Lil Kim has been relatively quiet on the music scene for quite some time. However, the Queen Bee is back and the tremendous buzz about her return has never been louder.
That Grape Juice caught up with the self-proclaimed megastar to discuss an array of issues including her ‘Black Friday’ mixtape and, of course, her notorious feud with Nicki Minaj. Kim also addressed speculation about her long-awaited new studio album, her label situation and much more.
Check out all the action below:
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Interviewer: Sam
Transcribed by: Bisi Kadejoh
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Lil Kim Shouts Out That Grape Juice
That Grape Juice: Hey Kim, it’s great to finally speak with you! How are you?
Kim: Hey I am fine. How are you?
That Grape Juice: We’re doing fine as well. Thanks for asking. Jumping straight into things…
You released your ‘Black Friday’ mixtape to much fanfare this week. What was the inspiration behind this project?
Kim: The inspiration behind the project was just (that I have been) long over due to do a mixtape. This is how I feel. My fans deserved it; they have been asking me “when are we going to get some new music?”.
It was all about getting new music out and doing a mixtape that I hadn’t done in a long time. It was something for the fans and the inspiration for the song {pause} well you know that {giggles}.
That Grape Juice: Needless to say, you’ve used the mixtape to address the Nicki Minaj situation. Are you now officially over the beef?
Kim: Well the song definitely came about because of the situation with her and – in answer to your question – enough was enough. It just had to stop all of the craziness; all of the lies; all of the foolery. She knows what she did.
That Grape Juice: Nicki has yet to respond. Why do you think that is?
Kim: She’s responded in certain ways…if she doesn’t respond I really don’t care.
That Grape Juice: No stranger to controversy, you hit headlines this week over your claim that ‘Black Friday’ had sold 113k copies in 28 hours. However, some people said that PayPal doesn’t provide sales information. How exactly did you find out about those numbers?
Kim: Well you’re always going to have haters so I don’t know why people are so concerned with what I’m doing. My thing is just all about music. If everyone is so concerned with what I’m moving and with what I’m earning, then they really have way to much time on their hands and that means they have nothing else to do with there life. I’m over here being me so be happy for me.
At the end of the day I don’t knock nobody else’s hustle and nobody else’s dues so don’t knock mine; don’t knock what I’m doing. I’m doing what I got to do. I don’t care what nobody else think.
That Grape Juice: Moving on…
That Grape Juice: You recently said that you are now in full control of your career. Does that mean that you are not signed to a label?
Kim: What people don’t even understand is that I’ve been independent for a long time now. I’ve been independent for about 5 years now. As soon as I came out of prison the Atlantic situation was basically done. I was on my own for a long time.
Atlantic haven’t helped me with anything in about 7 or 8 years so they have absolutely nothing to do with my music career at all. Period. Everything you see me do I use my own money to do it; I’ve been my own boss. The other girl she may answer to her own boss but I am my own boss. She probably gets checques cut to her but I cut my own cheques.
I’m whole different grind; a whole different level you know what I mean? I’m independent, as to where she might have a whole building behind her and probably a lot more investments behind her. Eventually I will get there and go pass and beyond her in that situation and I just think me taking this route is a very mature thing do. It’s also something that a lot of artists aren’t able to do, so I pat myself on the back.
That Grape Juice: If a major record label did approach you, is it something you would consider at this particular point or are you content to with going it alone?
Kim: Definitely I would consider being partners. I definitely wouldn’t go in to the same type of situation I just came out of. No no no! I fought long and hard to just to get out the last situation with my record company so I would never go into the same situation. It would definitely still be independent but I’m defiantly open to doing partnership with other record companies.
That Grape Juice: Your ‘Naked Truth’ album received a lot of critical acclaim and a record 5 mics from The Source. However, the editor recently reportedly stated that he hasn’t liked any of the songs you released in the last 5 years. What is your response to that?
Kim: My response to that is first of all, I never heard him say that so I don’t know who said that and I have heard it. How he was to produce that information I wouldn’t really care because he ain’t putting a dime in my pocket if that is true.
I’m not really going to respond to it because I really don’t know if it’s true, you know what I mean? When I hear him say that then I will respond publicly. If someone was to even make that statement- I mean I haven’t released a single in years at all so I don’t know what he is talking about and quite frankly I really don’t care if that was said.
That Grape Juice: Looking forward, what can we expect from your forthcoming studio album as far as the producers, sound, title and the release date?
Kim: The project is moving great, I really love the singles that I have and I can’t wait to release them and work on my next album.
That Grape Juice: We heard something about you potentially working with Dr. Dre and things of that nature. Is there anyone you can share?
Kim: I’ve already worked with Dr. Dre I’m on his ‘Detox’ album where we have a great song together and in return he will be on mine.
That Grape Juice: What about Polow The Don?
Kim: I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not who knows. Timbaland definitely but who knows. I have a lot of music that aren’t with a lot of name brand producers but then I also have music that is with named brand producers. I have a couple of songs with Wyclef, and Timbland and I are definitely going to do something together. I’ve also worked with Akon and a couple of others but who knows what makes the album as the last cut.
That Grape Juice: Will any of the material you wrote while you were incarcerated make the cut?
Kim: I mean I used stuff that I thought about and wrote about in prison… so who knows.
That Grape Juice: What do you think your stint in prison taught you?
Kim: It taught me a lot of things. I actually have a book coming solely about my stay in prison. It’s called ‘The Price of Loyalty’ and it’s with Saint Martins Book Press. It will probably be coming out sometime next year after or before my album drops. I’m really not sure when we will release it because we’re still in the writing process. So you will find out a lot of things I’ve learned in that book.
That Grape Juice: Which 3 artists out today would you most like to work with?
Kim: There are more than 3 artist I would most like to work with that are new but and I won’t say because I like to surprise my fans. Hopefully I am able to work with them. I won’t say until I get a chance to work with them.
That Grape Juice: You’ve been in the game for over 15 years. What advice would you give to young artists who wish to have a career as long and successful as yours?
Kim: I don’t know. All I can say is be real, be who you are and be creative. Have your own style, come into the game with your own creativity but if that doesn’t work for you then do me because it’s been proven to work.
That Grape Juice: Throughout your career you, as well as many other female rappers, have endured strong criticism that you’ve used sex to sell records. Do you think that you’ve finally reached a stage where the focus could be entirely on your music?
Kim: I don’t think that’s ever happened. Even the chick that’s out now is still focused on the sex part of it. That’s always going to be apart of it. I don’t see where the focus is just about the music. There’s always going to be a combination somewhat.
That Grape Juice: The Grammy Awards removed the category for Best Female Rap Solo Performance because of a lack of notable content from female MCs. Do you think that female rappers will ever be able to reestablish their positions at the Grammys?
Kim: I don’t care about what other female rappers are doing! I already know I will be acknowledged because I’m something different and I don’t call myself a rapper; I call myself an entertainer. I’m a superstar; a megastar. I do all types of things and I have all types of talents. So don’t really know about that question.
BET were the first to do it. I know I’m one of the major reasons why the game is so sexy. It’s almost like females that are in the game like myself, Eve, Missy [Elliott] and all of them, we sold way more records then a lot of these guys have in the industry so to do that its just quite disrespectful and a slap in the face.
That Grape Juice: You recently spoke out about your disappointment with Diddy. Do you see yourself ever patching things up with him or even Foxy Brown?
I don’t even need to answer that question. What’s the next question? {giggles}
That Grape Juice: When the dust has settled how does Lil Kim want to be remembered?
Kim: That’s a question I probably won’t answer either. I heard the other chick say something about “Kim will go down as a sore loser instead of the queen”. I will never go down anywhere; the queen will live on forever. It’s not my ordeal to go down; it’s my ordeal to live on.
That Grape Juice: Thank you so much for your time Kim. Best of luck with everything and we hope to speak to you again soon.
Kim: Thank you. Bye.