Lil Kim Then & Now: Celebrate The Rapper’s 48th Birthday With A Look At Her Evolution

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July 11, 2022 2:00PM EDT

Lil Kim has been a staple in the rap music industry for years, and in honor of her birthday on July 11, we’re looking back at how far she’s come since the early days of her career!

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Lil Kim: Then & Now

Lil Kim: Then & Now — Lil Kim is an American rapper who was born on July 11, 1974. Known as the Queen Bee of rap, she was just 20 years old when she was discovered by Notorious B.I.G in 1994. The two developed a personal and professional relationship before Biggie’s death in 1997. Kim quickly emerged as a well-known female rapper, and released her debut studio album in 1996.

She’s had a number of hits over the years, and has also been known for her out-there style choices. Whether it’s wearing barely any clothing on a red carpet, or rocking a super wacky look on the street, Kim has pretty much done it all. Considering she’s been in the industry for so long, she’s made a major transformation when it comes to her look over the years. There has been much talk about Kim’s changing looks, but she’s stayed tight-lipped about plastic surgery rumors.

Want to see how Kim’s evolved since her young years? Keep scrolling through the gallery to see pics of Kim then and now.

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Lil Kim & Left Eye In 1997

Lil Kim & Left Eye In 1997 — Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes and Lil’ Kim at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Kim wore a bejeweled bra top and matching skirt for her wild award show look.

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Lil Kim At 1999 VMAs

Lil Kim At 1999 VMAs — Lil Kim rocked one of her most iconic looks ever at the 1999 VMAs — the right side of her outfit was a sexy jumpsuit, while the left side was nothing but a nipple pastie. Many stars have imitated this look for costumes in the years since.

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Lil Kim At 2000 VMAs

Lil Kim At 2000 VMAs — Lil Kim blows a kiss to the cameras while attending the 2000 VMAs. She wore a sexy red bodysuit that featured cutouts, and a long jacket that matched.

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Lil Kim In NYC In 2003

Lil Kim In NYC In 2003 — Lil Kim stops by Fuse Radio Station in 2003. She looked too cute in her jeans and off-the-shoulder top, with her hair styled straight and slicked behind her ears.

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Lil Kim At 2005 VMAs

Lil Kim At 2005 VMAs — At the 2005 VMAs, Lil Kim covered up a bit more in a gorgeous, pink satin dress. The ensemble featured a plunging neckline and she paired the look with whie heels and big hoop earrings.

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Lil Kim At Viva Glam VI Campaign Dinner

Lil Kim At Viva Glam VI Campaign Dinner — Lil Kim attends the MAC Cosmetics ‘Viva Glam VI’ campaign dinner in 2006. She was joined by fellow celebrities Eve, Christina Aguilera, Dita Von teese and Lisa Marie Presley at the high-profile event.

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Lil Kim At BET Event In 2012

Lil Kim At BET Event In 2012 — Lil Kim returns to the stage for BET’s Rip the Runway event in Feb. 2012. She looked stunning in a black, sparkling jumpsuit with her hair piled on top of her head in an updo.

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Lil Kim At Hot 97 Summer Jam

Lil Kim At Hot 97 Summer Jam — Lil Kim rocks the stage at Hot 97 Summer Jam in New Jersey. She had a noticeably puffier face during the performance, during which she wore a black and gold ensemble.

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Lil Kim At 2013 VMAs

Lil Kim At 2013 VMAs — Lil Kim returns to the VMAs in 2013 for a fierce red carpet appearance. She wore a leather bodysuit with chunky gold belt, and her hair was a stunning shade of red on the carpet.

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Lil Kim At VH1 hHip Hop Honors

Lil Kim At VH1 hHip Hop Honors — Lil Kim attends the arrivals at VH1’s Hip Hop Honors at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in NYC. For the 2016 event, she wore a little black dress and thigh-high boots.

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Lil Kim At Tribeca Film Festival

Lil Kim At Tribeca Film Festival — Lil Kim performs during the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017. She attended an after-party, where she wore a majorly plunging bodysuit and a purple wig.

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Lil Kim At 2017 Movie Premiere

Lil Kim At 2017 Movie Premiere — Lil’ Kim arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Story” in June 2017. She wore a black and silver bodysuit, paired with a black skirt and her hair in a long, blonde wig.

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Lil Kim & Paris Hilton

Lil Kim & Paris Hilton — Paris Hilton and Lil Kim attend the Galore and Juicy Couture Ball during NYFW in 2017. The ladies looked fierce while posing for photos together as they hung out backstage.

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Lil Kim At 2017 Diamond Ball

Lil Kim At 2017 Diamond Ball — Lil Kim attends Rihanna’s 3rd Annual Clara Lionel Foundation Diamond Ball in Sept. 2017. She wore a sparkling silver mini dress and thigh high boots, with her blonde hair crimped and pushed to the side.

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Lil Kim At NYFW 2018

Lil Kim At NYFW 2018 — Lil Kim hits the catwalk during the VFiles show at New York Fashion Week in Sept. 2018. She wore a yellow mini dress and her hair was a yellow wig to match.

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Lil Kim At NYFW 2018

Lil Kim At NYFW 2018 — Lil Kim performs on the catwalk during The Blonds show at New York Fashion Weeki n 2019. She wore a gold jumpsuit, which featured a majorly plunging neckline, and platinum blonde wig.

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Lil Kim At 2019 VMAs

Lil Kim At 2019 VMAs — Lil Kim attends the 2019 Video Music Awards. She wore a little black dress adorned with purple feathered ensemble, and knee-high heels.

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Lil Kim At Pre-Grammy Party In 2020

Lil Kim At Pre-Grammy Party In 2020 — Lil Kim attends Clive Davis’ 2020 Pre-Grammy Gala in January 2020. She stunned in a white dress with thigh-high slit, paired with a feathered boa and bejeweled headpiece.

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Lil Kim At 2021 BET Awards

Lil Kim At 2021 BET Awards — Lil Kim hits the red carpet at the 2021 BET Awards on June 27. She wore tiny shorts and a long jacket, along with dramatic, strappy heels and tons of accessories for the event.

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Lil’ Kim At The Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday Gala

Lil’ Kim At The Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday Gala — Lil’ Kim glows in green at Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th birthday dinner at New York’s Guastavino’s restaurant on May 20, 2022. Her corset-like top and shimmering skirt were such a good look.

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Lil’ Kim Performs At The 2022 BET Awards

Lil’ Kim Performs At The 2022 BET Awards — Lil’ Kim performs a tribute to lifetime achievement award winner Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs at the BET Awards at LA’s Microsoft Theater on Jun. 26, 2022. She wore a cut-out jacket with sheer leggings and sparkling boots. Turquoise hair made the already edgy outfit pop even more.

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Lil’ Kim attends a Grammys afterparty

Lil’ Kim attends a Grammys afterparty — Lil’ Kim was seen arriving at Mr. Brainwash Art Museum in Beverly Hills for the Grammys after-party on February 6, 2023. She wore a sheer black jumpsuit that showed off her sexy curves.

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