It’s been almost 6 years since Biggie’s death, yet for Kim, he’s as relevant as Fendi and Bvlgari. Just check her lyrics, album titles (Notorious K.I.M.) and nicknames (Mrs. Frank White). Her intro includes an interview of BIG speaking about his female protégé, plus he’s billed as one of the executive producers of the album. Kim’s story is the stuff of legends. People often compare her to fierce history-making females (“the Mae West of rap”) and sexy cartoon characters (“thugged-out Betty Boop delivery”). And she plays her part by shouting out thug misses like Victoria Gotti.
It’s Thursday, February 13 at SIR Studios in midtown Manhattan. Atlantic Records is previewing Queen Bee’s La Bella Mafia. You’ve probably heard the Timbaland-produced single “The Jump Off” featuring Mr. Cheeks. And the Styles P collabo “Get In Touch With Us” also sounds familiar. But the rest is as fresh as Kim’s protégé Lil’ Shanice’s face. (Shanice is featured on “Shake Ya Bum Bum.”) She’s got hot duets—50 Cent, Missy Elliott—hot production from Havoc, Swizz Beatz, Kanye West and Scott Storch and hot lyrics. Especially when it comes to boasting about her full-bodied skills. “It’s enough I have to put up with this Doo Doo Brown chick,” Kim raps, going at her rival Foxy. On one of skits, a man calls into her radio show to offer her lyrics he wrote for her, and after screaming on him that she writes her own lyrics, she replies, “Send them to Foxy.”
