In the past few months rapper Bow Wow has released a number of new works, including his sophomore CD “Doggy Bag” in December, a movie Like Mike earlier this month, along with dropping the title “Lil” from his name.
But now he’s teaming up with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the “VERB: It’s What You Do” Youth Media Campaign.
Bow Wow’s 48-city Scream 2 tour featuring IMX and B2K kicks off tonight at the MidSouth Coliseum, featuring the VERB campaign throughout the show, and Bow Wow encouraging pre-teens to engage in a healthy lifestyle.
The “VERB: It’s What You Do” (YMC), launched by the Department of Health and Human Services is a national, multicultural media campaign promoting physical activity and community involvement in an effort to curb unhealthy behavior among tweens (children ages 9-13).
Survey data collected by the CDC shows that 32 percent of U.S. children attend physical education classes, down from 42 percent in 1991. Decreased physical activity, paired with unhealthy eating habits, has caused the percentage of obesity in children and adolescents to double over the past 20 years.
The VERB campaign encourages tweens to find verbs expressing action and fitting their personality and interests, such as run, dance, skate, etc. Tweens are then encouraged to incorporate those verbs into their lives.
Bow Wow began rapping when he was 5 years old. He was given his name by Snoop Doggy Dog a year later. Since then, the young phenom has worked with artists including Snoop Doggy Dog and Will Smith on the “Wild, Wild West Soundtrack,” and he is currently working under contract with So So Def music mogul Jermaine Dupri.
Bombarded with a rigorous schedule of television appearances, tour stops and award shows, Bow Wow keeps up his studies with a tutor. Did I mention he has a clothing line and another album in the works?
His appearance Wednesday showed just how popular Bow Wow is. More than 100 Memphian tweens lined up along the Coliseum gates to catch a glimpse of the superstar, who turned 15 in March.
Mayor Willie Herenton welcomed Bow Wow to Memphis, proclaiming him an honorary Memphis citizen and presenting him with a key to the city. Likewise, the NBA Memphis Grizzlies organization presented the Columbus, Ohio, native with a personalized #3 Memphis Grizzlies jersey, making him an honorary member.
When asked about his favorite verb, it was none other than bounce. And why not?
The single “Bounce With Me” off his first album, “Beware of the Dog,” was the #1 rap single for eight weeks. But the young rapper admits that all his efforts are in vain if he can’t please the public.
“It’s a blessing, and I’ve learned a lot,” he said of touring and working on a movie.
“But I have a wonderful fan base. My goal is to give back to the fans,” he added.
And that’s what he’s done with the current, well-known single “Thank You.”
Also teaming up with Bow Wow on the Memphis performance of the Scream 2 tour are Black Entertainment Television and 106 and Park in a segment that will include backstage footage from Memphis, which will air soon.
The $190 million VERB campaign was launched in mid-June, and it includes agreements with DC Comics, AOL Time Warner, Disney, Primedia, Viacom and a number of other celebrity endorsers besides Bow Wow. Bow Wow will also star in a national public service announcement, as well as visit recreational centers in various cities on tour stops to promote physical activity.
