Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, she would freestyle rap, influenced by fellow female hip-hop artists like

MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a ...

and the Lady of Rage. In 1994, she was discovered by fellow rapper the Notorious B.I.G., who invited her to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A.; their debut album, ''

Conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...

,'' generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA). Lil' Kim's debut studio album '' Hard Core'' (1996) was certified double platinum in March 2001. Since its release, it has sold more than six million copies worldwide and spawned three successful singles: " No Time", " Not Tonight (Ladies Night)", and " Crush on You". ''Hard Core'' had the highest debut in the US for a female rap album at the time. Her following albums, '' The Notorious K.I.M.'' (2000) and '' La Bella Mafia'' (2003) were also certified platinum. In 2001, Lil' Kim reached number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the single " Lady Marmalade" (a remake of LaBelle's 1974 single), alongside

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. Recognized as Cultural impact of Christina Aguilera, an influential figure in music and having received Public imag ...

, Mýa, and

Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...

. The song also won her the

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Other notable singles from this period include " The Jump Off" and " Magic Stick", the latter of which reached number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming her 2nd-highest-charting single as a lead artist. In 2005, Lil' Kim served a one-year prison sentence for lying to a jury about her friends' involvement in a shooting four years earlier. During her incarceration, her fourth album, '' The Naked Truth,'' was released to positive reviews from critics. A reality series covering her sentence, '' Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown,'' premiered on BET in 2006. She then released her first mixtape, '' Ms. G.O.A.T.'' (2008) and returned to the public eye in 2009 with an appearance on '' Dancing with the Stars.'' Throughout the 2010s, she continued to release music and perform sporadically, collaborating with artists such as Faith Evans, Remy Ma, and Fabolous. Her fifth studio album, '' 9,'' was released in 2019. Lil' Kim has been referred to as the " Queen of Rap", as well as her alias "Queen Bee" by several media outlets. She has sold more than 15 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide. Her songs "No Time", "Big Momma Thang", and "Not Tonight (Ladies Night)" were each listed on ''Complex'''s list of the 50 Best Rap Songs By Women. In 2012, she was listed on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music list at number 45, the second-highest position for a solo female hip-hop artist. Aside from music, she is also known for her risk-taking and luxurious approach to fashion which has inspired many artists; she has been cited as a fashion icon. Her collaboration with celebrity nail artist Bernadette Thompson for the 1999 "Money Nails" design she wore is credited with bringing intricate nail art into mainstream fashion and has been exhibited at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

. Lil' Kim has been noted for helping women embrace their "sexuality and femininity" in a way that was a stark contrast at the time from other female artists.

Early life, family and education

Jones was born in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York City, the second child of Linwood Jones, a former

U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

.''Driven: Lil' Kim.'' '' Behind the Music.'' 2003. VH1 Networks. Viacom Publishing. She has an older brother, Christopher. As a child, Jones attended Queen of All Saints Elementary School in Brooklyn. When she was nine years old, her parents separated, and Jones was raised by her father, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship. At fourteen, she left home, began living on the streets, and ultimately dropped out of high school. As a teenager, Jones met Christopher Wallace, known professionally as the Notorious B.I.G. Wallace was a key figure in both her personal and artistic life, particularly after he gained popularity and influence through his relationship with

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...

. Jones attended Sarah J. Hale Vocational High School for two-and-a-half years. She and her friends often skipped school. As she was not completing her schoolwork, the decision was made for her to transfer to Brooklyn College Academy to finish her remaining year and a half of high school.

Career

In 1994, B.I.G. was instrumental in introducing and promoting the Brooklyn-based group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Jones, who had adopted the

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Lil' Kim, was a member of the group. The group's debut album, ''

,'' was released to mediocre reviews and moderate sales on August 29, 1995, but debuted at number eight on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release. Wallace wrote and ghostwrote most of the album's material. Three hit singles came from ''Conspiracy'': " Player's Anthem", " I Need You Tonight", and " Get Money“. The RIAA certified ''Conspiracy'' a Gold album on December 6, 1995. "Player's Anthem" and "Get Money" were certified gold and platinum respectively. Lil' Kim's increasing popularity as a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. allowed her to start a solo career shortly after the ''Conspiracy'' album was released. By late 1995, she began working on what would become her debut album, ''Hard Core.''

1996–2002: ''Hard Core'' and ''The Notorious K.I.M.''

After a year with Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim began her solo career by making guest performances on R&B albums and recording her debut album, ''Hard Core'', which was released in November 1996. The album debuted at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' 200, the highest debut for a female rap album at that time, and number 3 on ''Billboard''s

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...

, selling 78,000 copies in its first week of release and has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. It was certified double platinum by the RIAA on March 14, 2001, after having been certified gold on January 6, 1997, and platinum on June 3, 1997. The album's lead single " No Time", a duet with Combs, reached the top spot of the ''Billboard''

Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...

chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. The following single was " Crush on You", a remixed version of the track that appeared on Hard Core. A remix of the album's track "Not Tonight" saw Lil' Kim team up with

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...

, Angie Martinez, Da Brat, and Left Eye of TLC with the song peaking at 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was part of the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence movie '' Nothing to Lose,'' nominated for a Grammy Award, and certified platinum. She became the first female rapper to have three consecutive number ones on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rap Tracks chart. In one stockholders' meeting of Warner Bros. Records, activist C. Delores Tucker criticized the label "for producing this filth", referring to perceived graphic sexual content in Lil' Kim's lyrics, and labeling them "gangsta porno rap“. In 1997, Lil' Kim promoted ''Hard Core'' by performing on P. Diddy's "No Way Out" tour. The tour continued through to 1998 and became one of the highest-grossing hip-hop tours of all time, grossing an estimated $16 million. That same year, she launched her own label, Queen Bee Entertainment. From 1998 to 2000, Lil' Kim continued working under the management of B.I.G.'s best friend, Damion "D-Roc" Butler's "Roc Management", touring and modeling for various fashion and pop culture companies including Candie's, Versace,

Iceberg An iceberg is a piece of fresh water ice more than long that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. Smaller chunks of floating glacially derived ice are called "growlers" or "bergy bits". Much of an i ...

, and Baby Phat. In 1999, for a denim campaign fashion shoot, Lil' Kim debuted "Money Nails" designed by nail artist Bernadette Thompson. Thompson gave Lil' Kim a manicure with acrylic nails and pieces of an actual $100 bill. The look became an instant trendsetter spawning a wave of imitation looks and a trending search topic on Google (at a time before the internet was ubiquitous). Her outfit at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards received widespread media attention, fueled by the "shocked" response of presenter

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

, who approached and jiggled Kim's exposed breast on national television. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' considered that the incident solidified Lil' Kim's "image of sexual fearlessness" and her career as "a fashion trendsetter“. On June 27, 2000, Lil' Kim released her second album, ''The Notorious K.I.M.'' The album marked a new image and revamped look for the rapper. Despite the limited success of its singles, the album debuted at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 229,000 copies in its first week. It was certified platinum by the RIAA, four weeks after its release. It was on this LP that the well-known hip-hop feud between Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown escalated. In 2001, Lil' Kim teamed up with Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Mýa to remake "Lady Marmalade", which was originally written about a bordello in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

and performed by the group Labelle (which included diva

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...

) 25 years earlier. The song was recorded for the '' Moulin Rouge!'' film soundtrack, released in April 2001, and stayed at number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five weeks. The song also went to number 1 in 14 countries around the world. This was a major accomplishment for female rap, as well as for Lil' Kim, who scored her first and only number 1 Hot 100 hit and became the second solo female rapper in history to hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts. "Lady Marmalade" also garnered Lil' Kim her first Grammy Award. The second single, " Kimnotyze", was released as the lead single of record producer DJ Tomekk's compilation album ''Beat Of Life, Vol 1.'' It was released in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

only. The song was successful, becoming Lil' Kim's third consecutive top 10 hit in Germany after her number 5 hit "Lady Marmalade“. In 2002, Lil' Kim recorded a new entrance theme for then

World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...

(WWE) Women's Champion Trish Stratus entitled "Time to Rock 'n Roll", which was used during broadcasts, until Stratus's retirement. The single was released on ''WWE Anthology,'' a compilation of entrance theme music to various

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

superstars. Lil' Kim released the song "What's The Word" in mid-2002. Despite not having an official release, it went on to peak at number 9 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. It would later be released on the Japan edition of her third studio album, La Bella Mafia, as a bonus track.

2003–2005: ''La Bella Mafia''

On March 4, 2003, Lil' Kim released her third studio album, ''La Bella Mafia.'' It debuted at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 166,000 copies in its first week, giving Lil' Kim her second consecutive top 5 album. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, receiving a score of 65 on

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

. A buzz single, "Came Back For You", was released ahead of the album, the music video for the song featured reality television personality Victoria Gotti. The first single, " The Jump Off", featuring Mr. Cheeks, peaked at number 16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Follow up single, " Magic Stick", featuring 50 Cent, peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, staying there for three weeks. The song did not have a commercial release or a music video but was successful due to high radio airplay, peaking at number one on the ''Billboard'' Airplay chart. A third US-only single, "Thug Luv", featuring

Twista Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (also known as Tung Twista), is an American rapper. He is best known for his Chopper (rap), chopper style of rapping and for once holding the title of fastest ...

, was released in the last quarter of 2003 and peaked at number 60 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album was certified platinum in the US, selling over 1.1 million copies. Lil' Kim promoted the album with a string of concerts, which also featured DMX and

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...

. Lil' Kim was nominated for five Source Awards and won two ("Female Hip-Hop Artist of the Year", and "Female Single of the Year"). The album also got two Grammy Award nominations for Best Female Rap Solo Performance ("Came Back For You") and Best Rap Collaboration ("Magic Stick"). She was also nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with singer Christina Aguilera for the song " Can't Hold Us Down", from Aguilera's album '' Stripped.'' Greg Thomas, an English professor at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

, began teaching "Hip-Hop Eshu: Queen B@#$H Lyricism 101“. Lil' Kim herself was a guest speaker. Professor Thomas considered Lil' Kim's lyrics "the art with the most profound sexual politics I've ever seen anywhere“. David Horowitz criticized the course as "academic degeneracy and decline“. Lil' Kim also made an appearance on the multi-platform videogame '' Def Jam: Fight for NY.'' Lil' Kim provided voice-overs for her part in the storyline, where the player may fight an opponent to have Lil' Kim as their girlfriend. In 2004, Lil' Kim recorded a cover of " These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" which was used as the opening theme for Victoria Gotti's reality series '' Growing Up Gotti.'' That same year, Lil' Kim was featured on the remix of " Naughty Girl" by

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

. In December 2004, Lil' Kim began recording a pilot for a VH1 reality show titled ''718 Makeover.'' The 718 in the title is the

area code A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, rea ...

for Brooklyn, where she grew up. The show did not make it to air.

2005–2008: Prison, ''The Naked Truth'' and ''Ms. G.O.A.T''

Lil' Kim released her fourth album, '' The Naked Truth,'' on September 27, 2005, while serving a federal prison sentence. It earned her a 5 mic rating from ''The Source,'' making her the only female rapper to ever receive a 5 mic rating. The album debuted at number 6 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 109,000 copies in its first week of release, giving Lil' Kim her third top 10 debut on the chart. ''The Naked Truth'' did not sell as well as her previous works, it only managed to reach a gold certification by

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

. She said that her prison sentence left her with no time to promote the project. The

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

for ''The Naked Truth'' first single, " Lighters Up", was number one on BET's ''106 & Park'' for two weeks. "Lighters Up" was a Top Ten hit on the ''Billboard''

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart. The single also reached number 67 on the German Single Chart, number 12 on the UK Top 75 and number 4 on the Finland Single Chart. The second single, "Whoa" was released on February 17, 2006. It reached number 22 on Airplay. On March 9, 2006, BET premiered the show '' Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown,'' which was filmed before Lil' Kim headed to prison. The show became the highest rated premiere in BET history, averaging 1.9 million viewers. In May 2006,

Debbie Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...

released a song in tribute to Lil' Kim called "Dirty and Deep" in protest of her conviction. The song was available for free from her official website. ''Dance Remixes,'' her first

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

, was released on June 6, 2006. The album featured remixes of songs from ''The Naked Truth'' and ''Hard Core.'' A limited pressing released only in the US, it received no promotion due to Lil' Kim being in prison at the time of release and failed to chart. On August 31, 2006, Lil' Kim presented the award for Best Male Video at the

2006 MTV Video Music Awards The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 31, 2006, honoring the best music videos from June 11, 2005, to June 26, 2006. The show was hosted by Jack Black (actor), Jack Black at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The 2006 in music ...

; it marked her first televised appearance since being released from prison. She also made appearances on the show '' The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll'' and '' Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious'' in 2007 and 2008 as a judge. In January 2008, Lil' Kim announced that she had parted ways with

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

, choosing to release future projects independently. She stated she had no hard feelings toward Atlantic, but felt comfortable enough with her knowledge of the music business to do it alone. Lil' Kim released her first

mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...

'' Ms. G.O.A.T.,'' an

acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...

for "Greatest of All Time", on June 3, 2008. It was produced by New York City DJs Mister Cee and DJ Whoo Kid. Among critics, the mixtape received generally positive reviews. It has been called a representation of Lil' Kim's return to the streets. Tito Salinas of ''All Hip Hop'' says "Lil' Kim shows that her time behind bars did not rust all of her swag away" on ''Ms. G.O.A.T.'' On the other hand, Ehren Gresehover of ''New York Mag'' says that although one of the tracks "The Miseducation of Lil' Kim" is not bad, he wished it was Lauryn Hill making a comeback instead.

2009–2011: ''Dancing with the Stars'' and ''Black Friday''

On March 10, 2009, the song "Girls" by Korean singer Seven featuring Lil' Kim was released through digital stores as his U.S. debut single. Lil' Kim appeared in the music video that was released on the same day. "Girls" was produced by Darkchild. On March 24, 2009, she released the song "

Download In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar systems. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...

" featuring R&B singers

T-Pain Faheem Rashad Najm (born September 30, 1984), known professionally as T-Pain, is an American singer and rapper. He is known for popularizing creative use of Auto-Tune pitch correction, often used with extreme parameter settings to create electro ...

and Charlie Wilson. It was written by Lil' Kim and T-Pain and produced by Trackmasters. The song samples "Computer Love" by Zapp. Although it missed the Hot 100, it did chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 21. Lil' Kim appeared on the eighth season of

reality series Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

'' Dancing with the Stars,'' which began airing on March 9, 2009. She was paired with professional dancer Derek Hough. They were eliminated on May 5, 2009, against Ty Murray and his partner Chelsie Hightower, putting Lil' Kim at fifth place among all thirteen contestants that season. Her elimination was met by many boos from the audience, as she was a consistent high-scorer and fan favorite. On February 16, 2010, the

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...

song "Hey Ho", which featured Lil' Kim and Lil Fate, was released as a promo single for his seventh studio album '' Battle of the Sexes.'' In June 2010, Lil' Kim started her 2010 Tour, her first headlining tour since 2000. It took her across the US, as well as Canada and Europe. Lil' Kim released her second mixtape, '' Black Friday,'' on February 14, 2011. The video for the title track was released on February 16, 2011. The mixtape received mostly negative reviews from critics. It was made available for purchase via

PayPal PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments system in the majority of countries that support E-commerce payment system, online money transfers; it serves as an electronic alter ...

. In May 2011, Lil' Kim performed in South Africa as part of the music festival ZarFest alongside

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...

, and

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...

. On June 19, 2011, Lil' Kim performed alongside G-Unit member Shawty Lo and hinted a possible working relationship with G-Unit Records. That same month the song Lil' Kim, along with

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...

, was featured on titled " Anything (To Find You)", by R&B singer Monica was leaked. The song, which samples the Notorious B.I.G.'s " Who Shot Ya?", initially featured just Lil' Kim, but her second verse was removed to make room for Ross. Her vocals were then removed fully due to contractual issues with B.I.G.'s estate. In August 2011, Lil' Kim performed four dates in Australia as part of the WinterBeatz Festival alongside Fabolous,

Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...

and G-Unit. During the August, 17 date in Perth, she joined 50 Cent on stage for a performance of "Magic Stick“. It marked the first time the pair had performed the song together. On November 28, 2011, Lil' Kim released a buzz single called "I Am Not the One“. She also announced that she would release an EP, but it was later shelved for unknown reasons.

2012–2016: ''Hard Core'' mixtape and ''Lil Kim Season''

In the summer of 2011, Lil' Kim began recording material for her fifth studio album. She had previously been under a restriction banning her from releasing new material as a result of her settlement with Trackmasters, but it had now been lifted. On Valentine's Day 2012, Lil' Kim released the song "If You Love Me" produced by Prince Saheb of Knockout Entertainment as a gift to her fans. That same month, it was announced she would make her return to the stage on BET's '' Rip the Runway.'' It marked her first televised performance in years. In March 2012, during an interview with MTV's '' Sucker Free,'' Lil' Kim revealed that contract issues with production duo Trackmasters were the reason behind her album delay, saying „...contractually, by the courts, I could not record any music – I wasn't supposed to put any music out“. On March 23, 2012, the song "Keys to the City", a collaboration with

Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music fo ...

, was leaked to the Internet. Lil' Kim first mentioned the song during an interview with MTV's RapFix, saying "I have a song with another celebrity person that I know the world and my fans are gonna love... It's vintage Kim mixed with the new Kim“. During the same RapFix interview, Lil' Kim also revealed another song, titled "I'm Ready", which she hopes to do with rapper 50 Cent. Lil' Kim also commented on the direction of her music, saying she was in "Kanye West mode“, adding „...You do whatever you want to do ...it's all about taking chances“. Lil' Kim kicked off her Return of the Queen Tour on May 17, 2012, to positive reviews. In a radio interview at Miami's 99 Jamz, Lil' Kim stated that her book, ''The Price of Loyalty,'' was on hold to coincide with the release of her new album. During an interview with ''XXL'' on April 26, 2013, she revealed that she does not have a name for the album yet, but the first official single would be out by mid year. Lil' Kim described the single, produced by Bangladesh, as "different" and "sweet dessert“. On July 11, 2013, Lil' Kim released the Rockwilder-produced single "Looks Like Money" as a free download for her fans on her birthday. On July 26, 2013, Lil' Kim announced and released the cover art for a new mixtape, ''Hard Core 2K13,'' which would also serve as a sequel to her critically acclaimed debut album, ''Hard Core.'' The mixtape was originally set to be released on October 31, 2013, but for then unknown reasons, was pushed back. To make up for not releasing the mixtape, Lil' Kim released the singles "Dead Gal Walking" and "Kimmy Blanco" to the public, along with the track list. The track list revealed collaborations with

French Montana Karim Kharbouch (Moroccan Arabic, Arabic: IPA pronunciation, æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he immigrated to New York ...

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...

, Jadakiss, and

Yo Gotti Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, singer, and record executive. Rooted in Memphis rap, he released five independent albums—''Youngsta's on a Come Up'' (1996), ''From da Dope ...

. On August 2, 2014, Lil' Kim announced via her Twitter page that she would launch a concert tour to promote her forthcoming ''Hard Core'' Mixtape. Throughout the remainder of August, Lil' Kim released a number of remixes to popular songs, including

's and Nicki Minaj's collaboration on "Flawless“, seemingly as a diss to Minaj, reigniting the feud between the two rappers. On September 11, 2014, the ''Hard Core'' mixtape was released as free download on Kim's official website. In an interview with Revolt TV on the same day, she revealed that she, Iggy Azalea, and T.I. would collaborate on a song sometime in the future, saying "I don't know if it's going to be for my album or if we're just going to…we have other plans for it as well. But, I think we're going to do a double release“. In the same interview, she explained why the mixtape was pushed back twice, stating "When this project was supposed to come out I had got pregnant. I didn't know. ..Once I became fully pregnant, I was working in the studio but at one point I couldn't work anymore, obviously“. In 2016, her fourth mixtape '' Lil Kim Season'' was released. On the mixtape, she freestyles over several popular beats, Drake's "

Summer Sixteen "Summer Sixteen" is a single (music), single by Canadian rapper Drake (musician), Drake, released to promote his fourth studio album ''Views (album), Views'', although it was not included on that album. The song premiered on OVO Sound Radio and wa ...

“,

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

's "

Work Work may refer to: * Work (human activity), intentional activity people perform to support themselves, others, or the community ** Manual labour, physical work done by humans ** House work, housework, or homemaking ** Working animal, an ani ...

“, and Desiigner's " Panda“. It received mixed reviews from critics. Jen Yamato from ''

The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. Founded in 2008, the website is owned by IAC Inc. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief ...

'' wrote, "if anything, ''Lil Kim Season'' indicates that Kim's got her sights set on returning in a big way—and that she's collecting collaborators who might help her achieve it“.

2017–present: ''Girls Cruise'' and ''9''

In February 2017, Lil' Kim announced via her Instagram and an interview that she was working on a new album. Singer Faith Evans featured her on the song "Lovin You for Life" on the album '' The King & I,'' released on May 19, 2017. That same month, Lil' Kim along with

Eve Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...

and Trina was featured on the remix of "I'm Better" by

. In November, Lil' Kim released a promotional single " Took Us a Break“, and was featured on the song " Wake Me Up" by rapper Remy Ma. In March 2018, Lil' Kim released another promotional single, "Spicy“, featuring rapper Fabolous. On July 11, 2018, Lil' Kim released the single " Nasty One" from her highly anticipated album, but ultimately the track was not included on the album. That same day during an interview with ''Billboard,'' she said the album would be released in November of that year. A remix for the single was released on October 26, 2018, and featured Kranium, HoodCelebrityy, and

Stefflon Don Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), known professionally as Stefflon Don, is an English rapper. She rose to fame with her 2017 single "Hurtin' Me" (featuring French Montana), which peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart, ...

. In September 2018, she announced that the debut single for her album "Go Awff" would be released at a later date. The song was eventually released on February 15, 2019. That same month, Kim was spotted in Barbados with fellow hip hop stars Mýa and Chilli, friends Char DeFrancesco (husband to

Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963) is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for his own fashion label, Marc Jacobs, and formerly Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, which was produced for approximately 15 years, before it was d ...

and one of Kim's best friends) and Tiffany, as well as

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

personalities Pretty Vee and B. Simone from MTV's '' Wild 'n Out.'' It was later revealed that this was part of a VH1 reality show, '' Girls Cruise,'' for which Kim would serve as an executive producer. The show followed the group as they set sail to embark on a 10-day cruise in the Caribbean, visiting the countries of

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

and

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

just in time for

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

festivities. It also documented the group's bonding and new friendships with one another. The show premiered on July 15 with approximately 1.2 million viewers and ran for 11 episodes. It is unclear if there will be another season of the series. In March 2019, Kim revealed that her new album would be titled ''9'' and added "There's a lot of meaning behind that“. Later that month, she announced that the album would be released on May 17, 2019. After a minor setback with her record label, eOne Music, that caused the album not be released on the original planned date, the project was postponed. On September 27, 2019, Kim released a second single, "Found You“, featuring City Girls and O.T. Genasis. The album later became available for pre-order on all digital-download platforms on October 4, 2019 (along with the track "Pray For Me" featuring

and

Musiq Soulchild Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by his stage name Musiq Soulchild (or simply Musiq; pronounced "music") is an American singer-songwriter. His music blends Rhythm and blues, R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, ...

), with a release date of October 11, 2019. Upon its first week of release, the album charted on the R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Album Sales, Digital Albums, Top Albums Sales, Independent Albums and Rap Album Sales. However, the album failed to chart on the ''Billboard'' 200 due to selling less than 1,000 copies, and no song from the album landed on the Hot 100 or Bubbling Under. During one of the reunion episodes for ''Girls Cruise,'' Kim revealed that the album would be a two-part project, stating "I recorded so many songs. I have a part one and a part two“. She also shared that her co-star, the Instagram comedian Vena "Pretty Vee" Excell, would appear on the record. In October 2019, Kim revealed that she would collaborate with

and

Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, and socialite. Hilton was born in New York City and raised there partially; shuttling between Los Angeles and New York City; she is a great-grandda ...

on the follow-up to ''9.'' In an interview with New York Radio 103.9, Kim confirmed that the City Girls would be involved with the follow-up to ''9.'' She also stated that she would "love" to have Pretty Vee host her tour. On her November 8, 2019 appearance on ''

The Real In continental philosophy, the Real refers to reality in its unmediated form. In Lacanian psychoanalysis, it is an "impossible" category because of its inconceivability and opposition to expression. In depth psychology The Real is the ...

,'' Kim again confirmed that

and

would appear on ''9''s follow-up; she said the song "sounds like a classic Missy Elliott record but 'now.'"(1:20)

Influences

Lil' Kim cited as her rap influences

Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip-hop, hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (rapper), Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (rapper), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). ...

and

Roxanne Shanté Lolita Shante Gooden (born November 9, 1969), better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. She first gained attention in 1984 through the Roxanne Wars, and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film ''Roxanne Roxanne'' ...

. She was also influenced by

Slick Rick Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence as part of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. His songs " The Show" and ...

, the Notorious B.I.G., Eric B. & Rakim, Queen Latifah and

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...

. Lil' Kim also cited

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

as an influence, saying she modeled her own career on Madonna's, and labeling herself as the " Black Madonna“.

Products and endorsements

In 1998, Lil' Kim signed with Wilhelmina Models. That same year, she was announced as the face for the fashion brand Candie's alongside

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

. She became the first and only rapper to endorse the brand to date. In 2000, Lil' Kim signed a deal with fashion house

, and also with cosmetics brand MAC to help endorse their VIVA GLAM line of lipsticks and lip glosses alongside

. The MAC ''VIVA GLAM III'' campaign, which was built around a plum-brown lipstick, helped raise $4 million for the company in one year and became the most successful VIVA GLAM campaign to date. Due to the success, the two signed on for a second year. The rapper also modeled for the urban fashion line Baby Phat in August 2000. In March 2001, Lil' Kim, along with several other artists, were in an

Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

Mac computer commercial, demonstrating how to burn custom CDs on a Mac. In 2004, she launched a designer watch collection with manufacturer and jeweler Jeweler Jacob Arabo, ''Royalty by Lil' Kim.'' She also debuted her first clothing line, ''Hollyhood.'' She lent her voice to the video game ''Def Jam: Fight for NY,'' in which she was featured. In 2005, she collaborated on a shoe line with high-end brand Petite Peton. That same year, she appeared as a character in the limited-edition comic book "The Heist“, a collaboration between

Marvel Marvel may refer to: Business * Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company ** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment ** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe ** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics ...

and Atlantic Records. In August 2010, Lil' Kim signed a deal with Three Olives Vodka as the face for their ''Purple'' vodka. In September of that same year, she, along with her cousin Katrise Jones, opened their first beauty salon in Charlotte, North Carolina called ''Salon Se Swa.'' That same month, she launched her second clothing line, ''24/7 Goddess Collection,'' at Charlotte, North Carolina's Fashion Week. In November 2012, Lil' Kim began endorsing Cîroc vodka, revealing her own cocktail, "Queen Bee“, and announcing herself as the "First Lady" of the brand.

Philanthropy

In 2000, Lil' Kim embarked on a promo tour for her second studio album, ''The Notorious K.I.M.,'' and the MAC AIDS Fund. She visited MAC cosmetics counters, interacted with fans, and helped raise money and awareness for people living with

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

worldwide. She took part in MAC's ''Fashion Cares'' show in Toronto, Canada, raising close to one million for its AIDS committee. Her endorsement of MAC, with Mary J. Blige, raised $4 million for the fund. In October 2001, Lil' Kim was featured on the R&B mix of the song " What's Going On“. She, along with several other popular recording artists, released the song as "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide“, with proceeds going to AIDS programs worldwide and also the September 11th Fund of the United Way. That same month, Lil' Kim performed at Breathe, a benefit concert for breast cancer research and treatment. Proceeds from the concert went to the

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

Breast Center and the Breast Examination Center of Harlem, an outreach program of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. On March 12, 2002, Lil' Kim walked her dogs in the 3rd annual "Paws for Style" fashion show. The event is held by ''Animal Fair'' magazine as a benefit for the Humane Society of New York. Items worn by the animals were later auctioned off online. In 2004 she launched her own foundation called ''Lil' Kim Cares.'' The foundation raises funds, resources and awareness for national programs that assist with issues such as homelessness, HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness, transitional living, child neglect, and violence against women. Speaking of the foundation, Lil' Kim stated she planned to be primarily involved in causes that had affected her personally. On April 17, 2004, she participated in the 28th annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. The event helped raise more than $100,000 for "Racing for Kids“, a non-profit program benefiting Southern California children's hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County. On August 24, 2004, Lil' Kim encouraged others to vote in the

United States presidential election The election of the president of the United States, president and Vice President of the United States, vice president of the United States is an indirect election in which citizens of the United States who are Voter registration in the United ...

through the

Rock the Vote Rock the Vote is a Nonprofit organization, non-profit organization in the United States. Through registering new young voters, the group aims to "channel the energy among young people around racial, economic, and health justice into one of the mo ...

campaign. On March 10, 2005, Lil' Kim, along with several other artists, appeared in an episode of '' The Apprentice.'' Each artist was approached by contestants to donate a "personal experience" to be auctioned off for charity through music channel Fuse's "Daily Download" program, with proceeds going to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. In September 2005, she teamed with

fashion design Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...

for a limited edition T-shirt line featuring images of the rapper. ''Marc Jacobs Loves Lil' Kim'' was sold exclusively at Marc Jacobs stores, with 100% of the proceeds going to a charity called The Door. In 2005 Lil' Kim donated a diamond watch from her "Royalty" line to the World AIDS Day eBay auction, "Bid 2 Beat AIDS“. Proceeds went to LIFEbeat, an organization providing HIV/AIDS information to millions of young people annually. Through her foundation, Lil' Kim has given back to many, including teaming up with apparel company Mitchell & Ness and boxer

Zab Judah Zabdiel Judah (born October 27, 1977) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2019. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed championship at welterweight in 2005, and the ...

to donate toys to underprivileged youth in Philadelphia in 2005, and joining MusiCares in 2007 for a silent auction, held at the ''Grammys On The Hill'' ceremony, to help raise funds for the foundation. In 2007 Lil' Kim was a part of the ''4th Annual Grammy Charity Holiday Auction,'' featuring a large variety of celebrity-signed memorabilia that people could bid on through

eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...

. On December 1, 2007, Lil' Kim partnered with Preserve Our Legacy and the New Jersey Stem Cell Research and Education Foundation to host a celebrity basketball game to raise awareness about various health issues plaguing minority communities. On July 11, 2010, Lil' Kim launched her signature milkshake, the "Queen Bee“, at Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood, with proceeds going towards

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...

's Yéle Haiti Foundation. On February 9, 2013, she took part in the first annual ''Reality On The Runway'' fashion show. The event helped raise $300,000 for people infected with HIV/AIDS and increase awareness. All designs from the show were auctioned off online following the event, with a portion of the proceeds going to AIDS United. Lil' Kim has been a longtime LGBT advocate, and has participated in many gay pride festivals, including the LGBT Pride March in New York City, as well as performing at Atlanta Black Pride and D.C. Black Pride.

Personal life

In her teens, Jones dated Shawn Powell. The pair met at the Empire Roller Skating rink in Brooklyn. After a couple of months of seeing each other, Powell was arrested for robbery and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. Jones and Powell continued their relationship, with Jones visiting frequently. They kept in touch by writing letters. The couple became engaged while Powell was incarcerated. During this time, Jones met Christopher Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G.). She focused on starting her rap career and called off the engagement with Powell. In 1996, during the recording of her debut album, Jones became pregnant with Wallace's child. She did not make it public until 1999 during an interview with '' The Source.'' Jones decided to terminate the pregnancy. "I already knew the kind of relationship that Biggie and I had, and I knew that aving a childwas something that couldn't take place..“. Wallace called Jones three days before his death and told her he loved her. In a 2010 interview with Ed Lover on Power 105, Jones revealed that Wallace assaulted her and she described an incident where he choked her to unconsciousness. In 2017, Jones admitted her relationship with Wallace was "very violent" after

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...

claimed that he witnessed Wallace pull a pistol out on Jones. On July 23, 1996, Jones was arrested for possession of

marijuana Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...

after police raided Wallace's Teaneck, New Jersey home. Police smelled marijuana inside the home when they went to ask for someone to move an illegally parked car. Jones denied she was smoking, claiming she was "upstairs all day sleeping“. On March 17, 1999, Teaneck police issued an arrest warrant after Jones failed to turn up for court dates stemming from the arrest. The warrant was not a top priority for the police, and was not made public until September 2003, after a story was published online by The Smoking Gun. Jones was later removed from Teaneck's wanted list in October 2003, after $350 in bail was posted on her behalf. Jones' attorney told reporters that she did not appear in court because she believed the case had been resolved. In 2002, Jones started dating Damion "World" Hardy. The couple split in 2003, and she stated she was a victim of physical abuse leading to multiple nose jobs as a result of being punched. On June 20, 2003, Jones had $250,000 worth of jewelry stolen while catching a flight at New York's

John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major international airport serving New York City and its metropolitan area. JFK Airport is located on the southwestern shore of Long Island, in Queens, New York City, bordering Jamaica Bay. It is ...

after a bag, which she intended to carry on, was mixed up with eight other pieces of her luggage. The missing jewelry was recovered 10 days later, found wrapped up in a rag in a locker room for airline employees by a United Airlines worker. In 2004, Jones dated record producer Scott Storch, whom she met when he offered her a ride to her hotel. The couple split after two months. In 2013, Storch revealed that he would have married Jones if the relationship had worked out. In 2007, Jones and Ray J briefly dated. On March 17, 2005, Lil' Kim was convicted of three counts of

conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...

and one count of

perjury Perjury (also known as forswearing) is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding."Perjury The act or an insta ...

for lying to a federal

grand jury A grand jury is a jury empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify. A grand ju ...

about her and her friends' involvement in a 2001 shooting outside the Hot 97 studios in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

. During the trial of her co-manager, Damion "D-Roc" Butler, and her bodyguard, Suif "Gutta" Jackson, a former member of the

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

group Junior M.A.F.I.A., she testified before a grand jury that she did not know they were at the scene. However, video footage from a security camera placed all three at the scene, exiting the building. Butler and Jackson pleaded guilty to gun charges. Jackson was sentenced to twelve years in federal prison as part of plea bargain in which he admitted to firing at least twenty rounds during the incident. The length of the sentence was said to have been influenced by his previous gun-related convictions. In July 2005, Lil' Kim was sentenced to one year in prison, thirty days' home detention upon release from custody, and three years of probation. She served the entirety of her sentence at the Federal Detention Center, Philadelphia in

Center City, Philadelphia Center City includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It comprises the area that made up the City of Philadelphia prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, which extended the ci ...

. She was released on July 3, 2006, after serving approximately 12 months. Her

Federal Bureau of Prisons The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for all List of United States federal prisons, federal prisons ...

(BOP) supervision ended on August 2, 2006. On June 9, 2014, Jones gave birth to a daughter named Royal Reign. Royal has started modeling, walking the catwalk in the New York Fashion Week Show in 2023 as part of the 13th Annual Rookie USA Fashion Show. Lil' Kim was in a relationship with Royal's father, Jeremy Neil, who goes by the rap name Mr. Papers from 2012 to 2014, and then again from 2020 through at least part of 2021. He has called her his "wife" before although they have never been legally married. Their initial breakup was somewhat contentious, with Lil' Kim claiming that he was a domestic abuser and Mr. Papers alternatively dissing her and performing somber freestyle raps lamenting the circumstances and lack of access to Royal. They have not mentioned being a couple on social media since 2021 and Mr. Papers was referred to as Lil' Kim's ex again in news reports that were released in 2022, but they never formally broke up with each other publicly. According to an interview released in April 2024, Lil' Kim is currently dating Tayy Brown, a rapper who is signed to her record label. Jones identifies as a Christian.

Feuds

Foxy Brown

Once high school friends, Lil' Kim and fellow Brooklyn rapper Foxy Brown originally remained close despite becoming associates of clashing hip hop groups Junior M.A.F.I.A. and the Firm, respectively. In 1995, they collaborated with Da Brat for the remix of " No One Else" by Total. The following year, they were featured in the Hot 97 NY Fashion Show and appeared on the covers of '' The Source'' and '' Vibe.'' However, their first dispute developed after both of their debut studio albums were scheduled for release a week apart in November 1996. In 1996, Media outlets noted similarities between the sleeve covers of Lil' Kim's debut album '' Hard Core'' and Brown's debut album '' Ill Na Na'', where the two were shown wearing the same outfit. In 1997, the feud led to the deterioration of their friendship, and resulted in the cancellation of a collaborative album ''Thelma & Louise''. Brown noted that the breakdown of their relationship was influenced by their conflicting entourages. They first attempted a reconciliation in 1998 after Lil' Kim called Brown and her mother after the two were held at gunpoint during a house burglary. In January 1999, critics noted the track "My Life" from Brown's second studio effort '' Chyna Doll'' as being an "open appeal" to their friendship. In the song, Brown describes their relationship being "lost for pride". Later in the album, however, Brown attacks "mistresses“. As music journalist Evelyn McDonnell noted, this seemed pointed at Lil' Kim. Critics thought the records were a subtle diss to Lil' Kim, especially since during this time Brown had supported Lil' Kim's rival, singer Faith Evans, in multiple interviews. In February 1999, some music critics noted that Brown "suddenly sounded 'exactly' like Lil' Kim“. In late May 1999, Lil' Cease's single " Play Around", featuring Lil' Kim and Diddy, was released and featured on his debut '' The Wonderful World of Cease A Leo''. In the song, after Lil' Kim's verse, Diddy raps: "Stop trying to sound like her too bitches"; a diss aimed at Foxy Brown. The line spurred enough controversy that a writer remarked, "It's finally coming out. Foxy Brown bites worse than a pit bull“. Additionally, Lil' Kim's guest appearance on the remix version of

Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American Hip-hop, hip hop duo formed in Queens, New York (state), New York in 1990. Consisting of rappers/songwriters/record producers Prodigy (rapper), Prodigy and Havoc (musician), Havoc, they are considered to be among the pr ...

's song " Quiet Storm" and her second album's title track, "The Notorious K.I.M“., were both released as diss records aimed at Foxy Brown. Angered by Lil' Kim's response, Brown collaborated with longtime associates Capone-N-Noreaga on the track, "Bang, Bang“. In the track, Brown mimicked Lil' Kim's interpretation of

's famous disstrack "

10% Dis 10% Dis is a single from MC Lyte's album '' Lyte as a Rock'' produced by the hip hop duo Audio Two, who are also credited as songwriters. The song was a diss track to then- Hurby Azor associate Antoinette, who she accuses of having ''"stole th ...

", and went on to recite: "You and Diddy y'all kill me with that subliminal shit“. Towards the end of her verse, Brown mocked Lil' Kim's grieving for the loss of rapper the Notorious B.I.G. by remarking: "Let the nigga iggierest in peace, and hop off his dick, bitch do you“. On February 26, 2001, at 3 p.m., as Lil' Kim left New York radio station Hot 97, over twenty shots were fired between two groups of three men. One of the men, Capone of Capone-N-Noreaga, was entering the Hot 97 building promote

DJ Clue Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue (often stylized as DJ Clue?), is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive. Early life DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Pana ...

's new album, '' The Professional 2'' (which happened to have also featured Lil' Kim). An affiliate, Efrain Ocasio from Capone's entourage, was shot in the back; both Lil' Kim's and Capone's groups denied any involvement in the shooting. However, detectives later informed ''

The New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in tabloid format, and rea ...

'' that it was a result of the verses Foxy Brown recited in "Bang, Bang“. Shaken up by the incident, Brown tried to reach out to Lil' Kim for a truce. Brown stated, "I really don't know how it started. But Russell immonsand I, we got together, and I said, 'Russell, I want to call a truce.' I want to have a sit-down with Kim. I don't care what it is. Let's just end it. We can even do a collaboration. We're bigger than this. If it has to start with me, let it start with me“. Brown extended an olive branch to Lil' Kim's camp, however Lil' Kim had cut all ties with Diddy and Bad Boy associates and wanted no communication with Brown whatsoever. In March 2005, Lil' Kim was convicted of lying about the shooting to a federal grand jury. On July 6, 2005, she was sentenced to prison for three counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy. During the four years before Lil' Kim's sentencing, she and Brown exchanged subtle diss records, among them Lil' Kim's ''La Bella Mafia,'' "Quiet“, and "Guess Who's Back"; and in turn, Brown's '' Ill Na Na 2: The Fever'' and various mixtape freestyles. In the midst of these diss recordings, radio host Doug Banks interviewed Brown in 2003, hoping she would disclose further details pertaining to their dispute. Brown claimed that Lil' Kim was allegedly jealous that Biggie was to include Brown in his Junior M.A.F.I.A. collective. Brown also added that a tell-all book disclosing the feud would be released for Christmas 2003. In her final comments on the dispute, Brown stated: "Kim is the only female artist that keeps me on my toes. She's the only one that I can look at; and any other artist that says they don't have that one person that keeps them driven... is lying“.Archived a
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Following her release from prison, Lil' Kim no longer acknowledged Brown. Brown, on the other hand, has consistently targeted Lil' Kim in her music and concert venues since the latter's prison release. On May 17, 2012, Lil' Kim gave an interview to a radio show, ''The Breakfast Club.'' When asked about whether or not she had spoken to Brown at all in recent years, she replied, "I don't even know her. And when I say that; I don't know who she is to these days. I wouldn't even know what her voice sounds like“.

Nicki Minaj

Lil' Kim has been embroiled in a feud with rapper

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...

since Minaj's success with '' Pink Friday.'' With Lil' Kim and media critics noticing resemblances with her on the ''Sucka Free'' mixtape, Lil' Kim accused Minaj of copying her image saying, "If you are going to steal my swag, you gonna have to pay. Something gotta give. You help me, I help you. That's how it goes to me“. Minaj's single " Roman's Revenge" with

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...

was believed by critics to be a response to Lil' Kim's comments, although at the time she denied this. Minaj responded to the situation in an interview on The Angie Martinez show, saying "She picked a fight with Foxy, then she picked a fight with

, then she picked a fight with Remy, then it was Mrs. Wallace, then it was Nicki Minaj. Every time you in the news, it's 'cause you gettin' at somebody! Where's your music? Put your music out, and when I see your name on ''Billboard,'' that's when I'll respond to you. Other than that, goodbye. It's Barbie, bitch“. Lil' Kim reignited the feud following the release of her mixtape ''Black Friday,'' an album that directly referenced Nicki Minaj, via her debut album title and freestyling on Minaj's songs such as " Did It On'em" (that became "Pissin' On'em"). The mixtape cover featured artwork that showed Lil' Kim decapitating Minaj with a sword. A fragment of Minaj's diss track "Tragedy" was released online in April 2011, featuring lyrics "Pink Friday, Eminem, 8 Mile/ It must hurt to sell your album on PayPal“. Following the release of Minaj's second album, '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,'' critics suggested that the tracks " Stupid Hoe" may have contained attacks at Lil' Kim. Lil' Kim later suggested in an interview with Power105's '' Breakfast Club'' that the song "

Automatic Automatic may refer to: Music Bands * Automatic (Australian band), Australian rock band * Automatic (American band), American rock band * The Automatic, a Welsh alternative rock band Albums * ''Automatic'' (Jack Bruce album), a 1983 el ...

" from Minaj's second album was similar to her unreleased material, also calling Minaj "obnoxious" and "catty“. In a 2018 interview with

Genius Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for the future, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...

, Minaj alluded to the situation with Lil' Kim, seemingly confirming that the track "Roman's Revenge" was about the feud, saying, "Someone got at me. A veteran got at me, and I hit them with 'Roman's Revenge' and then I kept on going“. In 2021, Lil' Kim stated on the red carpet of the

BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...

that she would like to do a Verzuz with Minaj.

Legacy

Several media outlets have referred to Lil' Kim as the " Queen of Rap“, and by the alias she uses, "Queen Bee“. ''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...

'' has called her the "First Lady of Rap“, with editor Allison Samuels writing in 2000 that she has "transcended the male-dominated world of rap to become one of America's sassiest, most engaging icons“. Lil' Kim's music catalog features undertones of sex-positive feminism and the importance of female pleasure, instead of the man as the "dominant priority“, through explicit lyrics about sex. ''

Dazed ''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a quarterly British lifestyle magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. ''Dazed'' is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for produ ...

'' considered her "the first high-profile female rapper to flip the script on female objectification in the rap industry“. For ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

''s editor Jordan Bassett, she "out-filthed the male rappers at every turn“. According to

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

, ''Hard Core'' (1996) was the most successful debut album by a female hip hop artist at the time; the album saw her "inhabit the territory of sexual edginess and hardcore rap, traditionally the preserve inhabited by male artists“. In 2000, ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' writer Isaac Guzman wrote that her debut solo album created a path for a new wave of female rappers, with her at the forefront of her generation, and established her as "the raunchiest, hardest, sexiest, most glamorous woman in all of hip-hop“. During that time, several new female hip hop artists modeled themselves after her stylistically. Placing ''Hard Core'' at number 80 on their list of "Best Rap Albums of the 90s“, ''

Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

'' magazine stated, "when Lil Kim released her debut album—women in hip-hop finally had options, paths to follow and models ..she was the raunchiest woman you ever heard on the mic“. ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'' writer Joan Morgan contended that the album "transformed her into a

cultural icon A cultural icon is a person or an cultural artifact, artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen ...

“, opining that it put an emphasis on sex appeal, looks, and packaging as a priority for female rappers. ''

Camera Obscura A camera obscura (; ) is the natural phenomenon in which the rays of light passing through a aperture, small hole into a dark space form an image where they strike a surface, resulting in an inverted (upside down) and reversed (left to right) ...

'' listed her as one of the late twentieth-century "self-marketers of female trouble" in music, along with

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

and

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

. In 2020, '' XXL'' wrote that "twenty-five years later, no rapper is more influential to the new female rhymers“. Aside from music, Lil' Kim is also known for a risk-taking and luxurious approach to fashion that has inspired many artists. She has been named as a fashion icon by various media outlets. ''Vogue'' editor-at-large André Leon Talley called her "the black

“. Designers such as

Versace Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury elite fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as '' haute couture'' under it ...

, and

Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani (; born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer and a billionaire. He first gained renown working for Cerruti 1881. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, which eventually expanded into music, sport, and luxury hotels. By 200 ...

have credited Lil' Kim as an inspiration. Her collaboration with nail artist Bernadette Thompson in wearing her "money nails" is described by ''Harper's BAZAAR'' to have been "a defining moment in the history of hip-hop and beauty" and lead to mainstream fashion's acceptance of intricate nail art. A replica of the money nails she wore has been exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art alongside other notable fashion items such as the Wonderbra and red lipstick. Some artists who have named Kim as influence include

Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Cephus (; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. Noted for her unfiltered public image and lyrics, Cardi B is one of the most successful female rappers. From 2015 to early 2017, she ga ...

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Megan initially gained recognition when videos of her freestyling began to circulate widely on social me ...

, Kash Doll, Bree Runway, Teyana Taylor,

Doja Cat Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCl ...

Rosalía Rosalia Vila Tobella (born 25 September 1992), known mononymously as Rosalía (, ), is a Spanish Pop music, pop and flamenco singer. She has been described as an "atypical pop star" due to her genre-bending musical styles. After being enthral ...

, Hitmaka, Casanova,

Spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

Zaytoven Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), known professionally as Zaytoven, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Mane, Usher, Future, Young Dolph, Mig ...

, Flo Milli,

, Ivorian Doll,

Cupcakke Elizabeth Eden Harris (born May 31, 1997), known professionally as Cupcakke (often stylized as cupcakKe; pronounced "cupcake"), is an American rapper and singer-songwriter known for her Sexualization, hypersexualized, brazen, and often comical ...

Saweetie Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper (born July 2, 1993), known professionally as Saweetie (; also pronounced as simply "sweetie"), is an American rapper and singer. Her 2017 debut single, "Icy Grl", received RIAA certification, double platinum cer ...

, Ice Spice,

, Iggy Azalea, Ms Banks, Lola Brooke, Jhené Aiko, City Girls, DreamDoll,

Latto Alyssa Michelle Stephens (born December 22, 1998), known professionally as Latto (formerly known as Mulatto), is an American rapper and singer-songwriter from Atlanta. She first appeared on Jermaine Dupri's reality television series ''The Rap G ...

, and Erica Banks. Actress Taraji P. Henson said that Lil' Kim inspired her portrayal of ''

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

'' character Cookie Lyon.

Awards and nominations

Throughout her career, Lil' Kim has earned numerous honors and awards. Her debut ''Hard Core'' was certified double platinum by the RIAA, and is considered a classic hip-hop album. As of 2007, Lil' Kim has sold over 15 million albums worldwide. Her songs "No Time“, "Big Momma Thang" and "Ladies Night" were listed on Complex Magazine's "The 50 Best Rap Songs By Women“, at number 24, 13, and 7, respectively. Her song "Lady Marmalade" with Christina Aguilera, Mýa, and Pink, is one of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide, with sales of over 5.1 million worldwide. ''Lady Marmalade'' went number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making her one of only a few female rappers to have a number one on that chart. The song won a 2002

in the category of " Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals“. Lil' Kim was ranked as one of the top 50 greatest MCs of all time in Kool Moe Dee's 2003 book, '' There's a God on the Mic.'' In 2012, Lil' Kim was honorably listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Women In Music" at number 45, placing her in the fourth highest position for a female rapper. In 2014, she was included in ''Billboard''s list of the "31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop“. In 2016, VH1 honored Lil' Kim with VH1 Hip-Hop Honors and WEEN Award honored Kim with Icon Award because of her contribution to hip hop. In June 2018, Lil' Kim was honored with a proclamation by the New York City Council's Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC) as part of the annual African-American Music Appreciation Month for her contributions to hip-hop. Along with the proclamation, she also accepted the New York City 12th Council District Arts and Music Award and the city's Power Of Influence Award. In 2019, Lil' Kim was honored by BET Hip Hop Awards with the I Am Hip Hop Award.

Discography

Studio albums * '' Hard Core'' (1996) * '' The Notorious K.I.M.'' (2000) * '' La Bella Mafia'' (2003) * '' The Naked Truth'' (2005) * '' 9'' (2019) Collaboration albums * ''

'' with Junior M.A.F.I.A. (1995)

Tours

Headlining * The Notorious K.I.M. Tour (2000) * 2010 Tour (2010) * Return of the Queen Tour (2012) Joint tours * No Way Out Tour (with Puff Daddy & The Family) (1997–1998) * Winterbeatz Australia (with Fabolous,

and G-Unit) (2011) * Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour (2016)

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Documentary

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 1974 births Living people African-American Christians African-American women rappers Pop rappers American people convicted of perjury American LGBTQ rights activists Atlantic Records artists East Coast hip-hop musicians Feminist rappers Grammy Award winners Hardcore hip-hop artists American HIV/AIDS activists MNRK Music Group artists Participants in American reality television series People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Rappers from Brooklyn The Notorious B.I.G. 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American women rappers 20th-century American women rappers 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century African-American women singers 21st-century American women singers

Early life, family and education

Career

1996–2002: ''Hard Core'' and ''The Notorious K.I.M.''

2003–2005: ''La Bella Mafia''

2005–2008: Prison, ''The Naked Truth'' and ''Ms. G.O.A.T''

2009–2011: ''Dancing with the Stars'' and ''Black Friday''

2012–2016: ''Hard Core'' mixtape and ''Lil Kim Season''

2017–present: ''Girls Cruise'' and ''9''

Influences

Products and endorsements

Philanthropy

Personal life

Feuds

Foxy Brown

Nicki Minaj

Legacy

Awards and nominations

Discography

Tours

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Documentary

See also

References

Further reading

External links