When you’re speaking of female rappers, Kimberly Denise Jones better be one of the top 5 you mention! For more than 20 years, Lil’ Kim has become one of the most legendary emcees of ALL time! Although she wasn’t signed to Bad Boy, I feel as if she was apart of their success in the 90s by being featured on their biggest hits. She ran around with the likes of Diddy & The Notorious B.I.G., and was apart of his group Junior Mafia before embarking on her solo career. 

Lil Kim deserves her flowers because she is easily one of the most influential musicians & fashion icons period. Look at Nicki. Rihanna. Trina. Any female rapper that came after Kim actually. Kim is one of the musicians who made it possible for women in the industry to compete with the big boys & be sexy at the same damn time. & um..did I forget to speak on the songs she was featured on? Anyone who knows me..knows how much of a STAN I am for Kim. 

Let’s look at some of the most iconic songs she was featured on:

The legendary bop  “I Can Love You” by Mary J. Blogs, which was sampled by Kim’s “Queen Bitch.”

How can anyone forget about the Quiet Storm remix by Mobb Deep? Easily my favorite Kim feature. What she did: THAT!

The Bad Boy Remix to Total’s “No One Else?” 🙌🏾

& how can you ever forget Lil Kim popping out of the cake to deliver one of her best verses on the Bad Boy Remix to The Isley Brothers’ “Floatin’ On Your Love?” Angela Winbush’s face was priceless! 😂

& that time when Kim collaborated with the immaculate Charlie Wilson & T-Pain for the Computer Love sampled “Download.” A bop! 

& All About The Benjamins? I rest my case when it comes to Lil Kim. LEGEND! Let’s get into her discography.

Conspiracy (1995):

Favorites: White Chalk, Player’s Anthem, I Need You Tonight, Get Money, Backstabbers.

Although this was a Junior M.A.F.I.A. record, it was Lil Kim’s introduction to the world. If you ask me, she made the album memorable with her timeless lyrics from Get Money & Player’s Anthem..to the O’Jays sampled Backstabbers!  

Hard Core (1996):

Favorites: Big Momma Thang, No Time, Spend a Little Doe, Drugs, Queen B@#$H, Dreams, We Don’t Need It, Not Tonight, Player Haters.

An iconic rap album! I remember the days of sneaking to listen to my mom’s copy of this album when I was a kid & just admiring the production..& Kim’s flow. GREATNESS! It’s easily my favorite debut album from a female rapper to this day. 

The fact that I can recite every lyric from this album & not remember a thing from school over the years is just crazy to me. 😂 anyway, Hard Core is what set Kim apart from the other girls. She was simply the female version of Big. Simple! Not being afraid to go toe to toe with the guys, makes her so legendary.

The Notorious K.I.M. (2000): 

Favorites: Lil’ Drummer Boy, Custom Made, Who’s Number One, Suck My Dick, How Many Licks, Notorious KIM, No Matter What They Say, Don’t Mess With Me, Do What You Like, Right Now, Hold On, I’m Human.

Knowing how much Kim felt about Big, it’s clear as day that The Notorious K.I.M. is an ode to her mentor, & good friend. It’s my favorite Lil’ Kim album because the creativity and growth as an artist is very evident here. 

Sexual liberation is a common theme throughout Kim’s albums and on this album, there’s no exception. My favorite song on this album is “Suck My Dick,” because she flipped the script and did a “Like A Boy ” type of song. It gives men a taste of how they sound when they’re degrading women. Just an incredible record for Kim!

La Bella Mafia (2003): 

Favorites: The Jump Off, Magic Stick, Doing It Way Big, Can’t Fuck with Queen Bee, This is Who I Am, This Is A Warning, Thug Luv, Came Back for You.

La Bella Mafia is another Kim album that has nothing but bops. Kim doesn’t have the title of being the “Queen of Rap” for nothing. Every album is different, but her lyrical ability gets stronger and stronger as she releases them. On La Bella Mafia, her rhymes are some of  her best!

The Naked Truth (2005):

Favorites: Lighters Up, Whoa, Shut Up Bitch, I Know You See Me, Quiet, Gimme That, We Don’t Give A Fuck, Get Yours.

The Naked Truth is Kim’s most recent album to date, & is easily one of the best albums released in 2005! After what she went through going to prison, she came back stronger than ever..& came through with some tight rhymes. 

I think I love every song on this album. Shut Up Bitch & Lighters Up are timeless bops for one! & the jaw dropping “Whoa,” is one of the best sneak dissing songs I’ve ever heard.

Lil’ Kim is one of those female rappers who paved the way for the entertainers in the industry today to be the fashion icons they are..& to express themselves freely in their music.

In today’s world, Kim doesn’t get the recognition she deserves..& is usually the butt of jokes because of how she looks now, but it’s one important factor to remember: YOU CAN’T DENY HER STAMP ON THIS INDUSTRY. 

As I stated, Lil Kim is a legend who deserves her flowers because she ran with the big dogs of the industry and rapped just like them from a woman’s perspective and made it good. Turn on any Lil Kim record and the world will get hype. Legends never die.