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Our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs list takes a look at a popular female rapper. She rose to fame in the 90s. She was referred to as the “Queen of Rap” and the “Queen Bee.” She was able to make a name for herself in a male-dominated industry. Her music taught women to embrace their sexuality. She sold over 15 million albums and over 30 million singles. She was voted as one of the greatest women in music. In addition to her rapping skills, she was known for her fashion sense. She wore risqué clothing that got a lot of attention. Some of her hits include “No Time,” “Not Tonight (Ladies Night),” “Crush on You,” “Magic Stick,” “The Jump Off,” and “How Many Licks?” as well as others.
Kimberly Denise Jones was born on July 11, 1974. She met The Notorious B.I.G. as a teenager. He played an integral part in her career. She met Puff Daddy through the The Notorious B.I.G. The legendary Notorious B.I.G wanted Lil’ Kim to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A. They released an album called Conspiracy in 1995. They had three hit singles “Get Money,” Player’s Anthem” and “I Need You Tonight.” The album went gold. She went on to pursue a solo career.
Hard Core came out in 1996. The album peaked at number three on the R&B and Hip-Hop charts and number 11 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “No Time,” “Crush on You” and “Not Tonight (Ladies Night).” The album sold over two million copies. The Notorious K.I.M. was released in 2000. The album peaked at number one on the R&B and Hip-Hop charts and number four on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “No Matter What They Say,” “How Many Licks?” “She Don’t Love You” and “Off the Wall.” The album sold over a million copies.
La Bella Mafia came out in 2003. The album peaked at number four on the R&B and Hip-Hop charts and number five on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “The Jump Off,” “Magic Stick” and “Thug Luv.” The album sold over a million copies. The Naked Truth was released in 2005. The album peaked at number three on the R&B and Hip-Hop charts and number six on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Lighters Up” and “Whoa.” 9 came out in 2019. The album peaked at number seven on the R&B and Hip-Hop charts and number five on the Rap charts. It features the singles “Go Awff,” “Found You” and “Pray for Me.”
Lil’ Kim made it possible for women to be upfront about their sexuality. Before there was Nicki Minaj, Megan The Stallion and Cardi B, there was Lil’ Kim. She may have gotten her start through The Notorious B.I.G., but she was able to branch out on her own. Our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs list will feature their best songs.
# 10 – Crush on You ft. Lil’ Cease
The first song on our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Song list is “Crush on You” from the album Hard Core. The song has a hip-hop beat. The flirty song is self-explanatory. The song is about someone who has a crush. She talks about what she would do to him if she got him. She was prepared to make his girl suffer while she’s with him. Lil’ Cease has a crush when he gets to his verse. He’s talking about how he has feelings for her.
He mentions how her friends think he’s a ho and a freak. He raps about her seeing him in his videos. He believes she has feeling for him because she watches him in his videos. She admits that she has feelings for him.
This song reunites Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease from their Junior M.A.F.I.A. days. This is a treat for fans of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Their fans got a chance to hear them record a song together again. Lil’ Kim showed her sassy side on this track. She was talking about what she would do to the man she wanted. She commands your attention as she raps. Here is some trivia about the song.
The original album version just featured Lil’Cease rapping by himself. In the single version, Lil’ Kim was featured on the song. The Notorious B.I.G. sang the chorus on the song. He wouldn’t be the first person we would think of when we hear singers. He does sing on beat with the music. Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease sound hardcore on this track.
They have a lot of swagger and it shows on this song. This song helped her tell the world to take notice of her and we can’t help it. We have to do it because she has our attention.
# 9 – Thug Luv ft. Twista
The next song on Our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs list is “Thug Luv” from the album La Bella Mafia. The song has a hip-hop beat. The hardcore song is about an urban Bonnie & Clyde. They talk about being hustlers and taking over the world. They hustle in the streets and want respect. They are down for each other and will be there for each other.
They are going to ride or die with each other. We may not be able to relate to everything they are saying about being hustlers, but they are loyal to each other. They are talking about their own version of unconditional love. They will be down for each other no matter what. They will even commit crimes for each other.
Twista opens the song with the fastest rhymes ever. He’s in the world record book for being the fastest rapper in music. His rhymes will make your jaw drop. There aren’t too many people who could keep up with him because he spits very fast. He does slow things down for the chorus, but that’s not saying much. Lil’ Kim manages to keep up with him in the chorus. She sounds like a beast on this track.
She makes you believe that she will have your back no matter what. Speaking of her verses with Twista, she carries the hook with him without any effort. She’s able to sing the fast lyrics of the hook the same way he can. She doesn’t miss a beat. You should be aware that there is a lot of profanity in this song. If you want to listen to this song with your “thug luv,” you will have to get the kids out of the room.
# 8 – Download ft. T-Pain and Charlie Wilson
The steamy song is a non-album single. It has a hip-hop and r&b beat. The provocative song is about a woman who is having cybersex with a man. She is attracted to the man because she saw his pictures online. They decide to start having cybersex with each other. They have a sexual conversation with each other.
He wants her to let him “download.” Lil’ Kim and T-Pain go back and forth flirting with each other and talk about how they want each other. People have had a lot of cybersex over the years so this isn’t an unusual thing. There aren’t too many rappers who decide to cover a topic like this one. Lil’ Kim isn’t afraid to express her sexuality even through cybersex.
Lil’ Kim took a risk and decided to sing on this track. She doesn’t do too much rapping on this song. “Download” is more of an r&b song than a hip-hop song. She isn’t known for singing so she might have sounded terrible. She doesn’t sound too bad. She has a decent singing voice. She isn’t doing runs or holding notes in the song. She’s singing and rapping. She doesn’t go beyond her limitations.
T-Pain sounds good singing in the song. He does rely heavily on AutoTune, but that’s not unusual for him. He usually sings with AutoTune. His style worked for this song because his voice is computer generated and they are singing about computer sex. Legendary singer Charlie Wilson is along for the ride. He’s definitely not someone we would have linked to Lil’ Kim. He sings the hook and the ad libs. He does his thing on the track. He gives us his runs and he sounds great. The song contains a sample of “Computer Love” by Zapp. The sample makes sense when you think about the subject of the song.
# 7 – Lighters Up
The cautionary tale is from The Naked Truth album. The jam has a hip-hop and reggae beat to it. The advisory song is about the dangers of being in certain parts of Brooklyn. She gives a warning on what to do and what not to do in certain parts of Brooklyn. This is a good warning for people of what could happen to you if you are in the wrong part of town. This song has an important message.
She doesn’t hold back when she describes exactly what can happen to you while you are in Brooklyn. She says you can be murdered and no on will see anything. She talks about the police being after you all of the time. People sell drugs and don’t care who they sell it to. Fiends attack you while you are walking in Brooklyn. This is a change for Lil’ Kim. She usually talks about sexual things so this was great to hear her talk about something real.
She can paint a prolific picture with just her lyrics alone. She painted a grisly picture of life in Brooklyn. She wanted to bring awareness to the downside of Brooklyn and she did a great job with that. She keeps it real with the listeners. She wasn’t afraid to tell the world exactly what goes on in her hometown. The song has a good blend of reggae and hip-hop music. The song has a similar melody to Damian Marley’s song “Welcome to Jamrock.”
Lil’ Kim is the truth. She was able to sing reggae lyrics and rap throughout the song. She sounds similar to Lauryn Hill on this track. Speaking of Lauryn Hill, here is some trivia about her. Lauryn Hill was supposed to appear on the song, but label issues were why it didn’t happen. The song would have been blazing hot if Lauryn Hill appeared with Lil’ Kim on this track.
# 6 – The Jump Off ft. Mr. Cheeks
The party song is from the album La Bella Mafia. The song has a hip-hop beat. The bouncy song is about partying. She wants to get the party started. She talks about being fondled on the dance floor. She also talks about sex, drugs and cash. She basically covers everything that gets discussed in hip-hop music.
She does what most rappers do on their tracks. She does a lot of name-dropping about the things she has. This is the type of song most rappers tend to record so you won’t learn anything here. This is not a song to hear if you are looking for depth. This is a novelty song about having fun.
This is the song that is perfect for the jeeps and the parties. You will be moving around while hearing it. The beat is tight. She sampled Lost Boyz’s songs “Jeeps, Lex Coupes, Bimaz & Benz.” She liked the song and wanted to use it for her track. The beat is fun to dance to and may help change your mood.
This is the track you put on after a stressful day. It will make you smile. Lil’ Kim’s rapping skills are ridiculous. She proved why she’s one of the best female rappers in the game. Her sexy tone is perfect with this beat. Her flow is easy to follow. You can basically understand what she’s saying in the song.
# 5 – How Many Licks? ft. Sisqo
The next song on our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs list is “How Many Licks?” from the album The Notorious K.I.M. The song has a hip-hop and funk sound. The erotic song is about her wanting to have oral sex with different men. She wants to taste how other men feel in her mouth. She wants to be with different men regardless of their races. She doesn’t care.
The title of the song is a reference to the tagline for Tootsie Pops. She is definitely bold to want to record a song this graphic. She helped pave the way for other female rappers to express their sexuality in this way. She tells a story about each man that she wants to pleasure. This is not a track you should hear with the kids in the room.
Here is a fun fact about the song. Singer and producer Mario Winans co-wrote the song with her. She is a trailblazer because she turned the tables on this subject. Men usually record songs about women being objectified. She decided to flip the script and be the aggressor. It’s strange that she was the only female who wrote this song. Mario Winans, Sisqo and Puff Daddy wrote this song with her.
It’s weird that they would write a song where the woman is in control of all the pleasure. Lil’ Kim is right at home with this type of song. She’s very confident and comfortable rapping about this subject. Sisqo sings the chorus and the ad libs on the track. He brings a lot of soul to the song. He sounds very similar to K-Ci Hailey from Jodeci. He performs runs in the song. We weren’t expecting runs in a song like this, but he gave them to us anyway.
# 4 – No Time ft. Puff Daddy
The sexual song is from the album Hard Core. The song has a dirty rap beat. The stimulating song is about sex. She’s right at home with these lyrics. She is one of the Queens of raunchy rap lyrics. She takes the song to places you didn’t think she could or would go. She is very explicit with what she wants to do to her man. This is one of the songs that helped introduce the world to Lil’ Kim. People weren’t offended by her lyrics because they rushed to hear it. Puff Daddy opens the song talking about the things he has. Lil’ Kim does her half and takes the song in a slightly different direction. She boasts about the things she has too, but she also talks about what she would do to him sexually.
There was no way Lil’ Kim was going to disappear after this song dropped. She proved herself and she was talented rapper. Her lyrics are “hard core.” She proved that there weren’t too many female rappers who could take her at the height of her career. She is so fierce. She had a natural swag to her. She is a legendary rapper. She knows how to deliver her rhymes with style and swag. Puff Daddy has a lot of swag while he’s rapping too. We know he has the things he’s talking about in the song so it’s not hard for him to have swag on this track. He allowed Lil’ Kim to shine while still allowing the light to focus on him too. The song contains the samples from Vicki Anderson’s “Message From the Soul Sister” and Lyn Collins’ song “Take Me Just As I Am.”
# 3 – Not Tonight(Ladies Night Remix) ft. Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Elliott, and Angie Martinez
The provocative song is from the Hard Core album. The song has an r&b and hip-hop beat. The alluring song is about a woman who doesn’t want traditional sex from a man. She wants him to please her in other ways. She wants him to give her oral sex. This song is about dominance. She wants to be the one in control.
There’s so much competition in music for supremacy that we don’t get the chance to see too many female rappers collaborating on the same track. This song gave us a chance to hear women rapping together. This song is empowering for women because they don’t get to rap about this too often.
Lil’ Kim allowed other women to shine on her song. Angie Martinez is a DJ so she’s not a rapper, but she got her chance to be one on this song. She wasn’t bad at all. She has some rapping ability considering she is the one with the least amount of experience on the track. Lil’ Kim is the second one on the microphone. Her part isn’t that big, but she sounds like a genius. It’s hard to believe that this is on her debut album. Left Eye is up next. She sounds great and it makes us miss her even more.
We can only imagine what she could have accomplished if she were still here. Missy Elliott sings the hook to the song. She has a decent singing voice. She also gets the chance to rap on the song. She is more comfortable rapping than singing. Lil’ Kim could have taken over the song and given them nothing to do.
She gave them a chance to shine right along with her. The remix contains a sample of Kool & the Gang’s “Ladies Night.” The sample is just as good as the lyrics. The beat works very well. Lil’ Kim recorded another version of the song with George Benson’s song “Turn Your Love Around” as the sample. The song is good, but it’s different from this version. We wanted to include this version on our list.
# 2 – Magic Stick ft. 50 Cent
The risqué song is from her album La Bella Mafia. The song has a hip-hop beat. The raunchy song is about her orally pleasing her man. The magic stick refers to a man’s body part that’s located in the lower region. We think you know what we mean by this. She talks about her magic area as well. Lil’ Kim talks about how good her magic area is that men will buy her things for it. It’s normal for male rappers or singers to talk about pleasing women.
She helped pave the way for women to talk about the same thing. The lyrics are pretty graphic and they aren’t for sensitive or easily offended people at all. If you aren’t the type of person who could handle this song, it’s not for you. If you can deal with the lyrics, this is going to be your jam.
Here is some trivia about the song. The song was supposed to be on 50 Cent’s album, but it didn’t work out. Lil’ Kim didn’t have her vocals done in time for it to be on his album. He allowed her to have the song instead. Olivia was supposed to be on the song, but he didn’t want her on the track anymore. It worked out because the song is much better this way. The fans agree because the song was hit for both of them. 50 Cent takes a chance and sings the chorus. It’s an odd choice for him to sing considering he thought singing rappers were corny or wanksters. He should stick with rapping, but he isn’t the worst singer that graced the microphone.
# 1 – Lady Marmalade ft. Christina Aguilera, Mya, Pink and Lil’ Kim
The number one song on our Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs list is “Lady Marmalade” from the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack. The song has hip-hop, soul, pop, and a r&b sound. The song is a remake of LaBelle’s hit song. The bouncy song is basically a sexual song. They want to know if men will have sex with them. The song is closely tied to the LaBelle’s so this song was a risk for the women to take. Thankfully the risk paid off for them. Their version of the song was a hit too. Mya, Pink and Christina Aguilera sang their verses of the song while Lil’ Kim did the rap.
Missy Elliott produced this version of the song. She took a chance because she was dealing with four divas and it could have been a mess. Here is some trivia about the song. Pink and Christina Aguilera were rumored to have trouble getting along with each other while they recorded the song. We aren’t sure if that’s true, but there was rumor there was tension between the ladies. Our list isn’t about their drama so we will leave at that. Lil’ Kim didn’t have a big role in the song, but she can be heard throughout the track. Her rap was fierce and we wanted to hear more. Her verse was sultry without being too graphic. She was able to keep up with the divas.
Top 10 Lil’ Kim Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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