Lil' Kim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim in 2012
Born	Kimberly Denise Jones (1974-07-11) July 11, 1974 (age 50) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Other names	Queen Bee
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter actress model television personality
Years active	1994–present
Partner(s)	Jeremy Neil aka Mr. Papers (2012–2014, 2020–2021?) Tayy Brown (2024-present)
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	East Coast hip hop
Labels	eOne Atlantic Queen Bee Big Beat Undeas

Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), known as Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She grew up in New York City. As a teenager, she loved to freestyle rap, inspired by other female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte.

In 1994, rapper the Notorious B.I.G. discovered her. He invited her to join his group, Junior M.A.F.I.A.. Their first album, Conspiracy, was very popular. It had two songs that made it into the top 20 in the U.S.

Lil' Kim's first solo album, Hard Core (1996), was a huge success. It sold over six million copies worldwide. This album had hit songs like "No Time" and "Crush on You". Her next albums, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000) and La Bella Mafia (2003), also sold millions of copies.

In 2001, Lil' Kim reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was with the song "Lady Marmalade". She sang it with Christina Aguilera, Mýa, and Pink. This song also won her a Grammy Award.

Lil' Kim is often called the "Queen of Rap" or "Queen Bee". She has sold over 15 million albums and 30 million singles around the world. Her unique style and fashion choices have also made her a fashion icon.

Early Life and Education

Kimberly Denise Jones was born in Brooklyn, New York City. She is the second child of Linwood Jones. She attended Queen of All Saints Elementary School in Brooklyn.

As a teenager, Jones met Christopher Wallace, also known as the Notorious B.I.G.. He became a very important person in her life and music career. She went to Sarah J. Hale Vocational High School. Later, she attended Brooklyn College Academy. Other famous rappers like Nas and Foxy Brown also went to this school.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Junior M.A.F.I.A.

In 1994, the Notorious B.I.G. helped create the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.. Jones joined the group and chose the stage name Lil' Kim. The group's first album, Conspiracy, came out in 1995. It quickly reached number eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.

The album had three hit songs: "Player's Anthem", "I Need You Tonight", and "Get Money". Lil' Kim's popularity grew a lot while she was with Junior M.A.F.I.A. This helped her start her solo music career.

Solo Success: Hard Core and The Notorious K.I.M.

After a year with Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim began her solo journey. She appeared on other artists' albums. Her first solo album, Hard Core, was released in November 1996. It debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200. This was the highest debut for a female rap album at that time. The album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

The first song from the album, "No Time", was a duet with P. Diddy. It became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. Another hit was "Crush on You". Lil' Kim also teamed up with Missy Elliott, Angie Martinez, Da Brat, and Left Eye for a remix of "Not Tonight". This song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. She became the first female rapper to have three number one hits in a row on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.

In 1997, Lil' Kim went on P. Diddy's "No Way Out" tour. This tour was one of the most successful hip-hop tours ever. She also started her own music company, Queen Bee Entertainment.

On June 27, 2000, Lil' Kim released her second album, The Notorious K.I.M. This album showed a new look for the rapper. It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. It quickly sold over 200,000 copies in its first week.

In 2001, Lil' Kim joined Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Mýa to remake "Lady Marmalade". This song was for the Moulin Rouge! movie soundtrack. It stayed at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. It also reached number 1 in 50 other countries. This was a big achievement for female rap. Lil' Kim won her first Grammy Award for this song.

La Bella Mafia and Beyond

On March 4, 2003, Lil' Kim released her third album, La Bella Mafia. It debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200. The album received good reviews from music critics. The first single, "The Jump Off", featuring Mr. Cheeks, reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album sold over 1.1 million copies in the U.S.

Lil' Kim was nominated for many awards for La Bella Mafia. She won "Female Hip-Hop Artist of the Year". She also received two Grammy Award nominations. Lil' Kim even made an appearance in the video game Def Jam: Fight for NY.

In 2004, Lil' Kim sang a cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for a reality TV show. She also appeared on a remix of "Naughty Girl" by Beyoncé.

Reality TV and New Music

In 2009, Lil' Kim released the song "Download" with T-Pain and Charlie Wilson. It was a popular song on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Lil' Kim also appeared on the TV show Dancing with the Stars in 2009. She was paired with dancer Derek Hough. They finished in fifth place. Fans loved her performances on the show.

In June 2010, Lil' Kim started her 2010 Tour. This was her first big tour in many years. She performed across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. She released her second mixtape, Black Friday, in 2011.

Recent Projects: Mixtapes and 9

In 2012, Lil' Kim announced that she was working on a new album. She also started her Return of the Queen Tour. In 2013, she released a free song for her fans called "Looks Like Money".

She later announced a new mixtape, Hard Core 2K13, which was a follow-up to her first album. This mixtape included songs with French Montana, Miley Cyrus, and Jadakiss. The Hard Core mixtape was released in 2014.

In 2016, her fourth mixtape, Lil Kim Season, came out. On this mixtape, she rapped over popular songs by artists like Drake and Rihanna.

In 2017, Lil' Kim announced she was working on a new album. She collaborated with artists like Faith Evans, Missy Elliott, and Remy Ma. In 2018, she released the single "Nasty One".

In 2019, Lil' Kim starred in and produced a VH1 reality show called Girls Cruise. The show followed her and her friends on a trip to the Caribbean. Her fifth studio album, 9, was released in October 2019. She later shared that 9 would be a two-part project.

Influences and Legacy

Lil' Kim has said that her rap influences include MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, and Roxanne Shanté. She was also inspired by Slick Rick, The Notorious B.I.G., and Mary J. Blige. Lil' Kim has also mentioned Madonna as an influence, calling herself the "Black Madonna."

Many media outlets call Lil' Kim the "Queen of Rap" or "Queen Bee". She is known for her bold and luxurious fashion style. Designers like Marc Jacobs and Versace have said she inspires them. XXL magazine wrote that "no rapper is more influential to the new female rhymers" than Lil' Kim.

Many artists have named Lil' Kim as an influence. These include Rihanna, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and Iggy Azalea. Actress Taraji P. Henson said Lil' Kim inspired her character Cookie Lyon on the TV show Empire.

Products and Endorsements

In 1998, Lil' Kim signed with Wilhelmina Models. She also became the face for the fashion brand Candie's. She was the first rapper to work with the brand. In 2000, she signed deals with fashion house Iceberg and cosmetics brand MAC. She helped promote MAC's VIVA GLAM line of lipsticks.

In 2004, she launched her own watch collection called Royalty by Lil' Kim. She also started her first clothing line, Hollyhood. In 2010, Lil' Kim signed a deal with Three Olives Vodka. She also opened her first beauty salon, Salon Se Swa, with her cousin. In 2012, she started promoting Cîroc vodka.

Philanthropy and Community Work

In 2000, Lil' Kim went on a tour to promote her album and the MAC AIDS Fund. She visited MAC stores to meet fans and help raise money for people with HIV/AIDS. She also took part in MAC's Fashion Cares show, which raised a lot of money for AIDS research.

In 2001, Lil' Kim was part of the song "What's Going On" with other artists. The money from this song went to AIDS programs and the September 11th Fund. She also performed at a concert to raise money for breast cancer research.

In 2002, Lil' Kim participated in a fashion show for dogs called "Paws for Style". This event helped raise money for the Humane Society of New York. In 2004, she started her own foundation, Lil' Kim Cares. This foundation helps with issues like homelessness and violence against women.

Lil' Kim has also supported LGBT rights for a long time. She has participated in many gay pride festivals, including the LGBT Pride March in New York City.

Personal Life and Family

In her teenage years, Jones dated Shawn Powell. Later, she met Christopher Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G.). She decided to focus on her music career.

Lil' Kim has a daughter named Royal Reign, born on June 9, 2014. Royal Reign has started modeling and even walked the catwalk at New York Fashion Week in 2023. Lil' Kim was in a relationship with Royal's father, Jeremy Neil (Mr. Papers), from 2012 to 2014, and again from 2020 to 2021.

As of April 2024, Lil' Kim is dating Tayy Brown, a rapper signed to her record label. Jones identifies as a Christian.

Awards and Recognitions

Lil' Kim has received many awards and honors throughout her career. Her first album, Hard Core, is considered a classic hip-hop album. Her songs "No Time" and "Ladies Night" were listed among the "50 Best Rap Songs By Women".

Her song "Lady Marmalade" with Christina Aguilera, Mýa, and Pink, is one of the best-selling singles worldwide. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. This made her one of the few female rappers to have a number one hit on that chart. The song won a 2002 Grammy Award.

In 2012, Lil' Kim was listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Women In Music" at number 45. In 2014, Billboard included her in their list of "31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop". In 2016, VH1 honored Lil' Kim with the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors award.

In 2018, the New York City Council honored Lil' Kim for her contributions to hip-hop. In 2019, she received the I Am Hip Hop Award at the BET Hip Hop Awards.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Hard Core (1996)
• The Notorious K.I.M. (2000)
• La Bella Mafia (2003)
• The Naked Truth (2005)
• 9 (2019)

Collaboration Albums

• Conspiracy with Junior M.A.F.I.A. (1995)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• 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, Mario, 50 Cent and G-Unit) (2011)
• Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour (2016)

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Documentaries

See Also

In Spanish: Lil' Kim para niños

• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2001
• Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2001