Shad Moss—the world knows him as Bow Wow—basically grew up in the spotlight. He was ten when the world started calling him "Lil" and thirteen when he was selling out arenas. But while Snoop Dogg was playing the role of his rap father and Jermaine Dupri was building the business, there was a massive, empty space where his biological father was supposed to be.
Lil bow wow dad isn't a secret, but the story is heavy.
His name is Alfonso Preston Moss. For years, he was just a ghost in the background of a platinum-selling career. While Shad was out here making movies like Like Mike and topping the Billboard charts, Alfonso was struggling with demons that would eventually spill over into the public eye in a very messy way.
The Reality of Alfonso Preston Moss
Honestly, the relationship between Bow Wow and his father is a masterclass in how fame can make a private family fracture look like a soap opera. Alfonso wasn't around for the big moments. He didn't see the Snoop Dogg discovery in Columbus. He didn't witness the transition from "Lil" to just Bow Wow.
Instead, Teresa Caldwell, Bow Wow’s mom, and his stepfather, Rodney Caldwell, did the heavy lifting. They raised the kid who became a household name. Alfonso, meanwhile, was battling a severe addiction to alcohol. That’s not a rumor; Shad has been very open about the fact that his biological father’s drinking was the primary reason they didn't have a bond. It wasn't just about being "absent." It was about the chaos that comes with substance abuse.
Imagine being the biggest child star in the world and knowing your father is out there, but you can't talk to him.
💡 You might also like: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes in 2026
That Viral Open Letter
Back in 2012, things took a weird turn. Most people don't remember this, but Alfonso actually wrote an open letter to his son. He sent it to the media because he felt like that was the only way to get Shad’s attention. In the letter, he basically begged Bow Wow to stop "throwing him under the bus" in interviews.
He admitted he had regrets.
He admitted he wasn't there.
But he also tried to call for an end to the "cycle" of fathers leaving their sons.
It was a desperate move. Alfonso even mentioned he had been offered a spot on a reality show called Celebrity Dads With Regrets but said he turned it down because he didn't want to exploit the situation. Whether you believe that or not depends on how you view the whole "absent father" trope in Hollywood.
The "Growing Up Hip Hop" Moment
If you watched Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, you saw the climax of this drama. The show actually filmed a meeting between Shad and Alfonso. It was uncomfortable. It was raw.
Shad was thirty years old at the time. He finally sat down with the man who gave him his last name but nothing else.
📖 Related: Addison Rae and The Kid LAROI: What Really Happened
"I just wanted him to know I don't hate him. I outgrew that part."
That’s what Shad told the press afterward. He realized that holding onto that anger was only hurting himself. He’d just had his own daughter, Shai, and seeing life through the lens of a parent changed his perspective. He started to understand—not excuse, but understand—how someone could mess up that badly.
Is he actually mixed?
There was this whole strange era on Twitter where Bow Wow tried to claim he wasn't just "Black" but "mixed." To prove his point, he posted a photo of Alfonso Moss.
The internet, being the internet, went wild.
Alfonso has a lighter complexion, and Shad used that to argue about his heritage. It was a weird moment of a son using his father’s face as a talking point for a social media argument, especially considering they still weren't even close at the time. It showed that even when they aren't talking, the shadow of his father still looms over how Shad sees himself.
👉 See also: Game of Thrones Actors: Where the Cast of Westeros Actually Ended Up
Where They Stand Today
Don't expect a "happily ever after" here. Life isn't a movie.
Even after the TV cameras stopped rolling and the "forgiveness" was aired for the world to see, they aren't best friends. Shad has been clear that while he doesn't carry the "cold shoulder" hate anymore, they don't really talk. The damage was done over three decades. You can't just fix thirty years of silence with one heart-to-heart on a reality show.
Alfonso still reaches out. Shad stays cool.
He's focused on being a better dad to Shai and his son, Stone, than Alfonso was to him. That’s the real actionable takeaway here. If you're looking at this family dynamic, the "win" isn't necessarily a perfect reconciliation. Sometimes the win is just breaking the cycle so the next generation doesn't have to write open letters to the press.
If you're dealing with an estranged parent, here's the move:
- Acknowledge the trauma: Don't pretend it didn't happen. Shad's career was fueled by a need to prove himself, likely tied to that missing piece at home.
- Choose your boundaries: You don't owe an absent parent your time just because they're "sorry" now.
- Focus on the now: Use the mistakes of the past as a blueprint for how you treat your own kids.
The story of Alfonso Moss and Bow Wow is a reminder that money and fame can buy a lot of things, but they can't buy back the years a father missed. It’s a messy, human story that’s still being written in the quiet moments off-camera.
To keep track of how Bow Wow is navigating fatherhood himself, you can follow his updates on social media where he frequently shares clips of his daughter Shai's burgeoning career. Examining his parenting style provides a direct contrast to the way he was raised, offering a clearer picture of his personal growth beyond the Alfonso Moss drama.