Lil' Kim is da bomb, Hard Core, big score

How I love Lil' Kim, let me count the ways: I love her for being a strong black woman not afraid to speak her mind in a man's world; I love her for her daring looks from Versace-clad-semi-nude-sylph to pink-wigged-glam-trash-hoochiemama; I love her for her rampant sexuality and her willingness to express it; I love Lil' Kim for creating such a Big Character.

And she WORKS it with Hard Core. XXXX-theatre sex scene, 900-number dirty talk ("used to be scared of the d---, now I handle it, like a real b----"), girl-gang man-bashing, nothing is over the top for Lil' Kim, and all that with slammin' beats backing up her powerful voice. And that's why you have to love her. Homegirl is rough, raw, down and dirty, she's what we all want to be, well at least behind closed doors anyway. I wish I could be tuf enuf to roll up to some guy and tell him "I got a crush on you" or set someone straight, telling them "Baby, it's a big momma thang" like she can. She stands her own ground on cuts like "No time (for fake n-----s)" "Not tonight" and "We don't need it," here, Lil Kim is a strong, independent female who earned her props. Lil' Kim gives it to you straight and just in case you don't have it, she will set you straight.

On the down side, she works the wrong angle with "Spend a little doe," and "Scheamin" -- what happened to my strong, I can do it myself, leave-me-alone-if-you-can't-do-it-right black woman? There's no need to go gold-digging... But regardless, the other jams on this album and her overbearing personality overshadow these two slips.

All in all, Lil Kim is a cool character and a strong woman, I mean come on, anyone who kicked it with Puff Daddy and B.I.G. before they blew up and also rolls as a model on the side has got to be pretty fresh. She loses her image a little on a few jams, but it's her first effort, give homegirl a chance! I think every woman has something to gain from listening to this CD -- whether it be a few lines to drive that man wild or a few reasons to stand up to him -- Lil' Kim is worth a listen.