Lil Kim stands tall as an undeniable rap icon. Nevertheless, in an oversaturated landscape, new rappers emerge daily. Established rappers often go unnoticed. As such, it is crucial to seize the opportunity to acknowledge and honor her contributions. Recently, Lil Kim graced the cover of XXL magazine, where she candidly discussed her career, achievements, and pivotal moments. More specifically, Lil Kim addressed the ongoing discourse in the rap industry regarding ghostwriters and the rightful attribution of songwriting credits. She emphasized her own involvement in writing for numerous artists besides herself. It is a remarkable feat that often goes unacknowledged within the industry, even for icons like Kim.
“Everyone calls me an icon, it’s an honor to me. It makes me smile, it makes me happy to know that people look at me that way because I never really saw that for myself. It just happened organically,” Lil Kim said in her XXL interview. “There’s a few highlights of my career, but it’s funny ’cause I never had that ‘Oh my God, I made it’ moment. Even to this day, I feel like that moment is still coming. I’m so glad to see us women getting our recognition and everyone celebrating us. I think it’s a wonderful thing. And, by the way, all this talk about writing- I’ve [written] for other people. I wrote on Diddy’s album, check your credits!”
Lil Kim Fangirls Over Janet Jackson
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage for Tommy Hilfiger)
Lil Kim had the honor of joining Janet Jackson on her recent “Together Again” tour. The rapper she filled in for Ludacris during the Allentown, Pennsylvania stop. During her performance, Lil Kim paid tribute to Michael Jackson. Afterward, she had an emotional encounter with Janet backstage, expressing her love for the legendary singer. Kim shared her admiration, mentioning how she saw Janet as a girl version of Michael Jackson felt a connection to her energy and talent. She praised Janet’s grace, but also hinted at her fierce side, jokingly mentioning that she can fight if needed.
“She represented me, a hood girl! I’m from the hood. I knew I could rap, but I was like, I wanted to do something different,” Lil Kim said about Janet. “I didn’t want to be the normal rapper. I love MC Lyte, I love Salt-N-Pepa, I love Queen Latifah – but I was like, ‘I want to do something different! I want to be a rap Janet Jackson.’” Janet reciprocated the love by posting a selfie with Lil Kim on Instagram and expressing gratitude for her filling in on the tour.
[Via]