Throwback: Happy 52nd Birthday, Lil’ Kim!

I know I can’t speak for everyone but 2026 has been a very odd and very disappointing year so far. But we’ve survived to July. And that means we have five months left for the year. May the rest of 2026 get better for me — and if you’ve been struggling with things this year, may it get better for you, too. But even in struggle, there’s music, friends and community that can sustain us. 

Of course, July is a busy month of music birthdays. So, as always, let’s celebrate our legends and favorites, eh? 

• Missy Elliott, celebrates her 55th birthday on July 1
• Evelyn “Champagne” King celebrates her 66th birthday on July 1
• The B-52s Fred Schneider celebrates his 75th birthday on July 1
• The iconic Debbie Harry celebrated her 81st birthday on July 1
• Syl Johnson, who wrote some of the most moving, most lived-in songs full of novelistic attention to details was born 90 years ago on July 1
• Legendary bluesman, James Cotton was born 91 years ago on July 1 
• One of the most important figures of the blues, Chicago blues especially, Willie Dixon was born 111 years ago on July 1
• Depeche Mode‘s Yaz’s/Yazoo’s and Erasure‘s Vince Clarke celebrated his 65th birthday on July 1
• The great jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith was born 84 years ago on July 3
• Bill Withers was born on 88 years ago on July 4 
• Huey Lewis and The News‘ frontman Huey Lewis celebrated his 76th birthday on July 5
• Wu-Tang mastermind and acclaimed producer The RZA celebrated his 57th birthday on July 5
• Wu-Tang‘s and Czarface‘s Inspectah Deck celebrated his 56th birthday on July 6
• 50 Cent celebrated his 51st birthday on July 6
• The Beatles‘ Ringo Starr celebrated his 86th birthday on July 7
• Depeche Mode co-founder Andy “Fletch” Fletcher was born 65 years ago on July 8
• Beck, one of the most forward-thinking, boundary pushing artists of the past generation — if not more — celebrated his 56th birthday on July 8
• AC/DC‘s first frontman, Bon Scott was born 80 years ago on July 9
• Simple Minds‘ founder and frontman Jim Kerr celebrated his 67th birthday on July 9
• Pet Shop Boys‘ frontman Neil Tennant celebrated his 72nd birthday on July 10
• The legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples celebrated her 86th birthday on July 10 
• Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy celebrates his 69th birthday today

Lil’ Kim celebrates her 52nd birthday today. She’s one of the most commercially successful female rappers ever: Her full-length debut, 1996’s Hard Corehad the highest chart debut in the US for a female rapper/rap album at the time, as a result of its three biggest singles “No Time,” “Not Tonight (Ladies Night)” and “Crush on You.” Since its release, the album has sold more than six million copies globally — with the album being certified double platinum in March 2001.

2000’s The Notorious K.I.M. and 2003’s La Bella Mafia were also certified platinum. 

Of course, the remake of LaBelle’s 1974 classic single “Lady Marmalade” with Christina Aguilera, Mýa and Pink landed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — and the track won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. And “Magic Stick” with 50 Cent landed at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

But most importantly, that woman can spit fire. 

Happy birthday, Kim! May there be many, many more!

____

The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 16 year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have. 

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