Bow Wow in Norfolk

About Bow Wow

Bow Wow started as a child rapper signed to So So Def, riding the late '90s wave of southern hip-hop alongside Jermaine Dupri's production machine. He was basically unavoidable in the early 2000s with radio hits and a few movies, becoming one of the youngest rappers to actually chart. By his mid-career he'd transitioned into R&B-leaning rap with tracks like 'Let Me Hold You,' the kind of song that played at middle school dances and became weirdly ubiquitous. His albums were competent but ultimately forgettable for most people, though he maintained a fanbase through consistent touring and reality TV appearances. He's the definition of a late-'90s and early-2000s artifact—not bad at what he did, just existing in a very specific era.

His crowds are mostly people who grew up with him, there for nostalgia more than anything. Shows feel like a victory lap through the 2000s. Decent energy but nothing particularly memorable happens. He gets the hits out and calls it a night.

Known for Bow Wow (That's Me), Puppy Love, Freshman, Let Me Hold You, Outta My System

Bow Wow + Norfolk

Bow Wow Wow played The NorVa in Norfolk on July 18, 2025. The NorVa is one of the better mid-size venues in the Hampton Roads area, and it's the kind of room where new wave nostalgia hits differently -- close quarters, good sound, and a crowd that actually remembers the songs. Norfolk doesn't always get the touring acts that bigger cities command, which makes the ones that show up matter more.

Bow Wow in Norfolk News

• Lil Wayne coming to Birmingham: How to get last minute tickets AL.com · Feb 19, 2025
• The BET Awards 2025 in 30 Minutes, Presented by State Farm® bet.com · Oct 22, 2023
• The English Beat announce 2023 tour dates BrooklynVegan · Jan 26, 2023
• Coronavirus brings empty performance venues, disappointment in Hampton Roads 13newsnow.com · May 14, 2020
• 'The Rap Game' Winner Nova Drops "Stay Over" With Jacquees VIBE.com · Apr 14, 2017

Live Music in Norfolk

Norfolk's hip-hop scene has deep roots in East Coast rap culture, with the city producing its own talent and hosting plenty of touring acts over the years. The audience here knows their rap — they're not casual listeners. Bow Wow's brand of rapid-fire delivery and mainstream appeal should find solid ground in a market that appreciates skill and showmanship.

Norfolk road trip to see Bow Wow?

Stay in the Ghent neighborhood — it's got actual character with tree-lined streets and converted warehouses. Dinner at Commune, which does locally-sourced food without the pretense. After the show, grab late-night food at d'Egg in Ocean View. Spend a day at the Chrysler Museum of Art if you want something substantial, or walk the waterfront at Town Point Park. Norfolk's food scene has gotten genuinely good in the last five years. The military history is everywhere if you're interested in that angle too.