Rapper Bow Wow Reveals 'Secret' Child

Rapper Bow Wow, 24, otherwise known as Shad Gregory Moss, revealed on his website Wednesday that he is the proud father of Shai Moss, his daughter with ex-girlfriend Joie Chavis. Bow Wow, who was discovered and mentored at the tender age of 13 by rapper Snoop Dogg, raves about his baby daughter, whose age he did not disclose, though he has previously denied reports that named him as the child's parent.

"I waited so long to tell yall the truth because I was nervous on how yall would look at me," he wrote. "Yall know everyone makes a big deal out of everything I do. I wanted to be the 1st n let yall know .... Yes! I change diapers. Aint as bad as I thought hahaha." Though he was initially hesitant to reveal his paternity, he now admits that he's "loving every minute" of being a father. "My lil girl is getting BIG fast," he wrote. "She inspires me to go harder. Even made me treat my mother better, its like it made me into a man over night."

Bow Wow refuses to post photos of Shai because he wants her to have a normal life, "everything I didn't .... I know how fame is. I missed out on so much that I now know how important it is to cherish and have those things in your life." The rapper's feelings that his own childhood passed him by have led to a tough time for him as an adult, too. "For the past 3 years I been battling life. Even thought about taking my own. I felt like as a kid I did everything and saw everything too fast which spoiled my adult years."

But now he feels like he's been given a new lease on life. Though Shai lives with her mother in a different city, Bow Wow doesn't even mind having to fly five hours to see her. Though he would prefer to have his "lil girl" all to himself. "I want her to live with me so bad," he added. "Jus us 2."