Inside Billboard’s Ground Floor Studios, B2K and Bow Wow are heating things up with their exuberance and youthful spirits on a frigid March afternoon in New York City. After scarfing down three boxes of Gotham’s revered Joe’s Pizza, the early-2000s hitmakers spring from their seats to play unreleased music ahead of their forthcoming Boys 4 Life Tour, slated to kick off this Friday (March 6). As they dance and snap photos, the same smiley, cheery energy that carried millennials through their pubescent years now feels poised to restore that feeling in a world often imbued with chaos.
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For B2K, songs like “Uh Huh” and the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Bump, Bump, Bump” vaulted the R&B quartet into superstardom before the age of 20, while Bow Wow’s childhood celebrity — powered by Hot 100 missiles like “Like You” and “Bounce With Me” — once had teenage girls in a tizzy. In an era where early-2000s nostalgia continues to dominate both playlists and touring circuits, the reunion arrives right on cue. With nostalgia continuing to serve as a healing power in music, the brothers’ reunion feels less like a comeback and more like the reopening of a time capsule.
“‘Boys 4 Life’ came from our Pandemonium album,” says Omarion. “I don’t think at the moment in time when we were young, we understood how we’d embody it in the future and how we would go through different trials and tribulations as individuals and together. So ‘Boys 4 Life’ is a deep embodiment of a journey that, through brotherhood, brings influence and expansiveness not only to ourselves but also to others. We’re a true representation of forgiveness and overcoming. I think there’s something powerful about that.”
Billboard spoke with B2K and Bow Wow about celebrating 25 years in the game, brotherhood, growth and what to expect from their upcoming tour.
After everything B2K has been through publicly and privately, 25 years later, what does it mean to be celebrating this milestone together?
J-Boog: We’re thankful to all still be here. We’re all healthy. 25 years, not everybody gets to see that [number]. A lot of people come and go really fast. So for us to still be here, [and] still be requested in high demand, it’s really an honor to hold this spot down for real.
When you hear Boys 4 Life — which is not only a B2K record from your debut album but the name of the upcoming tour you guys are on with Bow Wow — what weight does that name have now?
J-Boog: It embodies so many levels, but brotherhood is the staple. The trials, tribulations and the triumphs. There’s nothing that we can’t overcome. So being boys for life doesn’t mean that it’s always gonna be pretty, but it’s always gonna be something we can talk about and can get over it. We’ll always be here for each other. Even Bow, he’s our extended member. He’s our fifth brother. He’s really in B2K.
Bow Wow: If I can learn the moves [laughs].
Bow, you recently hit 25 years since Beware of the Dog. When you look at B2K’s legacy, what do you think fans still underrate about their impact on R&B?
Bow Wow: We’re talking about a Black group of young men [not seen] since New Edition that’s done it [the way that they have]. And on top of that, they just got it. The talent was there — it’s been there since day one. Scream Tour, I knew it.
They were hopping out of these vans with all these clothes in their bags. That was the start up and to see them go from that to headlining tours and successful albums, it’s just dope to see and witness. I think in 2019, they brought it back, but they’re even hungrier now. Everybody is in a better space collectively and I think they wanna show the world in this run why they’re gonna be wrecking s–t for the next couple of years. They got an album and a run coming. I’m proud of them.
We had New Edition in the office last month and they’re celebrating 40 years together this year.
Bow Wow: Wow! 40 years? I’m gonna have to be on an island somewhere. I don’t know if I can keep Harlem shaking that long [laughs].
But, I bring up NE because I asked them, why don’t we see boy bands in this current era of R&B and pop. What do you guys think is missing?
Raz-B: The culture has shifted more hip-hop. Music has changed. It’s harder to break a group. It takes a lot of money. Groups break up. It takes a lot to launch a successful group. It’s expensive. There’s a lot there to unpack.
Bow Wow: It’s hard. I’m sure we’ll probably see it again. I don’t know when, but you gotta understand, to go from Jackson 5 to New Edition to B2K, it’s like, “Damn.” You’re gonna have to compete with all that to make your mark in the game too? That’s some tough s–t to follow. It’s heavy.
From B2K’s perspective, what’s the most underrated aspect of Bow Wow’s arsenal that hip-hop tends to overlook?
Omarion: I would say his tenacity. His ability to transform within the game and continue to press forward. Him being one of the child prodigies and superstars that still up to this era and time can continue working and challenge himself [is impressive].
Also, expanding outside of himself, and moving towards business. I feel like he’s a great example of what it means to be a child star and have some real foundation ‘cuz they don’t make it that long. They don’t make it that far, especially with their head. There’s usually a few screws loose. He’s been able to be a good father, handle his business and still tour. Bow’s one of them ones.
J-Boog: He inspired a generation of music that may not give him the credit of why they’re rapping. When he came out as a 12-year-old rapper, Migos, all of them cats, they’ve seen Like Mike. They wanted to be rappers because of that. They believed that they can accomplish that at a young age because of that. They might not rap about what he rapped about, because they’re adults now, but they were definitely inspired. A lot of the music y’all are getting right now from these rappers — these guys who are 25-30 years old — they’re like little bros to him, whether they acknowledge it or not.
I was there at the tour last year with Bow and O and it felt very nostalgic. How hard is it to recapture that feeling every time you guys go on tour?
Omarion: It’s easy, because these songs embody [fans’] own personalized moment. That’s the power of nostalgia because not every artist has that, where you can listen to a song and it takes you back to that moment, but you’re actually in that moment. You’re reliving an old moment in a new moment. There’s something powerful about that.
J-Boog: It’s like a time capsule.
Raz-B: That’s why music is important. It’s the soundtrack of our lives.
J-Boog: And I hope music gets back to not having a catchy jingle or something, where there’s a piece of a song that I can do a dance to and it can go viral. The music that creates nostalgia are those timeless records that you actually spent time on and put your heart into it. Spend some time on y’all craft, man.
Omarion: So to answer your question, we gotta just sing those smashes.
Is there a record that still gives you chills when you perform?
Raz-B: “Uh Huh.”
Omarion: “Uh Huh” is a really good one, because that was the ethos — that was the beginning of it all for us. What song would you say Boog?
J-Boog: I would say “Uh Huh” for us too, because that was a breaking moment. We had to perform that song so many times, and we performed it a lot, because people knew it. If you perform in front of somebody who doesn’t know your records, you know how that feels.
Omarion: It’s like performing alone. Fizz?
Fizz: Probably “Uh Huh” or “Why I Love You,” because there’s a lot smooth pockets in that one.
What about you, Bow?
Bow Wow: “Outta My System” is dope because I kind of get to get on my LL real quick, but “Fresh Azimiz” is high-powered, high-energy. It’s high-voltage.
If you guys can pick one legacy group to join the Boys 4 Life tour, who would you choose and why?
Omarion: I would say the Pussycat Dolls. We might have to change the title, because it’ll be girls, but as far as groups go, I can’t think of any other [ones]. I know who Raz would say though. [Starts singing 3LW’s “No More”…]
J-Boog: Raz, you did have an idea where you wanted to do a Make a Boy Band Tour with us, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Destiny’s Child coming back together. For me, I can’t think of a group.
Omarion: You said it. Destiny’s Child would be incredible.
J-Boog: We actually had a chance to open up for Destiny’s Child during our first overseas trip.
Omarion: We’d open up for y’all again [laughs].
Everyone here is working on new music. How has that changed versus when you all first started?
Raz-B: We’re all mature. We’re fathers. We’re experienced. There’s one record that we wrote and recorded called “Knowledge.” It’s not the only record we wrote, but our approach is our experiences. We’re 40 years-old now.
Omarion: I think there’s also something special about creating music that reflects your now. Outside of us growing and being mature, we have our own little lingo. We know what vibes hit.
Lastly, if y’all could pick one deep cut to perform on tour, which one would it be and why?
Omarion: “Sleeping.” Back in the day, when we all sang solo and “Sleeping” was the song that I’d perform.
Raz-B: “Come On.” It was pretty much our demo song. It was the one that got us our deal. It’s fire. I think it would be dope.
Fizz: I’d say “Understanding.”
Bow Wow: It just gotta be one? I got two. I’m gonna throw O in the box right here. From our Face-Off album, every tour that we’ve done, they always got mad at us because we only do two songs — the singles. When it comes to that me and that O album, nothing misses. I gotta say, “He Ain’t Gotta Know.” That’s the one right there. Then, I’m gonna go left: I’mma go Jessica Simpson’s “Irresistible.” The So So Def remix.
Omarion: That boy got range.
I was gonna say Jojo for that “Baby It’s You.” Might have to give her a call.
Bow Wow: Hey, we would love it.
Omarion: She might have to pull up.
Bow Wow: Everybody gon’ pull up. It’s gonna be dope. It’s gonna be a celebration. We’re excited. It’s been a full-circle moment for us to be here, look the part, look healthy and the girls are still screaming. ‘Cause once they stop, it’s all over.
