Lil' Kim

1974-07-11 · Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York

Lil’ Kim (born Kimberly Denise Jones on July 11, 1974, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and model known for her sexually explicit lyrics, bold fashion, and pioneering role in female hip-hop & pop culture. Standing just 4′11″, she earned her stage name from her petite stature. Discovered by The Notorious B.I.G. (with whom she had a romantic relationship), she joined his group Junior M.A.F.I.A. in 1994; their album Conspiracy (1995) produced hits featuring her. Her solo debut, Hard Core (1996), went double platinum and established her as a trailblazer with songs like “No Time” and “Crush on You.” Follow-up albums included The Notorious K.I.M. (2000), La Bella Mafia (2003), The Naked Truth (2005) & 9 (2019). She scored a worldwide No. 1 hit and a Grammy with the 2001 collaboration “Lady Marmalade” (with Christina Aguilera, P!nk, and Mýa). Lil’ Kim has appeared in several films and television projects over the years. In 1999 she made her feature-film debut in the teen comedy She’s All That, playing Alex, a stylish friend of the main characters. She followed this with a brief cameo as herself in Ben Stiller’s fashion satire Zoolander (2001), then took a supporting role as Tina Parker in the sports comedy Juwanna Mann (2002). In 2003 she portrayed Chastity, a member of an all-female outlaw gang, in the Western Gang of Roses. The next year she appeared as herself in the dance film You Got Served and in the comedy Nora’s Hair Salon. She also provided the voice of Sweet Chiffon in the animated feature Lil’ Pimp (2005) and later played Xavier’s Daughter in the parody Superhero Movie (2008). More recently she appeared as Zsa Zsa Hottest in the 2021 holiday TV movie Miracles Across 125th Street. On television, Lil’ Kim starred in the 2006 reality series Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown, which documented her life leading up to her prison sentence. She served as a judge on the competition shows The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll (2007) and its spin-off Girlicious (2008). In 2009 she competed on season 8 of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Derek Hough. Her most recent major reality project was the 2019 VH1 series Girls Cruise, which she also executive-produced; the show followed her, Mýa, TLC’s Chilli, and a group of friends on a Caribbean cruise centered on friendship and personal growth.