Lil' Kim

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{{Infobox_band | band_name = Lil' Kim | image = Image:Lilkimtattoo.jpg | years_active = 1996-present (solo)
1994-1996 (Junior M.A.F.I.A.) | music_genre = Rap | record_label = Atlantic }} For the New York Yankees reporter of the same name, go to the entry for Kimberly Jones (reporter)

Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1975), more popularly known as Lil' Kim and the nickname Queen Bee, is an American hardcore rap artist, known for sexually explicit lyrics, boundary-pushing attire, numerous cosmetic surgery operations, and thwarting the efforts of local authorities after covering up her involvement in a 2001 New York City shooting. She is currently serving time in prison.

During the late '90s and early 2000s, Lil' Kim rose 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 and Terror Squad's Remy Ma.

Contents

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Biography

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Early years

Lil' Kim was born in Brooklyn in New York City, New York to Linwood & Ruby Mae Jones. She received the nickname of "Lil" due to her petite 4'11" frame by the Notorious B.I.G. At the age of nine, her parents separated, which marked the beginning of a tumultous lifestyle. Due to the strained relationship between her and her custodial father, she ran away as a teen, becoming a young and distressed prostitute to nearly one hundred men in the New York area, living with male friends--fulfilling favors for a place to stay, but eventually finding her way back on the streets, which exposed her to the "street life" that is frequently mentioned in her songs. However, while in her late teens, her rhyming came to the attention of rapper Christopher Wallace (A.K.A. Notorious B.I.G.) who had just signed a record deal with Bad Boy Records.

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The Junior M.A.F.I.A. & Hard Core

Image:Kim hardcore.jpg Wallace 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, which was mostly written by her lover, Christopher Wallace. This album was marked by a provocative marketing campaign (featuring a scantily-clad Kim in various scenarios) and explicit descriptions of sex rapped over edgy beats. Hard Core was a hit, debuting at #11 on the Billboard 200 and going on to achieve 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.

On the heels of Kim's successful debut was the murder of Wallace in 1997, who by then was her mentor and lover.

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The Notorious K.I.M.

Image:Lil Kim-Notorious Kim.jpg 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.

She also recorded a new entrance theme for then WWE Women's champion Trish Stratus titled "Time to Rock N Roll", which is used currently for her entrance theme during broadcasts. The single was released on WWE Anthology, a compilation of entrance theme music to various superstars which also featured the likes of Saliva and Naughty By Nature.

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La Bella Mafia

Image:LBM2.jpg On March 4, 2003, Kim released her third album, La Bella Mafia. Highly rated (4.5 mics) by music magazine The Source, La Bella Mafia featured the hits "The Jump Off (featuring Mr. Cheeks)" (a Top 20 hit) and "Magic Stick," a duet with fellow controversial rapper 50 Cent, which peaked at #2 on the charts. The latter achieved airplay success despite the fact that no music video was released for the single.

La Bella Mafia debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 170,000 copies in the first week. By the end of 2003, it went Platinum, eventually selling 1.1 million copies. Kim was nominated for five Source Awards and won two, ("Female Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, and "Female Single of the Year"). This album also got three Grammy Award nominations: Best Female Rap Solo Performance ("Came Back For You"), Best Rap Collaboration ("Magic Stick") and Best Pop Collaboration ("Can't Hold Us Down, with singer Christina Aguilera). "Can't Hold Us Down" was featured on a Christina Aguilera album.

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Criminal Conviction & The Naked Truth

Image:Thenakedtruth.jpg On March 17, 2005, Kim was found guilty of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury about her friends' involvement in a 2001 shooting outside the Hot 97 studios in Manhattan — involving the entourage of rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga and her reported fellow Brooklynite rival Foxy Brown. She claimed not to have known that her manager (Damion Butler), and another friend (Suif “Gutta” Jackson) were at the scene, despite video footage showing all three exiting the building. Both men have pleaded guilty to gun charges since.

Kim was fined $50,000 and sentenced to a year and one day at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, which she reported to on September 19, 2005. Her designated federal inmate prison number is 56198-054. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator shows her projected release date as August 2 2006.

She is currently promoting a reality show filmed before she began serving her one-year-and-a-day sentence in a Philadephia federal detention center.

Image:LilKimMugShot.jpg Despite her conviction Kim released a fourth album, The Naked Truth, during her sentence on September 27, 2005. It earned her a 5 mic rating from The Source, making her the first female rapper to ever accomplish this feat. The album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 400,000 units (Soundscan).

Video for the album's first single, "Lighters Up" was #1 on BET's "106 & Park" for 2 weeks. "Lighters Up," was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts. The second single, "Whoa" was released on February 17, 2006. On March 9th, BET premiered the show Lil Kim: Countdown to Lockdown, which was shot before Kim headed to jail.

That same day, her new BET reality series, Lil' Kim: Countdown To Lockdown premiered. The show became the highest rated premiere in BET history, with 1.9 million viewers.

Recently, reps for Lil' Kim has revealed that the rap diva could be released as early as May or June.

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Discography

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Albums

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Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Hot 100 US R&B/Hip-Hop US Rap UK Singles
1996 "No Time" (featuring Puff Daddy) #20 #9 #1 #45 Hard Core
1996 "Crush On You" - - - #36 Hard Core
1997 "Crush On You"
[Re-Release] 		- - - #23 Hard Core
1997 "Not Tonight" - Remix
(featuring Left Eye, Da Brat, Missy Elliott & Angie Martinez) 		#6 #3 #2 #11 Hard Core / Nothing To Lose (OST)
2000 "No Matter What They Say" #60 #15 #6 #35 The Notorious K.I.M.
2000 "How Many Licks?" (featuring Sisqó) #75 #36 #11 - The Notorious K.I.M.
2001 "Lady Marmalade" (w/ Christina Aguilera, Pink & Mya) #1 #12 - #1 Moulin Rouge (OST)
2000 "In The Air Tonite" (featuring Phil Collins) - - - #26 Urban Renewal (The Songs Of Phil Collins)
2003 "The Jump Off" (featuring Mr. Cheeks) #17 #2 #1 #16 La Bella Mafia
2003 "Magic Stick" (featuring 50 Cent) #2 #2 #1 - La Bella Mafia
2003 "Thug Luv" (featuring Twista) - #60 - - La Bella Mafia
2005 "Lighters Up" #31 #9 #8 #12 The Naked Truth
2006 "Whoa" - #37 - Released:
15/5/06[1] 		The Naked Truth
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Featured Roles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Hot 100 US R&B/Hip-Hop US Rap UK Singles
1998 "Hit 'Em Wit Da Hee"
(Missy Elliott featuring Lil' Kim, Timbaland & Mocha) 		- - - #25 Supa Dupa Fly
2001 "Wait A Minute" (Ray J featuring Lil' Kim) #30 #8 - #54 This Ain't A Game
2003 "Can't Hold Us Down" (C. Aguilera featuring Lil' Kim) #12 - - #6 Stripped
2005 "Sugar (Gimme Some)"
(Trick Daddy featuring Ludacris, Lil' Kim & Cee-Lo) 		#20 #36 #12 #61 Thug Matrimony: Married To The Streets
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DVD/VHS and videos

  • 2000: Best of Lil' Kim
  • 2005: Meaning of Family
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Filmography

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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 ("Not Tonight [Remix]")
  • Source Awards
    • 2003: Female Artist of the Year
    • 2003: Female Single of the Year "The Jumpoff"
  • Teen Choice Awards
    • 2001: Choice Song of the Summer ("Lady Marmalade")
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External links

es:Kimberly Jones fr:Lil' Kim nl:Lil' Kim pl:Lil' Kim sv:Lil Kim

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