Much like our ‘Retro Rewind’ and ‘From the Vault’ segments, readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers
we are – especially of hits past. So in a quest to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday we introduced a new retrospective segment – ‘TGJ Replay’.
Unlike its ‘Rewind’ and ‘Vault’ predecessors, ‘Replay’ looks to dust off and showcase albums (and eras) from a library of pop music hits. Today, as fans gear up for the release of her Bangladesh driven new album, TGJ shines a new light on Lil Kim‘s debut album ‘Hardcore‘.
Under the pupilage of mentor Biggie Smalls, 1996 saw Miss Kimberly Denise Jones release her debut album ‘Hardcore’ under the stage name Lil Kim-one year after scoring the Top 20 smash ‘Player’s Anthem’ alongside Rap collective Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Sexually charged and packing a lyrical billed as ‘hilarious filth’ by Rolling Stones Magazine, the project secured the Rapper the highest first week sales to be generated by a Female MC at the time, hitting the Billboard 200 at #11 with sales of 78,000.
Serving a sweet mix of femininity, agression and a glamour, the LP’s scorching cuts and well executed video catapulted the the pint sized MC to a notoriety never afforded to her long time rival Foxy Brown, securing her 3 Rap #1 singles from the album.
Three #1s, which also nabbed her three Top Twenty spots on the Billboard Hot 100 within the space of one a year. An achievement that oft goes forgotten when listing her achievements, the album’s glory went on to enjoyed just as much glory on the charts as did outside of it- when ‘Crush On You’ was nabbed a ‘Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group’ at the 40th annual Grammy Awards.
What truly made ‘Hardcore’ the classic it is though, was the lyrical structure, production and label push that saw the Rapper enjoy Top Ten hits with Hip Hop singles.
Of course, while the genre was very much in fashion at the time thanks to heights attained by Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and Biggie Smalls’ ‘Ready To Die’, it was Kim’s conviction as a lyricist and broad appeal as an entertainer which saw her stand side by side as one of the many forces to lead Hip Hop even further into ‘mainstream culture’.
All this, while facing a number of personal battles- one of which included Smalls’ marriage to Bad Boy’s Faith Evans and claims that the lyrics she had claimed to have penned on the album were in fact written by Smalls, with whom she was involved with during its conception.
Irrelevant considering it was Kim’s delivery that turned her cuts into classics, the album’s critical approval serves as the perfect ‘F U’ to many who question her status as Rap’s leading trendsetter when its modest sales are thrown into the mix. Indeed, despite it’s impressive peak upon debuting, the last 17 years has seen it struggle to surpass the 2 million mark in the United States, despite being certified Double Platinum by the RIAA for shipping that many copies.
Fact of the matter is, whatever one thinks of her career today, there’s no denying the only word that the ‘Hardcore‘ era will forever be on the strongest ‘moments’ in Pop culture history.
Indeed, while recent years have seen her struggle to live up to her former glory, the light she brought to Hip Hop back then still burns bright today in stylistic choices made by her very own Eve Harrington… Nicki Minaj.
Sure, while Minaj’s calculated and cut throat approach saw her achieve more commercially in seven years than Kim did in seventeen, she no doubt cherry picked the strongest fruits of Kim’s cause to further her own, and in doing so proved how influential Brand Kim is..even to this day.
So, with a new album set for release in the coming year here’s hoping Miss Jones pulls from ‘Harcore‘s greatness to forge a project just as groundbreaking. For, while her chances of ‘beating’ Minaj at her own game are slim to none, nothing will ever take away from her legacy and how it shaped Rap culture as we know it today.
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Finally an article on some proper hip-hop.
This album is the s***. “Mafia land” is arguably her best song.
You ruined it by mentioning that mediocre sell-out at the end though.
this is so disrespectful to the former Queen of Hiphop for Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott….she is always being overshadowed by Lil Kim for reasons I do not know….Nicki sounds nothing like Kim or any rapper for that matter…but if i had to pick who she reminds me of the most it would be Missy because they are both so out there…most of the female rappers are pretty much the same…but Nicki & Missy are unique
on another note: Biggie really gave Kim good verses/flow for Queen B****…i think thats her best song
Image-wise Nicki is VERY similar to lil kim.
i agree she is like missy elliott aswell.
so colorful Wigs? Colorful wigs that Nicki doesn’t even wear anymore? and Colorful wigs Kim only wore for a short period as well?
if all Kim has to go on is wigs then it shows how diff they really are…and tbh the first time i saw Nicki do the jet black hair with the pink tracks and eventually colorful wigs i immediately though Cyndi Lauper & P!nk NOT Kim…and Nicki’s wigs are on a diff level…Kim’s wigs look like cheap wigs you buy for a Halloween costume
I mean how can you even talk when it’s a fact that Biggie and Maino written for you…and now i’m sure her bf is writing for her too…you can’t be Queen and don’t write
@trev B**** SHUT YO GAY ASS THE F*** UP!! EVEN SAM DIDNT SHADE! u just need to lev this post h** bfo i drag u
Mafia Land has always been my favorite song by Kim, as well. You know the taste!
Sam,I knew you was an undercover Kim fan.
wow he wrote a decent article on kim!!! THANKS SAM!!!!
Yeah he wrote a decent article..but still throwin shade..wtf did he have to put the sell out in this article for?? EVERYTIME HE WRITES ABOUT KIM..NICKI IS MENTIONED…FOR WHAT? LET IT GO, KIM DOIN HER THING AND SO IS NICKI…DAMN
Yaas this is a real rapper unlike nicki…& look how cute kim looked omg now that’s a bad b**** f*** ICKI GARBAJ
Tiffany &Kim>>>>>> Icki Garbaj
who’s tiffany?
Nicki writes her own lyrics kim doesn’t so that makes Nicki the real rapper.. you tried
& yea who is tiffany?
b**** icki don’t write her s***…WAYNE DO!!! she wrote stupid h** and h** did that turn out?
@ LIL MAMA STAN
KIM DOESN’T WRITE HER OWN LYRICS? WOW REALLY? WELL ACCORDING TO HER AND PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE STUDIO WITH HER SAYS SHE WRITES HER OWN ISH..I SWEAR YALL FOLK TAKE PEOPLE WORDS AND RUN WITH IT. SHE SAID YES BIGGIE WOULD GIVE HER ADVICE ON SOME THINGS BUT HE WOULDN’T ACTUALLY WRITE HER LYRICS FOR HER. SHE’S WRITTEN SONGS FOR SEVERAL PEOPLE ACTUALLY..SHE EVEN WROTE SOME OF DIDDY’S SHYT FOR HIM..SO BEFORE YOU SPEAK NEXT TIME..PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
Can’t no female MC see Kim.
Except her ghostwriter.
Lmao Yaaas
b**** shut it!!
Lmao dead.
*Yawn* Aint nobody got time for that!
Really?
Nicki found her purpose in life after watching the “crush on you” video.
No one’s denying that but whose fault is it that Kim got lazy.
@bey u right on that hon…caint eeeeven come for u on that bcus i c no lies and u kept it real
and yet you HERE…B****!!!
Thanks Sam.
I reeeeeally appreciate him postn this of the Queen B. (a single tear rolls down cheek)
SHE WAS HOT BACK THEN.
key word *back then* lol
ickik was hot a year ago!!!
Back when she was semi relevant….
she lasted for 20yrs…icki lasted for 5…B****!!!
Kim is and was very much relevant. You kids have no idea. That’s a 20 year career , not a 5 year breakthrough with no real achievements other than setting black people back an entire century.
#POW!
KIM HAS ALWAYS BEEN RELEVANT… IN 1995 WHEN SHE FIRST CAME ON THE SCENE AND SHE IS STILL RELEVANT..LOOK HOW MANY FOLK COME ON HER POST EVERY SINGLE DAY. IF SHE’S NOT RELEVANT WHY COMMENT?
Biggie, Lil Kim and Jay-z all had classic debut albums/eras – the albums were all straight hip-hop with a couple of radio-friendly but credible joints.
I need someone to explain this. Not only is this interview just awkward in general but that face… Now she “claims” blogs have been photoshopping her pics but Kim…..this is video footage on a GOSPEL television show, there’s no excuse for this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucR3U7GY9DA
ewwww her face…..omg she doesn’t even look recognizable
Now b**** go look at that S*** u stan for in 05, 06…check it b**** and suck my d***!
All 4 of Kim’s albums are good, her discography is solid. Not a mediocre album in sight.
THIS!!!! Ms. G.O.A.T. was solid too! That mixtape was like an album. I’m not sure if Vintage is an official mixtape by her but it has some good songs on there. DatPiff has them both. Man I wish Kim would stop this nonsense and deliver a solid album once again. It doesn’t seem like she’s going to if we consider what she’s been putting out lately 🙁
Keys to the City was the HUMP honey! I still pump it!
Why do Kim stans think anyone hates her. Everyone loved her until she f***** up.
Everyone liked icki til SHE fuckd up so y does icki stans think everyone just hates her for nothing?¿
IM NOT SAYING S*** UNTIL I HEAR
THE PINKPRINT .
everything she did in her career was a marketing strategy
hip hop fans (pink friday) + Pop fans (roman reloaded)= Pinkprint has more listeners and she has a chance to set the record straight on her decisions .
Lil’ Kim = LEGEND!!!
It’s just a shame that she is so insecure about her legacy that she, inadvertently, feels the need to ‘attack’ every psuedo-“new” female rapper that emerges, to which the media then blows it way out of proportion and, little-by-little, executes her reputation.
SMH!!!
Both her & Nicki need to grow the f*** up tbh and stick to cementing their success whilst opening doors for others to follow.
Nicki has been dissing kim since 2003. but when kim responds she is the “bitter” one?
How do you explain her beef with Foxy, Remy and Eve though.
@SHE BAD BAD
Foxy came at her first on a 98 track “bang bang”, that was more personal beef that we know nothing about.
Remy Ma dissed kim first on “when i see her”, kim responded.
Kim and Eve never had beef, Eve threw a shot first on “let me blow ya mind” and Kim threw a couple shots back at Eve on “came back for you”. They are cool with eachother now.
@Truth Tea (Take A Sip)
THANK YOU!!!!!! Kim doesn’t just start beef she only responds to it. I can’t front though Foxy’s Bang Bang went in! That beef kept Kim on her toes.
@truth b**** u betta teach deze hoez!!
Girl shutcho p**** lickers up…u sound stoopid. Icki startd it and when kim laid her out with Black Friday yall b****** cried foul
She USED to be amazing.
U NEVER were
She was dope then… now shes wack n tired… She shoulda never f***** up face either she was actually pretty… oh well now Lil mama n Nicki are the new queens of rap
Lil Mama stan though??? LOL!!! I can NOT!!! I literally busted out laughing in class when I read your screen name!! #Dead
um is there a problem? if so address it now i dont find anything funny…
Girl if you like it, I love it LMAO!! Thanks for a great laugh!
@enuf HONEY DONT LET THE B**** @lil moma SCARE U!! @lilBitch HONEY YES THERE IZZZ A PROBLEM AND IM ADDRESSN IT H**!! U stan for a whack b**** and icki is just pathetic…like yo p**** and yo taste in artist…STANK P**** H**!! )stands back on legs with hands in hips and rolln neck, lookn at this b**** like H** I WISH U WOULD, ILL DRAG U BY YO NAPPY ASS HEAD¡)
@TRUTH LMAO!!!! READ!!! #LoveMeSomeTruth
Lil Mama is in no shape, way, or form a Queen
Your right she’s the princess n nickis the queen
btw whos iggy?
Lol I get it. You’re trolling
im done
Biggie did a great job writing that album and teaching kim how to spit. She learned really well… R.I.P King
Vibe did an article in 2010 on Lil Kim first beginnings and cited numerous sources stating that lil kim wrote 70 percent of the songs on “Hardcore” next …
Nice article TGJ but this wasn’t Kims album, it was Biggies seeing as he wrote all the lyrics.
Biggie wrote it WITH kim, not all the lyrics. if that were so, kim would have fell off after this era.
The original version of “big momma thang” is a 2pac and faith evans diss, its on youtube. do you really think biggie would have wrote that?
No, Biggie wrote ALL of it. Keep it 100%. And she did fall of after that era. She never topped hardcore, critically or commercially.
Naked Truth is Kim’s most critically acclaimed album actually. And unless there is proof that Biggie wrote her lyrics, it is nothing more than a conspiracy theory.
Says the iggy azalflop Stan
WTF. She never topped hardcore? Um her 2nd album went platinum in 36 days.
B**** u stan for s*** startn flop ass kesha so NO ONE cares about ur opinion…u trifling W****!!
Crush on you did NOT win a grammy. Get your facts rights. Kim only has one grammy and that was from lady mayonnaise.
who said it won?
I’M GLAD SOMEBODY DID THEIR HOMEWORK..@SHELL
THANK U
HOW IS KIM A REAL RAPPER WHEN SHE DIDN’T EVEN WRITE HER RHYMES? HER WHOLE IMAGE WAS MANUFACTURED. SHE WAS NOTHING BUT BIGGIES LITTLE W****. YEAH SHE MADE AN IMPACT BUT PLEASE SHE WAS NOT REAL HIP HOP. REAL RAPPERS WRITE THEIR S***. GIVE ME FOXY ANYDAY
Vibe did an article in 2010 on Lil Kim first beginnings and cited numerous sources stating that lil kim wrote 70 percent of the songs on “Hardcore” next …
but Foxy herself admitted she never wrote most of her rhymes.
True, but she was a great performer. Biggie saw the potential, so he wrote her rhymes and taught her how to deliver, and that she did….
Foxy is a true MC though..
WTF? Jay and Nas wrote all of Foxy’s rhymes
No give u pencilian u disease B****! U and that pathetic little F** @hj need to go suck some p****! BOTH yall hoez soundn stupid and if yall were near id smack FIRE from yall face! (flips lacefront and rolls eyes)
Foxy>>>>>>>>>>Kim That’s why Faith said Biggie wanted her & Jay wanted Kim
FAGSareFunny shut up
i heard she doesn’t write her verses either. 🙁
You can say whatever you want to say about Kim, “Hardcore” is a certified CLASSIC. Period. In some quarters, “Naked Truth” is also considered a classic.
As a Nicki fan as well, I’m still waiting on her classic. Hopefully one day I’ll get it. Keep the awards, the magazine covers, American Idol, perfumes, clothing lines,etc….hooray, that’s awesome. I want a CLASSIC album.
THIS!
NICKI >>>>>>> LIL KIM
LIL KIM = CIARA
DEAL!!
lol okaaay… kims just ugh
Shut up d*** b****! U HAVE no career so eat kim for a beat b****
I see the lil kim haters are out in full force and afraid to give credit to where credit is do how pitiful
like i stated earlier on this thread Vibe did an article in 2010 on Lil Kim first beginnings and cited numerous sources stating that lil kim wrote 70 percent of the songs on “Hardcore” time to get over it people
Bye B****! Lil Kim is ugly and irrelevant get over it
if lil kim so irrevelant then why are you even on an article relating to her how ass backwards is that
Because ugly! It’s a blog and I respond to whatever the hell I want! Where’s her single? Where’s her album? Where’s her face? Where’s her tour? Where are her endorsements? Nowhere like her f****** career. She is almost 40, broke and ugly. Her stans need to stop being delusional and admit it! Btw it’s sad that no one is talking about her other than the blogs and 9.5/10 it’s because of her chopped up face hahahahaha what a failure!!!!
Seriously have of the stuff you just asked kim has been there done that from endorsements plat albums tours and even having her own class Lil’ Kim and Hip Hop: Queen B**** 101 taught at Syracuse Univeristy! Lil Kim is solidified in the rap hip hop culture she doesnt need to prove nothing to ignorant people like you grow the hell up
Exactly. This rumor was dispelled years ago. Plus, Kim does some of her best storytelling on songs like “Revolution,” AFTER Big’s passing.
Am I the ONLY sane Nicki fan on here?
lil kim had 3 successful albums after Biggies death i guess to the idiots biggie arose from the grave and wrote those songs too! smdh idiots
nobody remembers those albums tho
Voice of the young people >>>>>>> any lil kim album
sounds like a personal problem
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A lil mama stan! Y’all like a rare species, along with the Khia fans.
Notorious K.I.M. >>>>>> Ever other female rap album
Actually, 3.2 million people who bought “The Notorious K.I.M.” remember it.
2 million people who bought “LaBelle Mafia” remember it.
What are you talking it?
Shout out to the idiots using multiple screen names with the same email address lol
Shout to to Kim’s car……WAIT! Nevermind she doesn’t have one of those kiii
S*** puppy
I’m not even a Nicki fan but why does she always have to be bought up whenever Lil Kim’s ugly self is mentioned? She is lightyears ahead of Kim Dum Ho!
Suck a d*** b****
Lil Kim was great back in the day but she ruined it for herself.
Biggie wrote kims lyrics & wanye writes Nickis lyrics neither are true lyricist like Trina & Eve
GUUURRRRLLLL the delusion!!!! Everybody knows that trick daddy wrote Trina’s rhymes. How dare you put that flop in the same sentence as Eve!!!
ARE U F****** SERIOUS ?!! Trina, a lyricist ??? LMAOOOOOOOO #DEAD
Didn’t know lil mama had stans
She doesn’t. That’s a troll.
Right??!! Lol
KIM>>>>>>>>>>>GIMMICK GARBAJ
It’s too bad females in rap don’t come out with classic first albums like this anymore. Kim’s first album is classic and will forever be cemented in MUSIC HISTORY as one of the most iconic rap albums in hip hop and not mention- liberating as qF***!!!! This is why I cannot compare nicki and Kim. Nicki may be more popular now and be commercially successful but, as of now, nobody will be coming back in 17 years to rehash “PF” “PF:RR” or the ReFlop.. No comparison, there is none #Sorry . Kim, along with Missy, are the most original and ground breaking females to EVER hit the rap scene, they not only stepped it up musically but visually did s*** chicks in the rap game had t even thunk of before. As u can see from all the imitators now. Kudos Kim!
Chile this cd was da truth!! Bumps ‘Dont want d*** tonight’
STILL NO SOLO HIT THO!!! 🙁
Disgusting photo. I seriously don´t care about all these superficial people with no morals or education. Sorry
Finally tgj giving credit where credit is due.I don’t know
Why they had to throw that shade in at the end.But
Whatever. And can people stop acting like nicki minaj was
The first to do every f****** thing. mostly everything she
Is doing has been done. People nowadays only see the current
And Stan for people and don’t know the history of s***.
Anyways Kim is a legend and will never be forgotten.
Tbh Kim’s new face has destroyed her career, Kim is not the star she once was, She and her fans need to be real with themselves. She doesn’t stand a chance in hell in today’s industry and she knows that, not with that face. She needs to invest what little money she has left into a clothing line or perfume line and save her self further embarrassment.
Classik s***!!