Lil' Kim

Influential American rapper and hip-hop icon

Lil' Kim, born Kimberly Denise Jones on July 11, 1974, is an influential American rapper, songwriter, and actress who emerged in the mid-1990s as a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., under the mentorship of the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Her solo career took off with her debut album "Hard Core" in 1996, which has been heralded as a classic in female rap, known for its explicit lyrics and groundbreaking persona that challenged gender norms in hip-hop. Lil' Kim's success continued with her follow-up albums "The Notorious K.I.M." (2000) and "La Bella Mafia" (2003), both of which solidified her position as one of the top female rappers in the industry.