining Beware of Dog album followed up a year later with certified double platinum release Doggy Bag. The novelty and relative skill of a pre-pubescent rapper with cornrows and swag in era before ’swag’ had a title was a huge draw. Middle school girls were going ape-shit over the MTV-fueled Ohio-bred Mini-Me emcee. FYI – I’m totally fine with someone using that in a verse.

But the novelty of a kid whose junk hasn’t dropped having more money than dot-com startups circa 1999 and owning more luxury vehicles than a dealership, despite the fact that he wasn’t old enough to drive any of them stopped as soon as he dropped Wanted in 2005. His second double platinum record, Bow Wow crossed over into the realm of adult music with tracks like Let Me Hold You and Like You and in doing so catapulted himself into the league of grown-up artists. What do grown-up artists do? They mature.

Bow Wow has not.

Rapping about money, women, swag and cars on every freaking track, his lyrical content is more bland than English food. His flow is average and the production on the album is so damn light and sugary I felt like I needed insulin after listening to it. Pop through-and-through, New Jack City II is a made-for-radio album that will probably drive a single or two through the radio for six weeks then be tossed in the garbage along with Terminate on Sight and Deeper Than Rap. Bow Wow’s relevance as an artist has diminished to the point where the only publicity he’s getting is from YouTube videos of him bitching at his manager or whatever for waking him up on his tour bus and for getting bitched at by Wendy Williams for rudely cancelling an interview with her.

I can see why the Bow has casted a musical net as wide as he has (ahem, someone queue Desperado), but the fact of the matter is he hasn’t cast his net deep enough to garner actual interest in anything past the face value of the album. The music is shallow, the lyrics are kiddie pool deep and the guest appearance-ridden, synth-riddled sound that carries the release is so 2000 and late. Sorry Bow, quit the game or grow up.

For more information on Bow Wow and/or New Jack City II visit his site HERE.