Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1975 in Brooklyn in New York City, New York), also known as Lil' Kim and the Queen Bee, is an American rapper.
During the late '90s and 2000s, Lil' Kim has risen to become one of the most prominent female rap artists of her time. As a recording artist, her uninhibited "hardcore XXX" style of rap has paved the way for many other female rap artists, including Trina, Jacki-O, and Terror Squad's Remy Ma.
Lil' Kim's antics outside the studio, however, have perpetuated the stereotype of American rappers as a violent and unlawful clique. At a February 2001 incident in New York City in which a rival of Lil' Kim was shot in the back, Kim fled the scene in her limousine and later thwarted police at her New Jersey home despite being intimately involved in the shooting. Fellow rappers and friends of Lil' Kim have taken this "above-the-law" attitude in their endeavors, including Snoop Dogg and Sean "Diddy" Combs; both of whom have been involved directly in violent shootings.
Biography
Early years
Lil' Kim (nicknamed due to her 4'11" frame) was born Kimberly Denise Jones on July 11, 1975, in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of nine, her parents separated, and until the time she became a teenager, she lived with her father. However, due to their strained relationship, she moved in with friends and spent most of the time out on the streets, surrounded by people who dealt drugs and living the street life. She then met Christopher Wallace (A.K.A. Notorious B.I.G.) who had just signed a record deal with Bad Boy Records and wanted to bring her in on his success.
The Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Hard Core
Christopher introduced Kim to New York rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A., in which Kim became the only female member. In 1995, they released their debut album Conspiracy, which debuted at #8 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and spawned the top twenty hit "Get Money."
After her success with the Junior M.A.F.I.A., Kim went solo, releasing her controversial debut album Hard Core on November 12, 1996. Despite its critical acclaim among music critics, it is probably remembered most for the promotionals than anything else (one "coming soon" poster had Kim sitting in an open squatting position.) Still, the sexual ad campaign seemed to only fuel Kim's success, as Hard Core became a hit, debuting and ultimately peaking at #11 on the Billboard 200 and going on to acheive double-platinum status. The lead single, "No Time" (featuring Puff Daddy), became a top twenty hit; its follow-up, "Not Tonight," proved to be an even bigger success, as it went on to reach the top ten of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
All seemed to be going well for Kim until the spring of 1997, when her mentor and love Notorious B.I.G. was murdered. Although singer Faith Evans is listed as his widow, Kim made it known that she and Biggie were in love and was visibly emotional at his funeral; she was even pregnant from him, although she had an abortion.
The Notorious K.I.M.
After Biggie's death, Kim took a break from her own music, but still made guest appearances on other artists' albums. In 1998, she toured with Puff Daddy on the "No Way Out" tour. 1999 saw the launch of her own record label, Queen Bee Records, and in 2000, Lil' Kim returned with a new look and a new album. The Notorious K.I.M. debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum. The two singles released in the U.S., "No Matter What They Say" and "How Many Licks?," both performed poorly on the charts and only made it into the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100. The record on a whole was also not received as well as her debut by critics.
It wasn't until 2001 that Kim had her first true mainstream hit. She teamed up with Christina Aguilera, Mya and Pink to remake LaBelle's class hit "Lady Marmalade" for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack. The single peaked at #1 on the Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, making it Kim's first #1 single and her the first female rap artist to hit #1 on the chart. The song subsequently was one of the biggest hits of the year, and went on to win a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
La Bella Mafia and The Naked Truth
On March 4, 2003, Kim released her third platinum album, La Bella Mafia. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 selling 166,000 copies in its first week. So far the album has sold 1.1 million copies in the US. The album spawned two hit singles in "The Jump Off," which peaked within the top twenty, and "Magic Stick," which featured 50 Cent, peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the biggest hits of the year.
Aside from her music, Kim also was involved in several other projects during this time, including roles in such films as Nora's Hair Salon and Gang of Roses. She even started her own watch collection: Royalty by Lil' Kim.
Criminal Conviction
In 2005, Kim was found guilty of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury about a shooting incident involving the entourage of rap duo Capone N Noreaga and her reported fellow BK rival Foxy Brown. She was sentenced to a year and one day at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, which she reported to on Monday, September 19. Her designated federal inmate prison number is 56198-054.
Despite all of this, Kim still released her next album, The Naked Truth, during her sentence on September 27, 2005. The album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 selling 109,000 copies in its first week and its primary single, "Lighters Up," has already become a top forty hit.
Albums
| Album information |
|---|
Hard Core
|
The Notorious K.I.M.
|
La Bella Mafia
|
The Naked Truth
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
| US Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | US Rap | UK Singles Chart | CAN | |||
| 1996 | "No Time" | #18 | #9 | #1 | - | - | Hard Core |
| 1996 | "Crush on You" | - | - | - | #36 | - | Hard Core |
| 1996 | "Not Tonight" | #6 | #3 | #2 | #11 | #10 | Hard Core |
| 2000 | "No Matter What They Say" | #60 | #15 | #6 | #35 | - | Notorious K.I.M. |
| 2000 | "How Many Licks?" (feat. Sisqo) | #75 | #36 | #11 | - | - | Notorious K.I.M. |
| 2000 | "In the Air Tonite" (feat. Phil Collins) | - | - | - | #26 | #18 | Urban Renewal |
| 2001 | "Lady Marmalade" (Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink) | #1 (5 weeks) | - | - | #1 (1 week) | #1 (2 weeks) | Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack |
| 2003 | "The Jump Off" (feat. Mr. Cheeks) | #17 | #8 | #7 | - | - | La Bella Mafia |
| 2003 | "Magic Stick" (feat. 50 Cent) | #2 | #2 | #1 | - | - | La Bella Mafia |
| 2003 | "Thug Luv" (feat. Twista) | - | #60 | - | - | - | La Bella Mafia |
| 2005 | "Shut Up Bitch" | Radio Only | - | - | - | - | The Naked Truth |
| 2005 | "Lighters Up" | #31 | #9 | #8 | - | - | The Naked Truth |
| 2005 | "Whoa" | TBR | TBR | TBR | - | - | The Naked Truth |
DVD/VHS and videos
- 1997: #2 X-Rated
- 2000: Best of Lil' Kim
- 2005: Meaning of Family
Filmography
- 1999: She's All That
- 1999: Longshot
- 2002: Juwanna Mann
- 2003: Those Who Walk in Darkness
- 2003: Gang of Roses
- 2004: "You Got Served"
- 2004: Nora's Hair Salon
- 2005: Lil' Pimp
Awards
- MTV Video Music Awards
- 2001: Video of the Year ("Lady Marmalade")
- 2001: Best Video from a Film ("Lady Marmalade")
- My VH1 Awards
- 2001: Favorite Video ("Lady Marmalade")
- 2001: Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Just My Video? ("Lady Marmalade")
- Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
- 1997: Best Video by a Female - Rap/R&B ("Crush On You")
- 1998: Best Video by a Female - Rap/R&B ("Ladies Night/Not Tonight")
- Source Awards
- 2003: Female Artist of the Year
- Teen Choice Awards
- 2001: Choice Song of the Summer ("Lady Marmalade")