Shad "Bow Wow" Moss

A charismatic rapper and actor who began performing while most of his peers were still in diapers, Lil' Bow Wow successfully outgrew his child star roots. While some questioned the ethics of a child entering the controversial and often-offensive rap game, Bow Wow seemed to keep his head on straight, releasing his debut album at the age of 13. A string of hit singles and albums followed, as did big-screen stardom. Bow Wow dropped the "Lil'" and went from strength to strength, with the basketball fantasy "Like Mike" (2002), the road trip comedy "Johnson Family Vacation" (2004), the gearhead's delight "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006), and the comedy "Lottery Ticket" (2010). With a career's worth of experience already behind him at such a young age, Bow Wow seemed poised to reach even greater heights in whatever entertainment industry avenues he chose to pursue.