Bow Wow: Talks About Suicidal Thoughts and Fatherhood

The rap superstar spoke with Russell Simmons about life, why fame almost led him to suicide, and the fatherhood advice he received from a good friend, Tyrese.

Published

13 years ago

July 9, 2011

Unheard Voices Staff

After announcing the birth of his daughter, Bow Wow has been all over the news.

The rapper spoke with Russell Simmons about life, why fame almost led him to suicide, and the fatherhood advice he received from a good friend, Tyrese.

“The suicide thoughts just really came because I think earlier I was exposed to so much Uncle Russ to the point to where I kinda felt like it ruined my adulthood. When I was younger I wish I listened to everybody that was older telling me “don’t do that just yet you should wait” or “don’t go to the club yet you should really wait until your 21 or you got nothing to look forward to.” So that’s what happened, for me being around Jermaine and everybody so young I was around EVERYTHING. So by the time I got 18, I was really 26 (laughs) and I didn’t wanna go to the club no more. When I got 20, I was like “Ok now I’m ready to get married.” Now I feel like I’m 40! So the older I got, I just noticed [I was different than] my friends…I was like “I can’t really hang with y’all” because they’d go to the club and I’ve done all that when I was 14. So it made me realize like “what am I here for? What am I living to do?”

I just got so stressed out because I felt like I did everything too fast and it didn’t leave me with nothing to look forward to. Now that I have my daughter I don’t even have those thoughts no more. Because now it’s like I got something to live for, I got more movies to go get, more records to go make because I gotta go hard for her now. So now I do have a purpose. So it took for me to have a dark period and pray to God that it’s all gone and now it’s a whole other ballgame. I’m just focused and it’s just me coming out being clean about my situation. It’s just a whole new outlook on life! It’s dope!

On Tyrese
Even Tyrese, who’s a good friend of mine, called me and was like “man, you don’t even know what you just did.” He said “you just made my week because you’re the first young African-American, you know you’re the youngest one in the game right now with a kid, you have a chance to have every male your age and younger who has kids now…you can make them step up and become better men.” So when he told me that, I was like “WOW.” I didn’t even think about that and I never had my father in my life…ever! So this just makes me want to step up and just go harder even more and give her everything my father never gave.”

U.S. Virgin Islands celebrates a successful St. Thomas Carnival

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and the Division of Festivals celebrate the success of the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival.

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Sizzla (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and the Division of Festivals celebrate the success of the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival.

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2024 St. Thomas Carnival

Kicking off with cultural staples including the Prince & Princess Show, Queen Show, Calypso Monarch, and Panorama, the St. Thomas Carnival festivities welcomed thousands of revelers, including locals, the diaspora, and visitors, to the shores of Charlotte Amalie for a multi-day celebration spotlighting the broad culture and traditions of the island territory.

“Carnival in the U.S. Virgin Islands is growing, allowing us to display our rich and vibrant culture to the world,” shares Commissioner Joseph Boschulte of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. “This success is a testament to the continued hard work of our Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals staff whose unwavering efforts showcase our home islands.”

Performances

Machel Montano kicked off six nights of free nightly concerts in the Festival Village, followed by performances from KES the Band, Sizzla Kalonji, Patrice Roberts, Barrington Levy, Adam O, TeeJay, Spectrum Band, Temisha, and more. On Saturday night, international superstar Shaggy closed out the village, performing hits like “It Wasn’t Me,” “Boombastic,” and “Angel” in front of thousands of fans.

: Machel Montano (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Patrice Roberts (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Sizzla (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Shaggy (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

Children’s and Adult Parade days were filled with revelers in bright and ornate costumes adorned with jewels, feathers, and traditional madras fabrics.

“Every year, we want to bring the best experiences to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands for carnival. We are extremely excited to continue growing our national celebrations and welcoming the world to experience them with us,” adds Ian Turnbull, U.S. Virgin Islands Director of Festivals.

More info on St. Thomas Carnival

With carnival arrivals growing by nearly 27% compared to 2023 and record event attendance throughout April’s celebrations, the USVI Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals continues innovatively leading transformative progress in carnival culture and destination marketing within the Caribbean region.

Carnival season in the U.S. Virgin Islands will kick off again in less than two months when the St. John Celebration begins in late June.

For more information on the St. John Celebration, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/experiences/carnivals-festivals.

Black Excellence

Inside the 17th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood® Awards

Hosted by Clifford “Method Man” Smith, the star studded event premiered March 15, exclusively on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

Published

2 months ago

March 20, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: (L-R) Danielle Brooks, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and Kathryn Busby attend the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

Get a look inside the 17th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards.

Hosted by Clifford “Method Man” Smith, the star studded event premiered March 15, exclusively on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

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About ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards

The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood honors women who are making their undeniable mark in film and television and amplifies their strides in defining what it means to be a Black woman in Hollywood.

Honorees

This year’s honorees and entertainment industry trailblazers include Academy Award nominated actress & Grammy Award winner, Danielle Brooks, six-time Grammy nominated singer and leading-actress Halle Bailey, acclaimed screenwriter and showrunner of All American, All American: Homecoming and Found, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and industry powerhouse & President of Original Programming for STARZ, Kathryn Busby.

Check out some photo highlights inside the 17th ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Shavone Charles attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Loni Love attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Halle Bailey attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Halle Bailey attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Nkechi Okoro Carroll attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Danielle Brooks attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: (L-R) Danielle Brooks, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, and Kathryn Busby attend the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Host Method Man speaks onstage during the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: (L-R) Joey Badass, Gail Bean, Patina Miller, Kathryn Busby, Brandee Evans, Da’Vinchi and Shannon Thornton onstage during the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Patina Miller attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Tamera Mowry attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 07: Boris Kodjoe attends the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards Ceremony at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

For more, please visit http://www.essence.com/bwih2024

Culture

U.S. Virgin Islands Announces the Performance Line-up for St. Thomas Carnival Village Featuring Shaggy, Sizzla, Patrice Roberts, and Machel Montano

The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.

Published

2 months ago

March 13, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals has announced the performance line-up for the 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village.

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72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village

The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.

“The anticipation around this year’s St. Thomas Carnival is at an all-time high, and the Village night performers reflect the continued influence and growth of our territory’s three carnivals,” exclaims USVI Department of Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.

Center Stage

Adam O, Rudy Live, Temisha, Karnage, Blind Earz, VIO International, and Spectrum Band are among the performers who will take center stage to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Every year, our goal is to pay homage to the vast Virgin Islands and Caribbean culture that is at the cornerstone of these annual celebrations for natives and visitors alike,” added USVI Division of Festivals Director Ian Turnbull.

Haitian kompa band VAYB and Dominican salsa orchestra Chiquito Team Band will provide a cross-cultural immersion of sound, highlighting the diverse musical interests of Virgin Islands residents.

First-time performers

Rounding out the village are a few first-time performers in the territory, including TeeJay, Jada Kingdom, and Kollision Band, and returning favorites Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah, and Grandmasters.

Kids Night Out Village Night

This year, the Division of Festivals will host its first Kids Night Out Village Night, with activities including the Toddlers Derby, Best Dressed Doll, and performances by TMK and OTB.