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Beware Of Dog Review
07/13/2005 6:50 AM, AMG
You have to wonder who's the real star of Beware of Dog: Lil' Bow Wow, the sensational teen rapper from Ohio who miraculously raps better than most MCs in the industry despite his youth, or Jermaine Dupri, the sly producer from Atlanta who somehow continues to strike gold every few years with a teenage pop-rapper. Alone, neither Bow Wow nor Dupri are very impressive. Sure, the kid can rap circles around most of his adult peers and swoon all the girls while he's at it. But it takes more than talent and cuteness to succeed in the rap industry, especially when you're only a kid. Similarly, Dupri can produce hit songs in his sleep and defy whatever sort of trends risk his reign on the charts. But he's definitely not superstar material himself. Together, however, these two seem like the perfect pair: the prodigy and the sage. Beware of Dog certainly showcases why these two work so well together. Over the relatively brief course of the album, Dupri and co-producer Brian Michael Cox deliver sure-fire pop-rap: "Bounce With Me" is the sort of feel-good song destined to be a perennial summer anthem; "Bow Wow (That's My Name)" is the sort of respect-demanding introduction perfect for name recognition; and "Ghetto Girls" is the sort of good-guy ballad sure to infect the hearts of innumerable teenage girls. Somehow, Bow Wow and Dupri managed to deliver just what rap needed in 2000 -- pure fun without all the bling-blingin' and ass-shakin', without any swearing or sex -- and did so in a way that didn't seem too obvious or derivative. Talk all you want about duos like Dre and Snoop or Puffy and Biggie; Bow Wow and Dupri are just as complementary, if not more so. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
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