Lil’ Kim is the stage name of Kimberly Denise Jones, an American rapper and reality television star born on July 11, 1974. She was born and reared in Brooklyn, New York City, and spent many of her teenage years living on the streets after being kicked out of her house.
Jones began freestyle rapping in her teens, inspired by female hip-hop artists such as MC Lyte and The Lady of Rage. Junior M.A.F.I.A. was introduced to her by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G. in 1994; their debut album, Conspiracy, produced two top 20 songs in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (R.I.A.A.).
Early Life
She has a complicated past, which significantly influenced the persona she created during her career. Kim relocated to New Rochelle with her mother, Ruby Jones, following her parents’ divorce, where she started a period of homelessness.
Kim was only 9 years old at the time, and due to her constant financial struggles, she eventually returned to live with her father, Linwood Jones, a former military member, in Brooklyn. Her father ran a strict household but spoiled his daughter by buying her Gucci dresses, which made her classmates jealous.
Despite this, Lil Kim grew up with Christopher Jones, her older brother. Even yet, she and her father frequently quarreled; at one point, it became so terrible that Lil stabbed him with a pair of scissors.
Kim finally broke up with him once more and started couch surfing at friends’ houses in addition to beginning to transport drugs for drug dealers to earn some extra cash. Kim attended Queen of All Saints Elementary School before enrolling at Sarah J.
Hale Vocational High School as a child in Brooklyn. After dropping out of high school, Kim began living on the streets. She went on to complete her high school education at Brooklyn College Academy.
Career
Hard Core, Lil’ Kim’s debut album, was certified double platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide to date. The album also charted at number three on the US R&B chart and number eleven on the Billboard 200.
Her next two albums, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000) and La Bella Mafia (2003), both went platinum. The Notorious K.I.M. peaked at number one on the R&B chart and number four on the Billboard 200, while La Bella Mafia peaked at number four and number five, respectively.
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While she was in federal prison, her fourth studio album, The Naked Truth, was released in 2005. (She was sentenced to one year in prison for lying to a jury about her friends’ involvement in a shooting four years before.)
The Naked Truth peaked at number three on the R&B chart in the United States and number six on the Billboard 200. Lil’ Kim’s fifth studio album, 9, was released in 2019.
She also appeared as a featured singer in the 2001 remake of “Lady Marmalade,” alongside Ma, Pink, and Christina Aguilera. The song sold over five million copies worldwide as a single and is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Lil’ Kim has won two Billboard Music Awards, a Grammy, three MTV Video Music Awards, and two Soul Train Awards during her career. As a solo artist, Lil’ Kim has sold over 15 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide.
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She’s All That (1999), Zoolander (2001), Juwan to Mann (2002), You Got Served (2004), Superhero Movie (2008), and more movies include Lil’ Kim in her capacity as an actress.
Lil’ Kim competed in the eighth season of ABC’s reality competition Dancing with the Stars in 2009. When she and her partner Derek Hough were ousted from the dancing competition on May 5, 2009, they placed fifth overall.
Net Worth
Lil’ Kim is a rapper and actress from New York with a $500k net worth. Lil’ Kim gained notoriety when she joined Junior M.A.F.I.A. as one of its original members. In the late 1990s, she achieved fame as a solo performer.
For those who anticipated Kim to have a bigger net worth, it should be noted that she has recently been under some financial strain. She reported having $4.08 million in liabilities and $2.57 million in assets when she filed for personal bankruptcy in January 2018. Later in this post, we’ll go into more detail about her financial issues.
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How long did Lil Kim and Biggie date?
Before he was assassinated in Los Angeles, Biggie Smalls and Lil’ Kim dated for three years. In 1993, the rapper first saw Lil Kim while taking part in a rap battle in the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Kim rapped for Biggie after he stopped her one day.
Bankruptcy
Lil’ Kim submitted a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition in New Jersey on June 12, 2018. Kim had recently experienced foreclosure on her enormous 6,000 square foot, $3 million estates in a gated community in Alpine, New Jersey, according to the court documents.
She allegedly owed the federal government $1.5 million in overdue taxes and $667,000 in missed mortgage payments. She claimed to have $2.5 million in assets and $4 million in debt, including a $50,000 2005 Bentley, a $4,200 2000 Mercedes, and $25,000 worth of jewels.
Kim earned $823,000 in 2016 and $398,000 in 2017, according to the documents. She makes an average of $18,000 each month, but she reportedly spends $10,000 on vacation, $6,600 on her mortgage, $2,200 on clothing, and $2,300 on staff per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Was Lil Kim Married to?
Lil’ Kim is the stage name of Kimberly Denise Jones, an American rapper and reality television star born on July 11, 1974.
Did Lil Kim and Biggie Have a Child?
Lil’ Kim discovered she was pregnant with The Notorious B.I.G.’s child while recording Hard Core in 1996. They were dating while Biggie was married to Faith Evans. Kim chose to have an abortion rather than have the baby.
How Did Biggie Meet Lil Kim?
In fact, they first met when Biggie overheard Kim rapping in their neighborhood and invited her to join his group. Despite Biggie’s marriage to Faith Evans, the pair began dating and their lives became inextricably linked. “He became my friend, lover, and everything to me.”