On this date in 1997, the Hip Hop mogul formerly known as Puff Daddy, put an album together with the entire Bad Boy Hip Hop roster and dubbed them “The Family” and released the label’s only collaborative effort, Puff Daddy and The Family’s No Way Out on the Bad Boy imprint.
Less than a year after the untimely death of the Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, who was then known as “Puff Daddy”, along with Ma$e, Black Rob, Loon and a few other Bad Boys for this monumental album.
The Grammy Award winning album went platinum in one year’s time with the help from tracks like “All About The Benjamins (Remix)”, “Been Around The World” and “I’ll Be Missing You” featuring Phil Collins, dedicated to the late executive producer of the album and co-architect of the Bad Boy legacy, Notorious B.I.G.
Today, “the greatest rapper of all time” was born; Brooklyn’s own Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G. Smalls had the game on lock before an unknown suspect gunned him down on March 9, 1997. His music, however, lives on.
From his debut single, “Juicy,” to charted success through his collaborations with protégé group, Junior Mafia to the infamous East Coast/West Coast beef, and his individual feud with West Coast rapper, Tupac, Smalls’ triumph is legendary and continues to resonate with fans.
The rap slayer had numerous hits in his catalog and even more memorable lines. There were several times, however, Smalls was ruthless and aggressive, although as fans we may have been unaware if there was an underlying issue or a diss record target, but we definitely rapped along with his merciless storytelling lyrics. In honor of the Notorious’ 46th birthday, here are 10 most cutthroat Biggie Smalls lyrics.
Dead Wrong
“Relax and take notes, while I take tokes of the marijuana smoke. Throw you in a choke – gun smoke, gun smoke. Biggie Smalls for mayor, the rap slayer, the hooker layer – motherf*cker say your prayers. Hail Mary full of grace; smack the b*tch in the face, take her Gucci bag and the North Face off her back. Jab her if she act funny with the money, oh you got me mistaken honey.”
Machine Gun Funk
“Sticks and stones break bones, but the gat’ll kill you quick, especially when I’m drunk off the liquor.”
Respect
“Now I’m thirteen, smokin’ blunts, makin’ cream, on the drug scene, f*ck a football team. Riskin’ ruptured spleens by the age of sixteen. Hhearing ‘ the coach scream at my lifetime dream, I mean I wanna blow up, stack my dough up. So school I didn’t show up, it f*cked my flow up.”
Kick In Ya Door
“So, Jesus, get off the Notorious penis, before I squeeze and bust. If the beef between us, we can settle it with the chrome and metal sh*t. I make it hot, like a kettle get, you’re delicate, you better get, who sent ya?”
Party and Bullsh*t
“But all we wanna know is “Where the party at?” And can i bring my gat? If not, I hope I don’t get shot. But I throw my vest on my chest ’cause n*ggas is a mess. It don’t take nothin’ but frontin’ for me to start somethin’.”
10 Crack Commandments
“Number nine, shoulda been number one to me: if you ain’t getting bagged stay the f*ck from the police. If n*ggas think you snitchin they aint tryna listen. They be sitting in your kitchen, waiting to start hitting.”
Suicidal Thoughts
“When I die, f*ck it I wanna go to hell. Cause I’m a piece of sh*t, it ain’t hard to f*ckin’ tell. It don’t make sense, goin’ to heaven wit the goodie-goodies. Dressed in white, I like black timbs and black hoodies. God will probably have me on some real strict shit. No sleepin’ all day, no gettin my d*ck licked.”
Notorious Thugs
“Armed and dangerous, ain’t too many can bang with us. Straight up weed, no angel dust, label us Notorious. Thug ass n*ggas that love to bust, it’s strange to us. Y’all n*ggas be scramblin, gambling. Up in restaurants with mandolins, and violins. We just sittin here tryin to win, tryin not to sin. High off weed and lots of gin. So much smoke need oxygen, steadily counting them Benjamins.”
Who Shot Ya?
“Who shot ya? Separate the weak from the obsolete. Hard to creep them Brooklyn streets. It’s on, n*gga, f*ck all that bickering beef. I can hear sweat trickling down your cheek. Your heartbeat sound like Sasquatch feet. Thundering, shaking the concrete….
I burn, baby, burn like Disco Inferno. Burn slow like blunts with yayo. Peel more skins than Idaho potato. N*ggas know, the lyrical molestin’ is takin’ place. F*ckin’ with B.I.G. it ain’t safe.”
Freestlye at MSG
“I got 7 Mac-11’s. About eight 38s. Nine 9s. 10 Mac Tens. The shit never ends. You can’t touch my riches. Even if you had MC Hammer and them 357 b*tches…..Oh my God I’m dropping shit like a pigeon. I hope your listening. Smacking babies at their christening.”
In a bit of bizarre news, a woman said dancing like Lil Kim does when performing “Quiet Storm” saved her from being shot in a drive-by. Yep, you read that right.
In case you need a reminder of Kim’s moves:
The woman, Shariah Taylor, was in a feature on WTVY 4 out of Georiga. Taylor says a run of gunshots rang out after a fight, leading to her using Lil Kim’s dance moves to duck and dodge and keep both her and their babies safe.
For the past few years, female rhymers have been holding things down in the hip-hop community, from big players like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B to rising stars such as Ice Spice and Sexyy Red. Before we met all of those artists, one woman was holding onto the title of the Queen of Rap – Lil Kim. The New York native pushed boundaries so that those coming after her would be free to express themselves fully and find success within the industry rather than be taken advantage of by executives.
Though she’s no longer rhyming as feverishly as we once heard her, Kim remains in the public eye and still knows a thing or two about performing. For instance, her dear friend Fat Joe tapped her to join him on stage at the Apollo Theater in New York City earlier this week, which she happily obliged. In the video below, the “Love Stick” hitmaker pulls out some of her signature dance moves, including the robotic motions she often goes viral for pulling out consistently over the years.
Kim’s fans are always happy to see her still in action, but critics still have much to say about the significant changes to her appearance over the years. “Personally, my heart hurts for this woman, and Black women in general when I see this video,” one Twitter/X user wrote, pulling out an old photo of Kim to compare to her notably whiter look in 2024. “We’re just lying to ourselves; the only thing I see is a Black woman in pain and nothing else,” they speculated. “I love when seasoned artists still have enthusiasm to perform,” someone else chimed in, praising both Joe and his friend.
Elsewhere in the Queen Bee’s world, Lil Kim’s been cozying up with a younger man who goes by Tayy Brown. It’s unclear what their current relationship status is, though we can tell the New York native has plenty of feelings. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news.
On this day in Hip-Hop history, Notorious B.I.G. released his second album, Life After Death. The double LP was released posthumously by Bad Boy Records. Biggie, who was killed two weeks prior to its release, was nominated for three Grammy’s for this project: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for “Hypnotize” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Mo Money Mo Problems.”
Featuring artists like 112, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Ma$e, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort and R. Kelly, along with tracks like “Kick In The Door,” “What’s Beef,” “Notorious Thugs,” “Ten Crack Commandments” and “Sky’s The Limit,” it can be said that Life After Death is one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and the US Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. It went diamond (that’s 10,000,000 copies sold) in the United States alone, double platinum in Canada, and platinum in the UK. Life After Death has also made appearances on top music charts across the globe. The album has been ranked by countless publications as one of the top rap and Hip-Hop albums of all time (The Source ranked it as #8 in 2005).
Salute to Diddy and the rest of the Bad Bot family for this timeless piece of Hip Hop history!
To this day, Lil Kim remains one of the most well-respected figures in the world of female rap. Of course, the men she was involved with throughout her career didn’t always treat her the way she deserved. She famously spent time with Biggie Smalls throughout the 90s and has been linked to names like Ray J, Scott Storch, Benzino, and Sean Combs. It’s clear that Kim has a preference for fellow creative types. However, it seems she’s making changes in her dating life these days, notably stepping out of her age group.
As Vibe reports, it seems the blonde beauty might be shacking up with her signee, Tayy Brown. Hip-hop heads began speculating after seeing their chemistry in the “Love For Ya” visual, but now that she’s wished her man a belated happy birthday with an extra sappy post, there’s even more reason to believe Kim is being romanced by a younger gentleman.
Lil Kim and Tayy Brown Collaborate on “Love For Ya”
“I know this post is a little late, but I was blessed enough to spend [your] whole birthday with [you] and we’re still celebrating ,” Kim wrote to her recent collaborator on Instagram this week. “Our bond is so perfectly matched in the most organic way. I know it was God that brought us [together]. If [people] only knew how big of a role [you] play in my life and in my career,” she continued to gush under a few videos of their cute moments together.
Lil Kim then praised Tayy Brown for encouraging her to deliver new music to her Beehive. “[You] are my motivation and that voice that is always cheering me on. [You’re] so intelligent and such a boss. If they only knew the things we figure out [together], how we can talk with our eyes and be on the same page,” her birthday tribute reads. Though her alleged lover “gets on [her] nerves sometimes,” she takes great pleasure in annoying him back. Do you think Kim has found a solid companion in TB? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
The “Queen Bee” Lil Kim dropped a new track and music video with her new artist Tayy Brown and the result was the visuals for “Love For Ya”, which features the newcomers Brown and up and coming artist Kimmie.
Produced by Lars Hellingsrud, Austin Kobar and Bayley Hodge, Kim joins Tayy in what appears to be an ode to their new found relationship which was beautifully captured by director Joaquin Morales.
Over the past decade and a half, Nicki Minaj has been known for a couple of things. Yes, she’s garnered a ton of attention for her colorful outfits, her outsized multiple personalities, and her shapeshifting rhyme styles. But we’re here for the other thing she’s notable for: Rap beef.
Almost as soon as she appeared on the scene, Nicki was either being pit against other rappers by fans (remember when they tried to make Jean Grae vs. Nicki a thing?) or by cirucumstance. In more recent years, she’s been the one picking all of her fights, but in any case, rap beef has become as much a part of her brand as the color pink and associations with Barbie.
We’re going to skip over a bunch because we don’t want to be here all week and because some were about as one-sided as it gets (Azealia Banks, etc.). Here’s a list of (almost) everyone Nicki Minaj has had beef with in her career.
Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B
This is probably the biggest one, and the first of Nicki’s modern beefs, in which she appears to punch down more than up. We’ve broken this one down before but here’s the gist.
After Cardi B blew up in 2017 with “Bodak Yellow,” fans pushed hard to get the two rappers to either collab or diss each other. They did the former first, teaming up on Migos’ “Motorsport” late that year, but some scheduling conflicts and friction led to Nicki getting miffed at the new kid on the block and spending the next year sniping at Cardi for her perceived disrespect (this is a common thread in Nicki’s feuds, as you’ll see further down the page).
Unlike most of Nicki’s rivalries, this is the only one that culminated in violence, and since then, they’ve mostly waged war via proxies, like the United States and Russia in the ’80s.
While one hasn’t exploded into outright hostilities, it’s been every bit as convoluted as the Queens rapper’s other vendettas. After JT tweeted that she “just don’t like Nicki” back in 2017, Nicki declared she would never work with City Girls. However, after a behind-the-scenes conversation (maybe they swapped Burn Books), she called a reset on their relationship, later employing JT on the “Super Freaky Girl” remix, leading to JT changing her tune and going after Cardi (Cold War tactics!).
Of course, helping Nicki to irritate Cardi only seemed to buy the Miami stars a few months of leniency, as she very quickly got into a heated back-and-forth with the other half of the duo, Yung Miami, on Twitter in May last year.
Notable Tracks: “Super Freaky Girl” Queen Mix.
Nicki Minaj vs. Latto
In 2022, Nicki Minaj recorded an incendiary episode of Queen Radio that led to two of her currently raging grudges with Latto and Megan Thee Stallion. Apparently taking offense to Latto’s assertion that women are currently thriving in rap, Nicki made it a point to throw the younger rapper under the bus.
However, Latto refused to take her insults lying down and has to date clapped back in a couple of songs, “Put It On Da Floor” and “Back Outside,” while Nicki supposedly issued her own diss on “Fallin 4 U.” Since then, it appears she’s assigned this beef to Ice Spice, who has made a few veiled references to “Put It On Da Floor” in her new music.
Notable Tracks: “Put It On Da Floor,” “Fallin 4 U,” “Back Outside.”
Nicki Minaj vs. Lil Kim
Before she was taking offense to every new girl getting love and not giving her credit, Nicki was being accused of doing the same by Lil Kim. It’s a little hard to hash out who actually started this one (thanks, Google, your new algorithm is great ), but basically, it was a reversal of Nicki’s reasoning with all the new women in rap.
Possibly the reason we’re all here today, Nicki has been going off on Megan on Twitter for about 72 hours as of this writing, dropping the song “Big Foot” and claiming all kinds of conspiracy theories (she also maybe has to let go of the “#1 on Apple” defense because if we break that one down, it’s not going to go well for her). We published a full timeline of their beef earlier today, but here’s a summary:
Megan and Nicki went from being collaborators to enemies after Nicki felt Meg’s joke about abortion was a step too far. Meg also worked with Cardi, a violation of Nicki’s apparent “choose a side” policy, and went on to continue doing her own thing without paying sufficient homage to Nicki. While it could be argued that Meg’s less influenced by Nicki than anyone else out these days, it was enough to prompt Megan to clap back with “Hiss,” prompting Nicki’s current aggressive spiral.
Notable tracks: “Ruby Da Sleeze,” “Hiss,” “Big Foot”
Nicki Minaj vs. Remy Ma
The last of Nicki’s “punching up” beefs, this one similarly revolved around an older rapper feeling disrespected by Nicki apparently stepping over her to find success. Remy Ma had had a strong run in the mid-2000s with “Conceited” and “Lean Back,” but was incarcerated during Nicki’s early rise to fame. Feeling slighted by Nicki’s quick ascent (rap really is wrestling), she began “sneak dissing” the newer rapper before the two began trading salvos throughout 2017 (“Shether,” “No Frauds“.
Most recently, they appeared to have settled their dispute in November of last year, but with as mercurial as Nicki has proven in the past, there’s no telling how long that’ll be the case.
Notable Tracks: “No Frauds,” “Shether.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Even though she has yet to follow up her debut Invasion of Privacy album with a sophomore effort all these years later, Cardi B is still one of the world’s favourite rap divas. The Barbz might try to dispute that. However, the fact is, the New Yorker has been booked and busy nearly constantly in recent years, in virtually every creative industry. She has a few collaborative singles with people like FendiDa Rappa, Megan Thee Stallion, and her husband, Offset, and the fashion community has been keeping Cardi looking her best on red carpets and music video sets.
Elsewhere, Balenciaga convinced the 31-year-old to make her runway debut this past weekend, and unfortunately, it’s not being entirely positively received. Critics online are comparing Cardi’s unique makeup look from yesterday’s big event to the face of Lil Kim, who’s long faced criticism from outsiders for her past attempts to radically alter her appearance with plastic surgery. “Cardi going out sad… The Lil Kim way ,” one Twitter user wrote while comparing images of the two lyricists.
“Baby please tell me it’s the makeup making her nose look crimped up like that,” another person chimed in. When she saw the hate for herself, Bardi was quick to clear the haters. “It’s the photoshop,” she clapped back. “You know you gagged them too hard when the haters gotta start making edits.”
While Cardi B was strutting down the Balenciaga runway, plenty of famous faces were cheering her on from the front row. Among them were Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, as well as Sexyy Red and Kim Kardashian. The stars were surely happy to see each other. Still, they didn’t impress social media users calling them out for supporting the fashion brand after its previous cancellation. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
In the annals of hip-hop history, few moments are as pivotal as the emergence of Lil Kim with her debut album, Hard Core. In 1996, a diminutive dynamo from Brooklyn shattered the glass ceiling with a velvet glove wrapped around a mic and a lyrical sledgehammer. Hard Core was not merely an album. It was a cultural manifesto that challenged the male-dominated rap industry with its unfiltered portrayal of female sexuality and prowess.
At a time when the voices of women in hip-hop were often relegated to the chorus, Lil Kim seized the narrative, commanding center stage with unapologetic bravado. Her debut was a tour-de-force. It was an audacious blend of gritty beats and glamorous life, all delivered with a streetwise flow. Hard Core was a declaration that the Queen Bee could not only navigate but dominate the rap landscape with potent and provocative bars.
Lil Kim’s fearless approach to music and image crafted an indelible blueprint for female empowerment in the genre. Hard Core etched her name in history as a rapper and trailblazer for a movement of women in music. It was a crowning achievement that heralded the arrival of female rappers taking control of their artistry, narratives, and sexuality.
When Hard Core hit the shelves, it was immediately clear that Kim was rewriting the playbook for what a female rapper could embody in hip-hop. The album’s tracks were an unapologetic showcase of her lyrical ingenuity and a fearless declaration of her sexuality. In songs like “Big Momma Thang” and “No Time,” she exuded confidence and control, flipping the script on the genre’s traditionally male-centric narratives.
The production of Hard Core was a perfect marriage of Lil Kim’s audacious lyrics with lush, hard-hitting beats that would define the era’s East Coast sound. With the legendary Notorious B.I.G. as an executive producer and contributions from a slew of top-tier talent like Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Jermaine Dupri, and Ski, the album was both a commercial juggernaut and a critical darling. Tracks such as “Crush on You” featuring Lil’ Cease and the platinum-selling “Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)” were not only hits but anthems that resonated with women everywhere, each beat and bar a step towards the empowerment of female voices in the industry.
Hard Core catapulted Lil Kim from rising artist to hip-hop royalty. Its commercial success mirrored the boldness of its content. The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. It was a remarkable achievement that underscored Lil’ Kim’s appeal beyond the traditional hip-hop circles. It wasn’t long before the RIAA certified it double platinum, confirming over two million copies sold. It’s a milestone for any artist and a groundbreaking accomplishment for a female rapper at the time.
The singles from Hard Core blazed their own trails through the charts. “No Time” soared to the top of the Billboard Rap Songs chart. “Crush on You” and “Not Tonight” found substantial success, with the latter’s remix becoming a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. These tracks weren’t just commercially viable. They were cultural moments that extended Lil Kim’s influence from the streets to the mainstream.
Critical reception of Hard Core was equally laudatory, with reviewers praising Lil Kim’s unyielding delivery and the album’s production quality. The boldness of her lyrical content, which challenged societal norms and expanded the space for female expression in hip-hop, was particularly noted. Hard Core earned Lil’ Kim nominations for prestigious awards. This further validated her artistry and the album’s significance in the broader music landscape.
More than two decades after its release, Hard Core stands as a seminal work in hip-hop. It’s echoes are felt in the genre’s continued evolution. Lil Kim’s debut was not just about the records it broke. It was also about the barriers it shattered, opening doors for a new generation of female artists unafraid to express their sexuality and assert their place in a male-dominated field. Her fearless approach laid the groundwork for the candid and unapologetic styles of countless MCs who followed in her footsteps.
Hard Core‘s cultural impact transcends music. It further influenced fashion with Kim’s iconic aesthetic that combined haute couture with streetwear. It became a trend that persists in today’s fashion landscape. Her influence on the visual language of female empowerment in music videos is undeniable.
The album’s legacy is also evidenced by its samples and references that continue to permeate hip-hop music. This is a testament to its enduring relevance. Lil’ Kim’s pioneering work on Hard Core set a precedent for authenticity, inspiring artists to share their truths without compromise. It remains a touchstone for discussions about gender in music and the portrayal of women in media.
,” Kim wrote to her recent collaborator on Instagram this week. “Our bond is so perfectly matched in the most organic way. I know it was God that brought us [together]. If [people] only knew how big of a role [you] play in my life and in my career,” she continued to gush under a few videos of their cute moments together.
,” one Twitter user wrote while comparing images of the two lyricists.