Bow Wow
The Price of Fame

SonyBMG

Since his last recording, Ciara’s ex-boyfriend Bow Wow has made a name for himself in the movies. Declaring himself fresher than the prince of Bel-Air, the young MC clearly hopes to remain more relevant a rapper than Will Smith.

But despite guest stars such as Pimp C and Lil’ Wayne (who show up on the Southern bounce style track “4 Corners”) and repetitive boasting about his bankroll and bling collection, Bow Wow hasn’t gone gangsta. He’s already nailed a radio hit with the girl-friendly Chris Brown collaboration “Shortie Like Mine”. And longtime producer Jermaine Dupri keeps the album on a similarly commercial tip.

The Price of Fame is actually Bow Wow’s fifth album and by now the 19-year-old is a solid, if somewhat unimaginative, MC who doesn’t feel the need to overly prove how grown he is. He may be slightly edgier than usual, but Price still steers clear of a parental advisory sticker.