Celebrities Then And Now: They Have Really Changed!
Lil Kim
| Famous For: ‘Hard Core’ Debut Album |
Networth: $18 Million |
| Currently Known For: Actress, Songwriter, Rapper, Model and Record Producer |
Famous Years: 1995 – Present |
| Birthdate: July 11, 1974 |
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Kimberly Denise Jones, was born on July 11, 1974. She was a rebellious child. Kim and her father fought a lot, so she eventually ran away from home. As a teenager she lived with boyfriends, friends, and, occasionally, on the streets. Once she met her mentor Christopher Wallace, (Notorious B.I.G/Biggie Smalls), her life was forever changed. She quickly began to clean up her life and it was Christopher who helped her develop a music career.
With Christopher’s help, she became the only female member of the short lived rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Their 1995 debut album Conspiracy debuted at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnered the hit singles “Player’s Anthem” (#13) and “Get Money” (#17). After the release, she appeared on many different records, which helped her realize that it was time to go solo. In 1996, she released her first solo album “Hard Core”. The album was a hit, debuting at # 11 on the pop charts. The first single from the album, “No Time” was a duet with Sean “Puffy” Combs, which became a #1 rap single and #20 on the pop charts. While she was becoming a star, she learned about some unsettling news. Notorious B.I.G. was murdered on March 9, 1997. Following the tragic death of her father-like-figure, she took a hiatus from recording her own music, but she still kept herself busy with other projects. Lil Kim was one of the performers of Puff Daddy’s 1998 “Bad Boy Tour”. She also built her own business with the launch of Queen Bee Records, and she was CEO of the company. “Notorious K.I.M.” was released in the summer of 2000 under the Queen Bee record label and debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.
She also dipped her toe in the movie world, by debuting in the 1999 film, “She’s All That” and playing a role in the 2002 film, “Juwanna Man”. In 2001, Lil Kim experienced her first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in a remake of the song “Lady Marmalade”, where she collaborated with Pink, Mya, and Christina Aguilera. The song was such a success; they were awarded a Grammy in 2002, for Best Pop Collaboration. On February 26, 2001, gunshots were fired outside the Hot 97 studio in Manhattan, after Lil’ Kim had been interviewed on the radio station. One man was shot and critically wounded. According to reports the shots were fired after an altercation between Kim’s entourage and a group associated with her rival, Foxy Brown. Kim told a grand jury at the trial that she had no knowledge about this situation. However, the radio station’s security photos linked her to both men. In March 2005, Kim was convicted of perjury and conspiracy for lying to a federal grand jury. On July 6, 2005, she was fined $50,000 and sentenced to a year in jail. Her album The Naked Truth released while she was still in prison in September 2005. She made it to No. 6 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart.
Upon her release in July 2006, Kim hired personal trainer Jonas Serrano to move in with her, so he could help her diet. She was asked to join Dancing with the Stars in 2009.During her dancing journey, she was able to shed 20 pounds. One of the most important parts of her weight loss journey was her strict diet. Balanced meals were delivered to her by Dancing with the Stars’ gourmet diet service of choice, Freshology.
She is now a big fan of healthy foods like veal Milanese, dried fruit, grilled yellowfin tuna, vegetables, whole grain couscous, and sweet chili glazed tofu, Kim’s eating habits mixed with Serrano’s training has helped her to keep off the weight and stay in shape. She had a beautiful baby girl in June 2014, and she still works hard as a rapper, while she is a dedicated mother.
