11th October, 2019
By Funmilola Olukomaiya
Rap icon, Lil Kim is back!
Fourteen years after her last studio album, 2005’s “The Naked Truth” — Queen Bee comes stinging back with the “9,” album.
Kim’s comeback LP was originally scheduled to drop in May but was pushed back by her label eOne Music. The nine-track project features collaborations with Rick Ross, City Girls, O.T. Genasis, Rich The Kid and Musiq Soulchild.
Speaking with New York Post, 44-year-old Kim said, “I had no idea it would take this long, but it did. I’ve had so many ups and down and bumps and bruises, some things I couldn’t get around … It’s all about timing. I’m very spiritual, so I feel like God does everything in timing. And this was God’s timing.”
The new album — which, natch, has nine tracks — is only Part 1 of Lil’ Kim’s latest musical jumpoff, with Part 2 due early next year. “I have so many songs,” she says. “I probably recorded anywhere between 30 and 40 [tracks].”
“Pray for Me,” featuring Rick Ross and Musiq Soulchild, kicks off “9” on an unusually soulful, spiritual note. “It was almost like, ‘Pray for me, ’cause I’m ’bout to go in and really get this money now,’ ” says the rapper born Kimberly Jones, sounding as boastfully badass as ever.
Check out Kim’s 9 stream and tracklist below.