Lil’ Kim’s life began when she was born as Kimberly Denise Jones in Brooklyn, N.Y. She broke onto the music scene in the ’90s under the umbrella of Junior M.A.F.I.A. She gained fame for her overtly sexy appeal, hardcore lyrics, and attachment to one of the most notorious hip-hop sets around. While Lil’ Kim thrived at the start of her career, life took a turn for the worse after a series of unfortunate events.
Here’s the sad truth about Lil’ Kim’s life.
A less than idyllic childhood
As a student at Queen of All Saints Catholic school, an adolescent Lil’ Kim was set up for success. But things took a turn quickly when her parents’ marriage dissolved at the tender age of eight.
According to the Washington Post in 2000, the rapper recalls her mom, Ruby Mae Jones, having black eyes and dealing with verbal abuse. Lil Kim’ stated her father, Linwood Jones, “told people she had fallen.”
After her father remarried, Lil’ Kim felt her dad changed for the worst. He was awarded custody of her, and things went from bad to worse. “Things that were maybe unacceptable, the stepmother would bring to her dad’s attention,” Lil’ Kim’s childhood friend Tasha Smith told Vibe magazine.
Vibe writer Rob Marriott also noted: “She had a real violent relationship with her father. She once stabbed him with a pair of scissors.”
Lil’ Kim always felt rejected
From an early age, Lil’ Kim always felt rejected by men, including her father. She told Newsweek her dad would criticize her about everything, from her hair to her clothing.
She left home at the age of 14 and began dating guys who worked in the streets. She entered into a series of relationships with men who were just as hurtful to her as her dad was. She told Newsweek, “All my life men have told me I wasn’t pretty enough—even the men I was dating.”
The rapper said it has been a constant chain of men putting her down, just like her dad did. “To this day when someone says I’m cute, I can’t see it. I don’t see it no matter what anybody says.”
Fame and a change in appearance
After linking up with The Notorious B.I.G. and impressing him with her freestyle skills, they became an item. When Biggie Smalls got signed to Bad Boy Records, Lil’ Kim was brought on board to record with his Junior M.A.F.I.A. group.
As the money started to roll in, Lil’ Kim finally had the ability to transform herself into the kind of woman she always wanted to be.
She told Newsweek that the men in her past always cheated on her with women who were “European-looking.” She thought that being a “regular black girl” wasn’t good enough, so she began to transform herself. She started off by simply wearing blue contacts and rocking blonde hair.
Lil’ Kim was forced to be mature
Lil’ Kim told Ebro of Hot 97 she was 17 when her debut album Hard Core came out. Now, Hard Core was released in 1996, and Kim was born in 1974. I don’t know what kind of math she’s doing, but anyway….
She explained to XXL: “I never had any idea that my first album would do as good as it did. I had no idea of what went on in the business side. I was just a little kid just trying to enjoy my teenage life,” she said.
Because she was so young, they tried to market her like she was more mature. And, of course, she received a mixed reaction for being over-sexualized. “The more they hated, the more people loved me,” she said.
Through all her success, rumors swirled behind the scenes that led Lil Kim’s life to spiral out of control.
Lil’ Kim’s plastic surgery
Then came the plastic surgery procedures. She underwent a breast augmentation, which she called the most painful procedure. Even though the surgery was no walk in the park, Lil’ Kim was hooked. She was ready to push her body to the limit in order to achieve her idea of perfection.
A victim of domestic abuse
In a 2005 interview with Angie Martinez, Lil’ Kim openly shared her feelings around self-esteem, surgery, and relationships. She recalls having to deal with injuries from abuse, including broken noses.
She also recalled going through a period in her life where all she attracted were men who were prone to violence. The “Crush on You” rapper stated Biggie once inserted himself into a recording session to ensure she didn’t have eyes for Usher or anyone else.
Jermaine Dupri, who co-produced her album Hard Core, confirmed a similar story in an interview with Vlad TV. Dupri revealed that Biggie actually pulled a gun out on Lil’ Kim in the studio. When DJ Vlad asked what that was all about, Dupri shook his head and answered, “Big was for real. I’m gonna leave it right there”
Sadly, what Lil’ Kim went through in her own personal relationships mimics exactly what her mom went through. The cycle definitely continued.
She spent time behind bars
In 2005, Lil’ Kim’s life took a turn when she was sentenced to a year and one day in jail for committing perjury. According to NBC’s Today, the rapper was fined $50,000 and sentenced to federal time. She was convicted of lying to a grand jury to protect friends involved in a 2001 shout-out outside a Manhattan radio station. Considering she was eligible for 20 years, she got off lightly. She released after serving 366 days, according to MTV.com.
Financial hardships
According to multiple sources, Lil’ Kim’s New Jersey mansion was up for auction to the highest bidder. This came as she rectified bankruptcy proceedings, according to TheBlast. The site went on to say Lil’ Kim filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy, owing $4 million to creditors, including more than $1.8 million in back taxes.
She’s still a queen
Lil’ Kim is one of only two women rappers to have 3 albums go platinum on Billboard. During her prime, she collaborated with some of the hottest artists, like the late Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya, and Missy Elliot.
In June 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Royal Reign. She also partnered with VH1 to launch her new reality series, Girls Cruise, with R&B superstars Chilli and Mya.
Her fifth studio album, 9, is scheduled to be released sometime in 2019. As of now, no official release date has been revealed.
The Queen Bee is still reigning supreme as the best to ever do it. Her influence, presence, and discography are legendary, and she is continuing to use her platform to speak to domestic violence survivors.
It is always interesting to hear the backstories of celebrities who managed to achieve success through a lot of obstacles in their lives.
Yes, we agree! We love a great success story, too.