If there’s one thing Bow Wow isn't a fan of, it's Columbia Records. Voicing his concerns, mishaps and utter disapproval through four separate video blogs, Bow Wow has publicly asked Columbia Records to release him.
Bow Wow displeased with label efforts from Columbia Records.
This probably comes as a shock seeing how Bow Wow has since retired from the genre. However, lately, Bow's been distributing tidbits of information that still ignite the notion that the Ohio native is very much a recording artist still looking to fulfill his creative needs.
Bow starts the clip off by giving a brief introduction explaining how the lackluster efforts at Columbia led him to his current actions. Remaining extremely diplomatic, Bow decided to reveal his frustrations through the videos so he could explain exactly how he felt about the label’s lack of experience on the urban side of things.
"I think Columbia's problem is that they don't know how to work with rappers. I'm really the only rapper on that label," Bow lamented. "My labelmates consist of John Legend, who they work extremely well with; Beyoncé, who they work extremely well with; but when it comes to rappers, they're not really a rap label, they don't get it.”
Though these revelations may come as a surprise to the untrained eye, Bow's feathers have been ruffled since the early days of 2003. The rapper detailed mishaps starting from his third solo LP, "Unleashed."
"Every time I dropped an album, unfortunately, even from the "Wanted" album to the "Price of Fame" album even to the "Unleashed" album, every time I dropped an album I would notice a pattern of how many people would get fired at the label," a lethargic Bow Wow explained. "Ya’ll don’t even understand…like right in the middle of my project there was always a change at Sony."
Aside from his own turmoil with Columbia Records, the retired rapper also issued a warning to West coast rookie Nipsey Hussle, who is also signed to the Epic/Columbia Records imprint. Understanding Nipsey's raw lyrical talent, Bow suggested that Hussle switch homes as soon as possible.
"Nipsey Hussle is also on Epic, which is still Sony. I would advise him to get off the label while he can," Bow suggested. "He’s a young dude, he’s talented and I don’t want to see his talent go to waste because like I said, Columbia does not know how to work rap artists."
Later in the clips, Bow went on to continuously explain several situations in which he creatively bumped heads with Columbia. One particular instance which was a topic of discussion upon the song’s release, was Columbia's decision not to promote the R. Kelly-assisted "I'm A Flirt," a record that was initially slated to be Bow Wow's second single from his "The Price of Fame" effort.
Bow said, "I go to Columbia and say, ‘Let’s go ahead and make “I’m A Flirt” the second single.’ At the time, I’m not going to say any names, they had someone working Urban radio who didn’t know what the f*ck they were doing. The person tells me, ‘I don’t think the record is going to work. I don’t think it’s even going to chart.’"
He continued, "Next thing you know, I’m in L.A. with Lil Ronnie (the producer of “I’m A Flirt”) and I pick up a Billboard Magazine and see that the song had actually charted. It was like #50 and then it charted on some download list. I call my manager and everyone else and told them, ‘Yo, the fuc*ing “I’m A Flirt” record just charted. Ya’ll said it wasn't going to work.’ When I saw that sh*t it kind of burned me out because you mean to tell me that even with no help from Sony, a billion-dollar record label whose job is to pump out singles, this sh*t still charted?"
Towards the end, Bow Wow lays his plea on thick, genuinely requesting the powers that be at Columbia Records to let him out of his contract. "Everybody in the office at Columbia Records, do me a favor. My fans, they see it. They recognize it. They see you guys ain't working as hard as you guys used to work back in 2000," Bow Wow bargained. "It's a big difference, they see it...Can you please grant me this one wish? Columbia, can you please grant me this wish and let me go? That's all I'm asking, please let me go. Please, please, please, please, please, please. Thank y'all, I'm out."
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