Lil’ Kim net worth in 2024 has intrigued fans of the iconic rapper and actress. Known for her bold style and powerful lyrics, Lil’ Kim has made a big impact on the music industry. Over the years, she has released hit songs and albums that have earned her fame and success.
Let’s explore her earnings, sources of income, and the remarkable journey that has contributed to her financial success.
Lil’ Kim in Brief
| Full Name | Kimberly Denise Jones |
| Date of Birth | July 11, 1974 |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Rapper, Songwriter, Actress |
| Height | 4 ft 11 in (150 cm) |
| Partners | Scott Storch Jeremy Neil Tayy Brown |
| Children | Royal Reign |
| Net Worth | $500 Thousand |
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What is Lil’ Kim Net Worth?
Lil’ Kim is an American Rapper, Songwriter, and Actress with a net worth of $500 Thousand as of 2024. She is well-known for being a founding member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. and became a successful solo artist in the late 1990s.
Many people might expect her net worth to be higher, but she has faced financial struggles in recent years. In January 2018, she filed for personal bankruptcy. At that time, she had $2.57 million in assets and $4.08 million in debts.
On June 12, 2018, Lil’ Kim filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. She lost her $3 million mansion in New Jersey due to foreclosure. She owed $1.5 million in taxes and $667,000 in late mortgage payments. Her total debt was $4 million, and she had $2.5 million in assets. Some of her assets included a 2005 Bentley worth $50,000, a 2000 Mercedes worth $4,200, and jewelry worth $25,000.
Lil’ Kim earned $823,000 in 2016 and $398,000 in 2017. Her average monthly income was $18,000, but she spent a lot on expenses like $10,000 for travel, $6,600 for her mortgage, $2,200 on clothes, and $2,300 on staff.
Lil’ Kim’s Early Life
Jones was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood. She was the second child in her family, with an older brother named Christopher. Her father, Linwood Jones, was a former U.S. Marine. Jones went to Queen of All Saints Elementary School in Brooklyn. When she was nine, her parents split, and she was raised by her father. They had a difficult relationship. By the age of 14, Jones left home and lived on the streets, eventually dropping out of high school.
As a teenager, Jones met Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G. He was an important part of her personal life and music career, especially as he rose to fame with “Bad Boy Records.” Jones attended Sarah J. Hale Vocational High School but often skipped classes. Due to not completing her work, she transferred to Brooklyn College Academy to finish her last year and a half of high school.
Lil’ Kim’s Career
Early Career
In 1994, The Notorious B.I.G. helped the Brooklyn group Junior M.A.F.I.A. become known. One member was Lil’ Kim, who later became famous. Their first album, Conspiracy, came out on August 29, 1995. It got average reviews but sold well, reaching number eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and selling 69,000 copies in its first week. Lil’ Kim helped write many of the songs. The album had three popular singles: “Player’s Anthem,” “I Need You Tonight,” and “Get Money.” It was certified Gold by the RIAA in December 1995. The hits helped Lil’ Kim gain fame, leading her to work on her solo album, Hard Core.
Solo Success
In November 1996, Lil’ Kim released Hard Core, which debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200. This was the highest debut for a female rap album at that time. It sold 78,000 copies in its first week and went on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide. The album was certified double platinum in March 2001.
The first single, “No Time,” hit number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart and was certified Gold. The song “Crush on You” was also a hit, along with a remix of “Not Tonight.” In 1997, Lil’ Kim toured with P. Diddy, which helped her gain even more fans. During this time, she also started her label, Queen Bee Entertainment.
Fashion and Controversy
Lil’ Kim was not just a rapper; she also became a fashion icon. In 1999, she made headlines for her unique style, especially at the MTV Video Music Awards. An unexpected moment happened when Diana Ross touched her breast on stage, which drew a lot of media attention. Many saw this as a sign of Lil’ Kim’s boldness and unique fashion sense.
More Albums and Hits
On June 27, 2000, Lil’ Kim released her second album, The Notorious K.I.M. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, selling 229,000 copies in its first week. The album included “Lady Marmalade,” a collaboration with Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Mýa. The song became a major hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. Lil’ Kim won her first Grammy Award for this song, making her a significant figure in female rap.
La Bella Mafia
Lil’ Kim continued to work in music and other areas. In March 2003, she released her third album, La Bella Mafia, which sold 166,000 copies in its first week. The single “Magic Stick” featuring 50 Cent became a hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Lil’ Kim received several award nominations for her work.
Lil’ Kim’s journey from Junior M.A.F.I.A. to becoming a solo star shows her talent and hard work in the music industry. She broke barriers for women in rap and left a lasting impact on the genre.
The Naked Truth
Lil’ Kim released her fourth album, “The Naked Truth,” on September 27, 2005, while she was in prison. This album was a big deal because it got a 5-mic rating from The Source, making her the only female rapper to achieve this. The album started at number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold 109,000 copies in its first week. However, it didn’t sell as well as her previous albums and only reached gold certification from the RIAA.
The first single, “Lighters Up,” was a hit, staying at number one on BET’s 106 & Park for two weeks. It also did well on various charts, reaching the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. The second single, “Whoa,” came out on February 17, 2006, and reached number 22 on the airplay charts.
On March 9, 2006, BET aired “Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown,” a show filmed before her prison sentence. It became the highest-rated premiere in BET history, attracting 1.9 million viewers. In May 2006, Debbie Harry paid tribute to Lil’ Kim with the song “Dirty and Deep.”
In June 2006, Lil’ Kim released “Dance Remixes,” but it didn’t chart because she was still in prison. After her release, she presented an award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. She also appeared as a judge on reality shows in 2007 and 2008.
In January 2008, Lil’ Kim decided to leave Atlantic Records and work on her own. On June 3, 2008, she released her first mixtape, “Ms. G.O.A.T.” This mixtape received positive reviews and marked her return to the music scene.
Dancing with the Stars and New Music
In March 2009, Lil’ Kim was featured in the song “Girls” by Korean singer Seven. She also released the song “Download,” which peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Lil’ Kim joined the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars and was paired with Derek Hough. They finished in fifth place, and many fans were upset when she got eliminated.
On February 16, 2010, she collaborated with Ludacris on “Hey Ho.” Later, she went on a tour across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, her first since 2000.
On February 14, 2011, she released her second mixtape, “Black Friday,” but it did not get good reviews. She also performed at the ZarFest music festival in South Africa.
In June 2011, she hinted at working with G-Unit Records and released a single called “I Am Not the One” later that year. She also planned to release an EP, but it was not released.
Lil Kim Season
Lil’ Kim started making songs for her fifth album after a ban was lifted. On Valentine’s Day 2012, she shared “If You Love Me” to celebrate her fans. She also returned to the stage on BET’s Rip the Runway, her first performance in years.
In March 2012, Lil’ Kim explained to MTV that contract problems delayed her album. On March 23, 2012, a song called “Keys to the City,” featuring Young Jeezy, leaked online. She described it as a mix of her classic style and new sounds. Lil’ Kim began her Return of the Queen Tour on May 17, 2012, receiving positive reviews.
By 2013, she revealed her new album didn’t have a name yet, but a sweet first single was coming. On July 11, 2013, she released “Looks Like Money” for free on her birthday. Later that month, she announced her new mixtape, Hard Core 2K13, but its release was pushed back. To make up for it, she shared new singles like “Dead Gal Walking” and “Kimmy Blanco.”
In August 2014, she announced a concert tour for her Hard Core Mixtape. On September 11, 2014, she released the mixtape for free. During an interview, she shared plans for future collaborations with Iggy Azalea and T.I. Lil’ Kim also talked about how her pregnancy affected the mixtape’s release.
Summer Sixteen
In 2016, she dropped her fourth mixtape, Lil Kim Season, where she rapped over popular beats like Drake’s “Summer Sixteen” and Rihanna‘s “Work.” Critics had mixed feelings about it, but it showed she was ready to come back strong.
From 2017 onward, Lil’ Kim announced she was working on a new album. She featured on songs with Faith Evans and Missy Elliott. On July 11, 2018, she released “Nasty One,” although it didn’t make it to the final album.
In February 2019, she revealed that her new album would be called 9. The album was supposed to come out on May 17, 2019, but faced delays. Finally, it became available for pre-order on October 4, 2019, with its official release on October 11, 2019. Although it made some charts, it didn’t perform as well as expected.
Lil’ Kim hinted that her album would have two parts, and she was excited to collaborate with stars like Missy Elliott and Paris Hilton for the follow-up. Through ups and downs, Lil’ Kim has shown her passion for music and creativity.
Lil’ Kim’s Personal Life
Lil’ Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, has had a complicated love life and faced many challenges. In her teens, she dated Shawn Powell, whom she met at the Empire Roller Skating rink in Brooklyn. Powell was arrested for robbery and sent to prison for eight and a half years. Despite this, Jones continued to visit him, and they even got engaged while he was behind bars.
During this time, Jones met Christopher Wallace, better known as “The Notorious B.I.G.” She focused on her music career and ended her engagement with Powell. In 1996, while working on her first album, she became pregnant with Wallace’s child but chose to end the pregnancy, saying, “I already knew the kind of relationship that Biggie and I had…”
Tragically, Wallace called Jones just days before he was killed, telling her he loved her. However, their relationship was very troubled, with Jones later revealing in interviews that he had been abusive towards her.
Jones faced legal troubles too. In 1996, she was arrested for having marijuana at Wallace’s home. A warrant was issued for her arrest in 1999, but the police didn’t prioritize it. She later cleared her name when her bail was paid.
In 2002, Jones began dating Damion “World” Hardy. They broke up in 2003, and she reported being physically abused, which resulted in her having several nose surgeries.
On June 20, 2003, Jones lost $250,000 worth of jewelry at the airport. Thankfully, the jewelry was found ten days later.
In 2004, she dated record producer Scott Storch but they broke up after two months. In 2013, he said he would have married her if things had worked out.
On March 17, 2005, Lil’ Kim was convicted for lying to a grand jury about a shooting involving her friends. She was sentenced to one year in prison, serving it all at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. She was released in July 2006.
On June 9, 2014, Jones became a mother when she gave birth to her daughter, Royal Reign. Royal has started modeling and even walked the runway at New York Fashion Week in 2023.
Jones had a relationship with Royal’s father, Jeremy Neil, also known as Mr. Papers, from 2012 to 2014 and then again in 2020. They have never been legally married, and their relationship has had its ups and downs, with both claiming the other was abusive.
As of April 2024, Lil’ Kim is dating Tayy Brown, a rapper signed to her label. Through it all, Jones identifies as a Christian, showing strength in her personal beliefs despite the challenges she has faced.
Lil’ Kim’s Awards
Lil’ Kim is a famous rapper known for her big impact on hip-hop music. She has won many awards during her career. Her first album, “Hard Core,” went double platinum and is considered a classic in hip-hop.
By 2007, Lil’ Kim had sold over 15 million albums around the world. Some of her popular songs include “No Time,” “Big Momma Thang,” and “Ladies Night.” These songs were ranked on Complex Magazine’s list of the best rap songs by women, landing at numbers 24, 13, and 7, respectively.
One of her biggest hits is “Lady Marmalade,” where she collaborated with Christina Aguilera, Mýa, and Pink. This song sold over 5.1 million copies and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It even won a Grammy Award in 2002 for “Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.”
Lil’ Kim has received many honors. In 2003, Kool Moe Dee ranked her among the top 50 greatest MCs of all time. In 2012, VH1 included her in their list of the “100 Greatest Women In Music” at number 45. In 2014, Billboard named her one of the “31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop.”
In 2016, she received awards from VH1 and WEEN for her contributions to hip-hop. In June 2018, the New York City Council recognized her during African-American Music Appreciation Month. She also won the New York City Arts and Music Award and the Power Of Influence Award. In 2019, Lil’ Kim was honored with the I Am Hip Hop Award at the BET Hip Hop Awards.