Not a puppy, not yet a dog

He can't lie. He loves B-O-O-T-Y. \nBut are we disturbed by the fact that the once rapping child prodigy used to want puppy love and was the flyest thing walking through junior high school? \nFrom "Beware of Dog" and "Doggy Bag" to "Unleashed," Bow Wow displays lyrics in his newest album that show he's growing up and can only make fans and worried mothers wonder when the dirty language and sexually explicit lyrics will really begin.\nThe 16-year-old rapper (if you ever forget how old he is, he'll remind you in nearly every song) is attempting to be as badass as ever with songs like "The Don, The Dutch" and "I Got Ya'll." In the first track, he says he's "a dope MC" and that he's got "sold out shows to so many chicks all over the globe." \nBesides the popular summer track "Let's Get Down" featuring Baby, the only other really danceable song on the album is the bonus track, "I'm Back." Songs with Jagged Edge and Mario make the album sound too R&B, thus confusing the listener. Are we listening to a badass rapper or a confused teenager that wants to be a pop star?\nPerhaps what's missing on the album is production help from Bow Wow's long time mentor, Jermaine Dupri.\nBow Wow's albums were much better when he had the "Lil" in front of his name. Growing up is hard to do, no doubt, especially in the entertainment industry. But this teenage rapper is far from ready to be "unleashed" as a serious rapper.