Michael Jordan’s trash talk is legendary, and apparently, retirement hasn’t slowed him down one bit. For years, rapper Bow Wow has been on the receiving end of one of MJ’s favorite running jokes, a nickname so blunt and so perfectly Jordan that it sounds like something straight out of a locker room story. According to Bow Wow, Michael Jordan doesn’t call him Shad, doesn’t call him Bow, and definitely doesn’t call him by his stage name. Instead, every time they see each other, the six-time NBA champion greets him with the same line:
“Short s**t.”
It’s pure Jordan, delivered with a grin and just enough friendly disrespect to remind you who he is. And it’s become such a regular thing over the years that Bow Wow finally went public about it, posting a clip on social media where Jordan gives him a couple playful jabs to the shoulder before walking off.
“Yo marcus you my bro, and i know OG is the GOAT but your pops been trash talking me and punching me for years. He dont even call me by my name. Just ‘short s**t.'”
Yo marcus you my bro, and i know OG is the GOAT but your pops been trash talking me and punching me for years. 🤣 he dont even call me by my name. Just “short shit” pic.twitter.com/fhN81ZUjWn
— Bow Wow (@smoss) November 22, 2025
This isn’t a new dynamic between them. Bow Wow practically grew up in the Jordan house. He spent nights hanging out with Marcus, getting into the usual teenage chaos, and building a bond that lasted into adulthood. Michael Jordan has always treated him like one of the kids around the family, which naturally means he got the same treatment MJ gave any young player, assistant coach, or unsuspecting victim around him: tough love, jokes, and constant trash talk.
Bow Wow has shared several stories about those days, but one of the most memorable came from his childhood, when he showed up at the Jordan home wearing an Allen Iverson jersey and Duke shorts. That didn’t fly. Jordan tossed them out immediately. In his house, it was Jumpman or nothing. Bow Wow didn’t leave empty-handed, though. MJ replaced it with Jordan apparel on the spot. Even the trolling came with generosity.
The nickname, though, stuck around well into Bow Wow’s adult years. MJ sees him, laughs, calls him ‘short sh*t,’ and moves on. Marcus Jordan has said publicly that it’s all love and that Bow Wow has been part of the family circle for so long that the teasing is basically tradition at this point.
Bow Wow, now years into his career as an entertainer, still laughs about it. He’s released new music, celebrated the twentieth anniversary of ‘Let Me Hold You,’ and even performed it for the milestone earlier this year. But no matter what he achieves, no matter how much success he adds to his resume, the moment he runs into Michael Jordan, he’s back to being the kid who used to stay over at Marcus’ house.
Trash talk has always been part of MJ’s charm. Teammates, rivals, coaches, security guards, golfing buddies: everyone got it. Bow Wow just happens to be one of the rare people outside basketball who’s been getting the same treatment for decades. And like everyone else who’s ever been roasted by Jordan, he knows it means he’s in the circle.
Some people get autographs from their heroes. Bow Wow gets nicknames he can never repeat around kids. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
