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In this sense, Drake filled a similar void when he first emerged, opting to forego the mean-mugging or drug-pushing that was still very much a part of hip-hop mainstream, in favour of becoming the corporately-acceptable face of rap. So, while the New Orlean’s Mystikal was earnestly demanding that his listenership shake their ass and Eminem was falling afoul of every taboo he could, Bow Wow’s jovial offerings such as the Xscape-assisted “Bounce With Me” and “That’s My Name” offered some light relief. To put this into perspective, Bow Wow’s debut album arrived in 2000, a year in which the biggest selling hip-hop records of the year included Stankonia, The Marshall Mathers LP and Mystikal’s incendiary debut, Let’s Get Ready. Young, idealistic and approachable in a way that differed from the grittier artists of the day, Bow Wow’s wholesome image allowed him to infiltrate suburban home without moral panic, while his R&B-tinged beats meant that his records were easily digestible in a way that other artists’ could never be. “These days in rap, kids don’t have any role models,” Dupri told the New York Post in 2001 “I want Bow Wow to represent a young black superstar.” And rather than happen accidentally, Bow Wow’s mentor made a conscious effort to make his young protege into a more marketable breed of hip-hop star. Since he came out of the gate, Bow Wow, like Drake, has avoided some of hip-hop’s more boisterous traits in favour of a less imposing approach. However, when you take a step back and retrace Bow Wow’s steps through the early 2000’s hip-hop-boom period, the shared ancestry between Moss and Drizzy begins to take shape. Without Bow Wow starting out at a prodigiously young age, they’d normally be viewed as contemporaries.

Given that Bow Wow is little more than a year older than Drake, influence wouldn’t normally come into the equation. “That’s why I’mma rock with y’all forever more.” In a follow-up video that featured Bow Wow himself, Drake went so far as to interpolate some lines from 2001’s “Thank You” in tribute to the artist. “If it wasn’t for you, there wouldn’t be no me,” Drake said of the once Lil’ rapper, during a celebratory Instagram live stream.