Today's Child - 2004

   

Raising a Superstar
(click here to download the pdf)

Bow Wow is a phenomenal success in the entertainment business. At just 16-years-old, he's an actor whose movie "Like Mike" grossed more than 60 million dollars at the box office last year; a rapper whose CD "Unleashed" is still topping the music charts; and a fashion maven whose Shago line of urban wear joined the ranks of fellow hip-hop moguls-turned-fashionistas Russell Simmons (Phat Farm), P. Diddy (Sean John) and Eve (Fetish). While Bow Wow's unmistakable talents have helped to propel him to the success that he has achieved at such a young age, much of the credit must also go to his mother, Teresa Caldwell. Caldwell has and continues to be instrumental in both her son's future and current rise to fame.

Lil Bow Wow is Born
So who is the woman behind the celebrity? Well she's a no-nonsense, self-proclaimed workaholic who runs the show, at least any show involving her son, Shad Moss a.k.a Bow Wow. If God is the pilot, then Teresa Caldwell is the co-pilot in Bow Wow's career. Thirty-something Caldwell has dedicated her life to Bow Wow's pursuit of fame since he was barely out of diapers. With relatively no expereience in the music industry, Caldwell left her computer management job years ago and started "Positive Management" to guide Bow Wow's entertainment career. It's a balancing act she has perfected, being mother and manager - and she's done it primarily alone.

Bow Wow's biological father was never really in the picture since Caldwell became a single teenaged mom back in 1987. Bow Wow's stepfather, Caldwell's ex-husband, Rodney Caldwell, was more of a father figure to Bow Wow during the three year they were married. Bow Wow and his stepfather continue to maintain a healthy relationship.

During the lean years, and there were many, Caldwell worked three jobs to keep her head above water. "One time I worked at a department store, then at a nursing home, and at a gas station at the same time," says Caldwell. But, according to Caldwell, Bow Wow never saw the struggle. "He's always lived in good neighborhoods, gone to great schools, had the best things," Caldwell says. "That's why we don't get caught up in this now. But it took me working my butt off to get it. There were plenty of times when it was tough trying to take care of a child by (myself)."

All the while, Caldwell realized her child was very special. He was potty trained by age one -- pretty amazing considering most boys don't get that down until they are two or three-years-old. "From a very early age I knew Bow Wow was advanced...I just tapped into that," Caldwell gleams.

What most people don't know is long before Bow Wow burned his first CD, he was already pursuing a career in entertainment. From the time he was two-years-old he was rapping in commercials. "His first gig was as a baby model in a department store print ad," Caldwell recalls.

The pivotal moment came at age five; back when he went by the name Kid Gangsta and was the opening act for rap artists Yo-Yo and Luke. He also opened for legendary rapper Tupac. Bow Wow had his own music and performed his own rap. The audience went wild seeing this half-pint kid with skills on the stage. "I was like wow he's got it," marvels Caldwell. "This kid's got it."

Her son's big break came during Snoop Dogg's "The Chronic" tour. Caldwell remembers receiving a phone call from an anonymous stranger. The man on the other end offered her two tickets and backstage passes to the concert in Columbus, Ohio, their hometown at the time. The man suggested that during her backstage visit with Snoop that Kid Gangsta be ready to perform. "I thought it was some kind of prank. I just remember calling to confirm this was for real, and discovered the tickets and passes were actually there," she remembers. That night, Kid Gangsta so impressed Snoop that he gave the little rapper the moniker "Lil' Bow Wow" and hired him as the tour's opening act. And as they say in the business, the rest is history.

I'm Grown Now
It was just a year ago that Lil' Bow Wow decided to pull a "Prince" or a "Puff Daddy" which ever you prefer. He decided at the tender age of 15 that he wasn't "Lil" anymore and informed everyone his name had changed to just Bow Wow. The star says that's what his fans called him anyway so it was easy leaving the "Lil" behind. His mom was less impressed with the metamorphosis. "Bow is growing up, but I don't treat him like a celebrity; he's just Bow to me. In my house he's a child, he's just an average boy," she states matter of factly. It's his mom's attitude and lots of prayer that Caldwell says have kept Bow Wow grounded. "First and foremost I keep God in my life," she says. "And I ask him to guide me and also guide Bow Wow to become the nice young man that he is today."

While the road as mother and manager has not always been an easy one, Caldwell is dedicated to doing a good job. A harsh reality that Caldwell says she learned early on as her son's manager, is that her male counterparts in the music business often don't think women know what they are doing, says Caldwell. "It was so hard because I had to become a 'B' to get people to listen to me," she says. "I was like, 'God you know this is not me.'"

And as a mom, in terms of looking out for the best interest of her son, Caldwell has frequently had to put her foot down when it comes to Bow Wow's work schedule.

"Entertainment executives will work you like a slave if you let them," she explains. "They say to me 'Bow really needs to fly here to make this appearance,' and I just say 'No. He's been on tour for months without one day's rest; my son is tired.'" Often, Caldwell says, they are not understanding of the rigors that business can put on a young person. "They don't get it," adds Caldwell. "Finally I insist, my son is tired and I'm shutting this down!"

Not Just Your Average Teenager
Dealing with pushy industry people is just one of the challenges of Caldwell's job as manager to her superstar son. She also has to deal with the artist that is her son. And as the mother of a millionaire, Caldwell faces some unique parenting issues. From financial issues, like reminding Bow Wow that even though he's a millionaire, he can't get his money until he turns 18; to dealing with his desire to move out of their home into his own apartment.

Bow Wow confesses his mom is strict when it comes to the 'cheddar.' The way is works with mama Caldwell, Bow Wow has a credit card with a set limit he can use each month, an allowance so to speak, although you'd better believe its hardly what you're paying your kids each month rounding out at approximately six grand a month.

Caldwell doesn't deny that she holds a tight rein on the expenses and adds that while she could very easily extend the limit "one it's at the max it's denied." She tells her son in a black mother's voice probably with hand on hip, "Don't even ask me to put more on it!"

Perhaps the most recent challenge between mother and son is Bow Wow's intent to get his own bachelor pad. The two currently live in an exclusive neighborhood in Duluth, Georgia, just about thirty minutes outside of Atlanta. You may have seen the 17-thousand square foot home featured on an MTV special recently.

The home is in a community populated by star athletes and musicians where the homes range from one to six million dollors. Bow Wow's crib features three master suites, three guest quarters, ten bathrooms, a home theater, plus a barber and beauty salon. So, you wonder, why would he want to move out? Well to put it simply, Bow Wow ain't Lil' iBow Wow anymore. He admits his mom sometimes offers her blessings, but doesn't think she really wants him to move. The way the star tells it, he's planning to find a place by the end of next year, and plans to move in when he turns 18. "He's 16 and I know he wants to be grown and on his own," says Caldwell adding that she doesn't want him moving out until he's 18 and insists that he also goes to college. "I don't want him to be in this industry without a Plan B. Music is not promised. (Not going to college) has never been an option."

Getting Schooled
On the education front, it seems the tone is less confrontational between Bow Wow and his mother. The 16-year-old, who has been home schooled with a private tutor since the seventh grade, is an 'A' student. Mother and son recently visited Los Angeles' Pepperdine University, where Bow Wow plans to major in business. Caldwell said she selected the private Christian university because it's a good school where her son won't get too caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle. While college in California seems a long way from Georgia, this year Bow Wow will be starring in his own sitcom for the WB Network, which will require him to be in Hollywood. The budding actor will also be shooting a new movie in the spring with Sony Pictures entitled "Mr. President."

The Journey
The road to success for the Caldwell's has been a journey full of bumps and smooth pavement. One thing that has been consistent however, is the devotion of Teresa Caldwell. She has loved her son enough to put her own dreams and desires on hold, and shown enough tough love by refusing to lower her expectations of Bow Wow no matter how high his star rose. Her advice to other parents is evident in her form of childrearing. "Remind (your children) who is boss often, and surround them with positive people."

"People always told me I would never amount to much," says Caldwell. All the while Caldwell has been proving the naysayers wrong, showing them that even though you may become a parent early or have to raise a child on your own, doesn't mean success is not attainable. She encourages parents to "work hard...stay focused and keep God in their lives." It's a formula that yields a powerful product -- a prosperous child regardless of fame or fortune.