Lil Kim

Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper, singer songwriter, model, and businesswoman. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap", she is known for her sexually charged lyrics and performances, and is one of the best-selling female rappers of all time with 45 million records sold. She is also considered a fashion icon for her risk-taking and luxurious approach to fashion. Lil' Kim 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 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, generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 1996, Lil' Kim released her debut album, Hard Core, which spawned the singles "No Time", "Not Tonight (Ladies Night)", and "Crush on You". The album became the highest debut in the US for a female rap album at the time, received a double platinum certification, and sold more than six million copies worldwide. During this period, she adopted the nickname "Queen Bee". Her following album, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000), achieved similar success. She topped the Billboard Hot 100 by featuring on the 2001 single "Lady Marmalade", winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Her third album, La Bella Mafia (2003), was also certified platinum and spawned the singles "The Jump Off" and "Magic Stick", the latter of which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

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