Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
Lil Kim‘s fans are a step closer to getting the icon femcee’s forthcoming memoir, The Queen Bee.
The Grammy-winning rapper shared a photo of her manuscript on Instagram July 30. The booked and busy performer told her beloved beehive that the edits were “finally done” for her autobiography. She also shouted out her “bestie/soulmate,” fashion designer Marc Jacobs, for writing the body of work’s foreword.
Co-writer Kathy Iandoli expressed sentimentality on Twitter July 31 regarding her involvement in Kim’s memoir. The New York University professor and longtime hip-hip writer shared that her collaborative work with Kim and Marc manifested from her admiration for the rap queen, which started decades prior.
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Kathy recalled that she’d spent her “first big writing check” on a Marc Jacobs bag “because Lil Kim was his BFF.”
Noting how things had come full circle, she said, “Don’t ever deny the power of manifesting.”
Spanning her 25-year career, the book will shed insights into the many moments that shaped Kim into the woman she is — and the icon fans know her to be.
The 256-page memoir will highlight how she burst onto the rap scene as a teen in the ’90s and transitioned into her reign as Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s femme fatale. Following the success of her genre-defining debut solo album, Hard Core, the autobiography will also recall Kim’s hip-hip domination and revered spot as a high fashion muse.
Regarding her personal life, the book promises a raw discovery of the woman that is Kimberly Denise Jones. More than her awards, recognition and influence, readers will uncover the “hard work, hustle and heartbreak that went into securing her place on the throne.”
The autobiography’s publisher, Hachette Book Groups, describes The Queen Bee as “a fearless, inspiring, and refreshingly candid memoir.”
The book’s synopsis also noted that the memoir explored the rapper’s “legacy as a true feminist icon.”
“Lil’ Kim also talks about the hidden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison.”
“With her dynamic lyricism, her unflappable no-nonsense attitude, her iconic looks both on and off the red carpet, and her unapologetic sexuality, Lil’ Kim quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with—and was crowned the Original Queen Bee.”
Ahead of its September 2025 release, The Queen Bee is available for pre-order via all major book retailers.
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