Bzzzzz—you hear that? That’s the sound of Lil’ Kim reclaiming her time!
That’s right folks, the Queen Bee is about to give you some “real shit, shit to make you feel shit” in her own words. According to People, the 46-year-old rapper has announced an upcoming memoir, written along with Kathy Iandoli, aptly titled The Queen Bee. The memoir, which I’m sure is much-anticipated, will be published by Hachette Books on Nov. 2.
“I’m excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time,” Lil’ Kim said in a statement. “Many people have thought they knew the story of Lil’ Kim, but they have no idea.”
People provides more scoop on what to expect from the book:
Born Kimberly Denise Jones, Lil’ Kim grew up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and spent her teenage years rapping with the Notorious B.I.G., who later became her lover. She was the only woman in the iconic artist’s rap collective, Junior M.A.F.I.A., before she made a name for herself as a solo rapper. Her double-platinum album Hard Core dropped in 1996. Since then, the Grammy-award winner has sold millions of records and continues to be a cultural force.
The Queen Bee details Lil’ Kim’s nearly 30-year career — and the challenges she’s met head on. Now, she’s finally opening up about it all.
“Lil’ Kim not only blazed trails for women in hip-hop, but also inspired the careers of those who followed,” reads the book’s press release. “However, life at the top hasn’t been easy, either. Lil’ Kim also talks about the hiddden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison.”
Speaking of self-image and beauty, the hip-hop queen also reminded us that her fashion sensibilities have been ingrained in pop culture by announcing a collaboration with Pretty Little Thing last December. As Entertainment Writer Shanelle Genai wrote, the collection features “a myriad of sexy ensembles ranging from red, baby pink and brown snakeskin print pieces to the more simplified albeit still sultry black vinyl, mesh and sparkly ‘fits.”
With a career spanning 30 years, especially as a trailblazer in an industry tailored for Black men (often at the expense of Black women), I’m sure Lil’ Kim has a lot to say—and frankly, I can’t wait to read it.