King’s Disease III was Nas and Hit-Boy’s fourth album together, released in November, 2022. Today (Mar. 1), fans can watch a new visual from that project entitled “30,” which is an homage to Nas’ long and successful career. In addition, the song suggests another rapper-producer album, which their fans have eagerly anticipated since the pair’s first collaboration in 2010.
Nas performs in the video for “30“, a black-and-white clip produced by Sarah McColgan, as various aspects of his rhymes come to life in an almost surreal manner. As you look at the video, it almost reminds you of one created to accompany Big Sean’s classic song, “Blessings.”
It was in 2020 that Nas and Hit-Boy first met, and together, they released King’s Disease, an album that peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and featured contributions from many artists such as Fivio Foreign, Don Toliver, Big Sean, Anderson .Paak, Lil Durk, and more. A year after King’s Disease 2, which was critically acclaimed, they returned with the critically acclaimed sequel, complete with contributions from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, YG, Eminem, Lauryn Hill, and Blxst.
Nas’ latest album, “Suburbanly Proud”, landed at No. 3 on the aforementioned chart, making it the artist’s highest-charting release in over a decade. The nine-song Magic album was released just before the year came to an end, and everyone was surprised by it. In collaboration with the bicoastal duo with whom they published the aforementioned series previously, a new chapter of the series has already been planned.
On Friday, the 18th of December, Argentina took home the victory against France in the final of the 2022 World Cup. There may have been more than one reason why the South American team triumphed over the European team, but there was still plenty to be happy about, including Lil Baby releasing his latest music video for the occasion.
With the help of Budweiser, the Atlanta rapper Lil Baby delivered a video featuring a breathtaking action-packed clip highlighting FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), along with his single, “The World Is Yours to Take.” This song also features a performance by Tears for Fears, an English pop band from the 1980s. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was their 1985 hit single, which Nas sampled in 2001 to create the track, which incorporates the sample into the whole arrangement. There is a video in which Baby raps, “I am my own greatest bet, I’m by far one of the hardest workers and the biggest believer in practice makes perfect.” No matter how much water you accumulate, just keep thirsty. It took a lot to get us here. We broke curses.”
The visuals for the video were created by Canadian-born filmmaker Director X, who sends Baby into FIFA World Cup stadiums throughout the clip. As the 28-year-old artist Lil Baby pauses in the music video to speak with Brazilian musician Papatinho and Argentine rapper Paulo Londra, the video portrays several scenes of their interactions. As part of the project, the “Drip Too Hard” hitmaker tried his hand at mingling with other international musicians, producers, and DJs from around the world. “ I am proud to share my official music video for my song ‘The World Is Yours To Take’ with you!
“With this video, Budweiser will be closing out the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a bang, and Baby is excited to play a key role in making history with this video,” Baby said in a statement released in conjunction with the release of the video. “We’re celebrating what it means to bring the world together as we work with Director X and the talented people from around the globe to bring people together to chase their dreams together, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work on this project,” he said.
The Queens-Fontana duo released Magic, their third joint effort, before Christmas last year, containing nine cuts and some help from DJ Premier and A$AP Rocky for the standout track “Wave Gods.” On Monday, the Queens-Fontana duo revealed another video from the upcoming set titled “Ugly,” which is also produced by Corbett, and depicts both everyday people and celebrities who engage in violence in our neighborhoods:
This video for “Ugly” is provided by AWGE, and features Nas and Hit-Boy riding around in a limo with some ladies. As the video moves through the song’s journey, fast moving shots appear that help to put the lyrics to life, from images of active military to more abstract ones such as a room filled with faceless people.
A few years ago, Nas and Hit-Boy released King’s Disease, their first official full-length offering that featured 13 songs featuring Hit-Boy, Charlie Wilson, Big Sean, Lil Durk, A$AP Ferg, Anderson .Paak, Fivio Foreign, Brucie B, Don Toliver, and The Firm, which saw Nas return alongside AZ, Cormega, Foxy Brown, and Dr. Dre. King’s Disease had a tremendous impact, winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album for the duo. As well as Magic, 2021 was also marked by the release of an official sequel to King’s Disease, which featured contributions from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, EPMD, YG, Eminem, and more.
Lil TD Baby better known as “TD” is a new Hip-Hop/R&B artist from the “Boogie Down” Ville of New Brunswick New Jersey. He’s planning to release a highly anticipated single titled “Move It Groove It” on August 8th on every streaming platform, along with a music video! Nice vibe and hook, you can dance all day to the track and everything. This song is really dope. You can hear his crisp vocals and change of tones, he’s really a young talented artist. You will love his energy on this track and all of his other ones! You guys are in for something special in 2021 with Lil TD Baby, he has a lot of songs in the works and ready to be released. He hasn’t released a song since May 2020 titled “Mama” which is a nice smooth song for whoever lost a loved one, he made that for his mom. He was featured on Hot.97 w/ Miabelle a host on the radio station. He won multiple showcases in New York. His best single to date is “Real Nasty”. The song was released in July 2019 with over 20,000 streams! Not a huge number but something to gain from because it’s hard to even get 100 streams on a song. You can follow him on all social platforms @liltd_baby. Move It Groove It August 8th!
Certain people really inspire my soul and enable me to strive harder for the things I want most out of life. On a cool, brisk Thursday night in Miami, I’m standing on the balcony of my Trésor Ocean View Junior Suite with Lil’ Kim’s “Slippin” track blaring through my SMS Audio wireless speakers. As I transcribe her lyrics in my mind, I gently nod and cosign the truth within the context of her pinpoint delivery. Trust is the most dangerous and valuable commodity in the world. Kimberly Jones has never had a problem speaking the truth and dealing with the aftermath. Before the Grammys, platinum plaques, diva/icon status, Kimberly Denise Jones was expelled from home and running the heartless streets of Brooklyn.
Jones was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the second child of Linwood Jones and Ruby Jones (now Ruby Jones-Mitchell). She has one older brother named Christopher.
As a child, Jones attended Queen of All Saints Elementary School in Brooklyn. At the age of nine, her parents separated, and Jones was raised by her father, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship.
After being kicked out of her house by her dad, Jones dropped out of high school and alternated between crashing with friends and living on the street.
I changed the track selection to “Quiet” from her Naked Truth album. The beat is pulsating throughout my suite, and I can visualize Lil’ Kim staring into the eyes of her judge without blinking. No fear. Straight Brooklyn! In the early stages of her life, Kim would freestyle with ease and fantasize about having her moment.
I change the track selection again to the song “Durty” and Lil’ Kim starts off saying:
Lil’ Kim stay hot pull up with my nigga in the 80-foot yacht man this hatin’ don’t stop
Real recognize real you studio gangstas kill me
I know my vet’s in the game got to feel me
‘Cause from the gate I brrrr-raaa down the door
Like Eddy Murphy, I gave it to you raw
Two-piece bikini, Fendi mink draggin’ on the floor
Kim been the first lady since I dropped Hard Core
A lot of these hoes livin’ vicariously through me
‘Stead a doin’ them, they’d rather do me
Watchin’ them is like a Broadway play
Sittin’ next to the Queen is the closest they’ll ever get to Brooklyn
Why y’all frontin’ you know who the best be?
I’m the reason why the game so sexy
The originator, the trend creator
Bitch, you dun know you haffa respect me
I’m so lit right now from that intro verse! How can you not treasure the words and unapologetic flow of the real Queen Bee? Purely undeniable.
Jones attended Sarah J. Hale Vocational High School for two and a half years. Many of her friends also went there, and she would often skip school to hang out with them.
Since her schoolwork wasn’t being completed, the decision was made to transfer to Brooklyn College Academy to finish her remaining year and a half of school. It was the same school that fellow rappers Nas and Foxy Brown also attended.
While struggling through her personal life, Jones met The Notorious B.I.G. (real name Christopher Wallace), a key figure in both her personal and artistic life, mainly once Wallace had gained popularity and influence relationship with Bad Boy Records.
In 1994, B.I.G. was instrumental in introducing and promoting the Brooklyn-based group Junior M.A.F.I.A., which included Jones, who was only nineteen. The group’s first and only album, Conspiracy, was released on August 29, 1995, and debuted at number eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release. Three hit singles came from Conspiracy: “Player’s Anthem” (peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 2 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart), “I Need You Tonight” (No. 43 R&B, No. 12 Rap), and “Get Money” (No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 4 R&B, No. 2 Rap). The R.I.A.A. certified Conspiracy gold on December 6, 1995. “Player’s Anthem” and “Get Money” were certified gold and platinum easily.
In the middle of the wolf pack, Lil’ Kim was still the lone wolf, and the world was now taking notice of her gift. After a year with Junior M.A.F.I.A., Jones began a solo career by making guest performances on R&B albums and recording her debut album, Hard Core, released in November 1996. The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, the highest debut for a female rap album at that time, and No. 3 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums, selling 78,000 copies in its first week of release.
Hard Core was certified double platinum by the R.I.A.A. on March 14, 2001, after being certified gold on January 6, 1997, and platinum on June 3, 1997. The album’s lead single, “No Time,” a duet with Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart and was certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
The next single, “Crush on You,” reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the rap chart. A remix of the album’s track “Not Tonight” saw Jones team up with Missy Elliott, Angie Martinez, Da Brat, and Left Eye of T.L.C. The song was part of the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence movie Nothing to Lose, nominated for a Grammy Award, and certified platinum. Lil’ Kim is the definition of self-made. On June 27, 2000, she released her second album The Notorious K.I.M. The album marked a new image and revamped look for the rapper.
It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, selling 229,000 copies in its first week. It was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. four weeks after its release. Kimberly Jones survived the sophomore jinx, and her success continued to exceed all public expectations. In 2001, she teamed up with Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Mýa to remake “Lady Marmalade,” which was initially written about a bordello in New Orleans and performed by the group Labelle (which included diva Patti LaBelle) twenty-five years earlier.
The song was recorded for the Moulin Rouge! film soundtrack, released in April 2001, and stayed No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. The song also went to No. 1 in fifty countries around the world.
This was a significant accomplishment for female rap and Jones, who scored her first No. 1 Hot 100 hit and became the second solo female rapper in history to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. “Lady Marmalade” also garnered Jones her first Grammy Award.
Caliente, blazing, and scorching are just a few adjectives that detail the level of demand and attention Lil’ Kim garnered during the early 2000s. She created an entirely new path for today’s MCs, both female and male, to follow: the freedom of expression in sex and music. Lil’ Kim never allowed anyone or anything to control her visual presentation or audio message to the world. She forced the hand of millions during the Grammys to accept her now-infamous purple pasty, diva/icon Diana Ross issued a physical cosign at that moment on stage.
Givenchy, Versace, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and more have acknowledged the feisty, fearless, and sexy Brooklynite as the Queen of Hip Hop Fashion Culture.
The sheer influence of her persona is as infectious as the melody in the Dr. Dre track “Nuthin But a G Thang.” Lil’ Kim forced mainstream America to realize that black women can be portrayed as sexy, be sexual role models, run an empire, and not be labeled as shameless or a “hoe.”
I change the track selection for the last time to “Last Day.” An emotional, prophetic, and lyrical masterpiece. Legendary epic rhymes read like this:
Besides God, what the fuck should I fear?
The only one could stop me is that chick in the mirror
I built my career on blood, sweat and tears
And I’m still here, gettin’ stronger each year
‘Cause what don’t kill me could only help build me
I guess all that dirt just made me more filthy
If being loyal’s a crime, then I’m so guilty
If you was missin’ a spine you’d still have to feel me
Some came and went but your girl is everlasting
‘Til the day I’m gasping
And niggaz droppin’ tears on my Versace casket
And I’m reunited with Big like, “Nigga, what happened?”
Shit, got drastic, I missed you with a passion
By now they should realize, I’m not the average rap chick
Ain’t nuttin’ they could do now to stop my shine
This is God’s plan, homey, it ain’t mine
When it’s my last day, then it’s my last day
But until that day you can’t take away
How they scream my name, how I pimp this game
Critically acclaimed until my last day
Kimberly Denise Jones is pop and hip-hop royalty in every aspect. The “GHOST” of Notorious B.I.G. she is and will always be. Even during her twelve-month incarceration, her rainbow of influence beamed through the walls of the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, and even the Brooklyn Bridge smiled at one point. Her infamous G status is certified in every borough in N.Y.C. and the streets are always on standby if anyone wants to rumble with the Bee!
I named this article “The Endless Royal Reign of Lil’ Kim” because on June 9, 2014, at 9:58 a.m., she gave birth to Royal Reign, and the dynasty continues. With her legacy and star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame impending, the birth of Royal Reign ensures the next generation will forever know and understand the Naked Truth of Kimberly Denise Jones.
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