Lil Kim is a legend in Hip Hop, and there’s no question that her influence on the culture is felt to this day. And while she may be a punchline thanks to her affection for going under the knife perhaps more times than is advisable or necessary, the Queen Bee still can hold her own behind the mic.
And while her latest offering, 9, is by no means the classic that Hard Core was (few, if any, projects can come close to the raw fervor of that debut), it still is an essential listen for those who want to fully understand Lil Kim’s place in Hip Hop today.
The first track, “Pray For Me,” features an unnecessary appearance by Rick Ross, but shows Kim is much more “woke” than most rappers pretending to be these days. Perhaps recalling a time that she, herself, lost a loved one to gun violence, Kim waxes philosophical when she informs her lover “I ain’t worried about a bitch taking you from me/I’m worried about the police taking you from me.” Not even the braggadocious Queen Bee — the woman who once bragged about having designer pussy, with her shit coming in flavors — is a match for the Men in Blue, who as of late seem to be legalized assassins, and her off-handed comment about them hits harder than anything else in the track.
We still see elements of the “old Kim” in tracks like “Go Awff” and “Bag,” though, and while they provide a nice update to the Kim we know and love — still super-pussy fantastic, expi-braggadocious — it’s tempered with life experience and sadness, making it a nice change from these rappers that want to stay forever young even though they’re well into their 40s and 50s.
That said, there are a few tracks that are a little, eh, off. “Found You,” for example, features that absolutely yikes line of “make a nigga cum fast/then use his face as a cum rag,” and “You Are Not Alone” features a sample of the Michael Jackson song of the same name that was allegedly written by R. Kelly. Double yikes.
Overall, 9 is a worthy addition to Kim’s oeuvre, and a worthy addition to any Hip Hop fan’s collection.
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This album was a dumpster fire yall must of got a check. Thanks this site is trash
The album isn’t that bad.
Too many snowflake social justice warriors work for this site. The articles are contaminated with their bizarre politics.
Liked it alot on the 1st listen. Wish there was a little less Autotune but she def. still has it
Dope
This is definitely NOT what I was expecting from the Queen Bee. At first listen I thought I was being Punk’d. And then I separated who Lil’ Kim was from the album and listened as if I was being introduced to a new artist and I quickly fell in love with every track from start to finish. Stand out tracks are definitely Pray For Me, Too Bad & You are not alone. Go Awff is a dope single to compliment the idea of this project. Great work Kim!
THE QUEEN IS FUCKING BACK
Great project aside from all of the auto tune. She hasn’t lost her place as Queen of Hip Hop
I mean I’d stick my peepee up her butt and try to get some farts out of her, but damn is her face looking like plastic these days.
The album is fire Kim!!! I actually like every track.?????
Kim >> Kanye. If you had told me a few months ago that I would write that this year I probably would have slapped you.
great album
I wanna like lil Kim, but in the she’s another sad sack of shit. Big wrote her first album, she cut up her face, bleached her skin and now a 46 year rapper with 9 songs about nothing after 15 years of absence. Another lost for hip hop. Let’s just tell the truth. How you gonna empower anyone or thing if you don’t love yourself
Sack of shit? So you have that much hate in your heart? Look at your own life first. Nothing else to do but try and dissect someone else’s life. Negative soulless spiteful creature gtfoh!
Lame compared to her early shit but compared to what else is out there today this is pretty good..
Kim isn’t gonna stay in the box y’all putting her in so that’s that
Kim did her THING with this album. It’s definitely a fresh sound compared to the repetitiveness in hip hop today amongst other female MCs.
fireeeeeeee
fireeeeee. refreshing af
5 mics in the Source.
That 9 Track Album after such a long Break is simply horrible! Beats, Style, Lyrics….everything!
To the writer: who in the fuck do you think you are? You don’t comment on real hip hop. You comment on this fuck boy music that’s going on. You called a rick Ross verse unnecessary like niggaz asked you if it was cool or not. Foh clown
Its autotune non-Music.
Love you Queen B.
You have true fans out here. Ride or die. Love the album. Sending you love and positivity. The haters are unhappy creatures.
I love LILKIMQUEENBEE!!! 9️⃣ is everything. But, cannot wait till part2 hit these streets. Pray for me, Bag, You are not alone, Jet Fuel are some of my favorites off the album ????? PERIOD ??????????⭐
Fire
THE QUEEN HAS NOTHING TO PROVE BUT SHE DID THAT! STAND UP BROOKLYN!
Herd a few cuts enough for me to buy cause Nikki was talking shit lol….. After listening it was OK….. But got in my car started loving it then went to the gym it was made for working out to she did it
It was old Kim with the new people want her to keep doing the same thing get with the program
That’s what’s wrong with y’all ignorant bastards your mother couldn’t have raised you guys right not to disrespect people in their craft you should appreciate this music from her I do unless ur mother raised u to be a real hater she she is a boss ok something her mother raised her to be get y’all some business and get y’all some money and follow your dreams cause obviously y’all broke and disgusting and must be a Nicki fan because those are the only fans that seem to really hate on the Kim so please if your not here to up lift you can up lift ya happy ass right on to what can club you apart of….that you ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I love lil kim and I’m happy that she’s back out. Her no. 9 album is ???
The sad reality is, she’s spent too much time away from putting anything out that she’s gonna get a bad rollout.
I think its dope. Ar first it was underwhelming. Only 2 tracks stood out. But as I listened again the album started to grow on me. I like how she mixed old kim with the new. Lyrically tho even if you don’t like a song, You have to admit, that is why she is the Queen!
This was a horrible and shady review this did kim no justice but overall its a solid album pray for me, bag, auto blanco, you are not alone, and jet fuel are bangers
Kim is definitely in her bag!! She has reinvented herself again successfully. This album is a banger starry to finish… no other bitch is coming like Kim.
Lil kim is no legend. Ghostwriters just like puffy. She’s just a hooker shaking her ass in the videos and on the stage. She looks like a woman going through a sex change.
It’s awful. What she need auto tune for when she can rap tight. I know she try a stay relevant but… if she after cash n u flossin you’ll love it.