Lil' Kim's real name is Kimberly Denise Jones. She was born July 11, 1976 in Bedford - Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (in one of the districts of New York). The girl performed her tracks in hip-hop style. In addition, the artist is a composer, model and actress.
Childhood Kimberly Denise Jones
It is impossible to say that her young years were cloudless and happy. She graduated from Brooklyn High School with honors. However, she did not want to study further. Lil decided to pursue music at the age of 14.
The fate of little Kimberly was affected by the divorce of her parents when she was only 9 years old. At that time, she stayed with her father. The little girl had to endure difficult 5 years. Dad raised his daughter in strictness, so Lil Kim often came to school with traces of beatings. After another scandal and beating at the age of 14, the future famous singer left home. She began a wandering life.
The girl had to live on the streets of Brooklyn. Sometimes it was possible to stay with friends. Kimberly talked about how she had to survive. She tried to do everything in her power not to die on the streets of her native city.
Study and work
After some time, she entered college. At the same time, she was hired by Bloomingdales supermarket. From that moment on, her life was stable.
It was during this period that her biography took a sharp turn. One day, when the girl was going to work, Christopher Wallace approached her. The rapper is known under the pseudonym Notorious BIG The guy immediately asked if the girl reads rap. The girl has already marked herself at parties by performing many compositions in this direction.
The beginning of Lil' Kim's musical career
The start was very successful. Christopher introduced her to the Junior MAFIA The team gained fame after recording the song Player's Anthem. The group recorded compositions in Bad Boy Records. The first album, Conspiracy, became popular very quickly, it entered the top 10 on Billboard.
The girl did not stop in one direction. Simultaneously with participation in the team, she worked on projects: Mona Lisa, Skin Deep, The Isley Brothers and Total.
The girl began to expand her work in a solo direction. In 1996, she released the album Hard Core. This album was different from everything that rappers offered to listeners of that time. The theme of sex, street life with pistols and profanity prevailed here.
Conservatives began to actively criticize her. But Lil Kim answered that this is a reflection of real life, its self-realization and personal life experience. Producers such as Sean Combs helped promote the record. Thanks to strong support, the album went platinum. She deservedly received the unspoken title of queen of rap.
Hard work in different directions Lil Kim
Three years before the 2000s, Biggie was killed. This event greatly crippled the young rapper, but she continued to work. True, she took a break in her solo career. Kim went on tour with Daddy. During the No Way Out tour, she performed as one of the performers. She began collaborating with brands such as Dior, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana.
In parallel, the girl worked as an administrator for IRS Records. In 1998, the singer became the face of Versace. In 1999, she created her own record label, Queen Bee Intertainment. A year later, Lil renamed it to IRS Records. Notorious KIM recorded her second disc on her own label. At the same time, Puff became an executive producer.
In 1999, Lil Kim became a member of T. Lee's famous and controversial project Methods of Mayhem Get Naked. The bottom line was that the participants and she were filmed in the nude.
Around the same time, the artist began acting in films. The VIP series can be considered a debut. Here, the main role was given to D. Lopez, and Lil appeared in one of the episodes. She also took part in the filming of the youth comedy film She's All That.
Lil Kim Career Development
Another success is considered a remake of Lady Marmalade - this is an excerpt from the soundtrack to the film "Moulin Rouge". Along with Lil Kim, such famous performers as Pink, K. Aguilera and Mya participated. Thanks to this project, she received two awards: Grammy and MTV Video Music Award.
In 2001, the artist performed In The Air Tonight in her own interpretation. She continued to work on developing her solo career. From 2002 to March 2003, the girl worked on the third album La Bella Mafia. This album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200.
While working, the singer met with Scott Storch. Just before the release of the album, she posed nude for Playboy. In July of the same year, Lil became the author of the Hollyhood clothing line. In addition, she produced personalized jewelry Diamond Roses.
On September 27, 2005, the singer released her next album, The Naked Truth. This happened the day before Kim went to jail for perjury. The woman was sentenced to one year in prison. The Naked Truth album was certified gold in the US.
Facts from the personal life of Lil' Kim
Until 1997, Lil met with rapper Notorious BIG. Their romantic relationship was interrupted by the death of a loved one. Kim was pregnant by this man, but did not dare to give birth and had an abortion. Since 2012, she has been dating Mr. papers. From him, in 2014, a daughter, Royal Rain, was born, but then they broke up. In addition, for one year she met with Ray Jay.
Kim is not known for being accommodating. She fought with Nicki Minaj. On the cover of one of the records, Kim appeared as a samurai who cuts off the head of her enemy.
