Lil' Kim Net Worth

What Is Lil' Kim's Net Worth?

Lil' Kim is an American rapper, singer, and actress who has a net worth of $500 thousand. If you were expecting a higher net worth for Kim, the rapper has experienced some financial stress in recent years. She filed for personal bankruptcy in January 2018, at which point she reported having $2.57 million worth of assets and $4.08 million worth of liabilities. More details on her financial problems in the next section below.

Kimberly Denise Jones, known professionally as Lil' Kim, emerged as a groundbreaking female rapper in the mid-1990s as a protégé of The Notorious B.I.G. and member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. Her landmark 1996 solo debut "Hard Core" revolutionized female hip-hop with its unapologetic sexuality, distinctive flow, and bold persona, earning double platinum certification and establishing her as hip-hop royalty.

Throughout her career, Lil' Kim has released albums including "The Notorious K.I.M.," "La Bella Mafia," and "The Naked Truth," which she recorded while serving a perjury sentence. Her 2001 collaboration with Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Mýa on "Lady Marmarlade" earned her a Grammy Award and topped charts worldwide.

Beyond music, Kim has influenced fashion dramatically, challenging norms with provocative, high-fashion looks that inspired countless artists. Her impact on beauty standards for women in hip-hop remains profound, with her colorful wigs and designer outfits becoming signature elements of her brand.

Despite legal troubles and industry challenges, Lil' Kim has maintained cultural relevance through reality television appearances, including "Dancing with the Stars" and "Girls Cruise," independent music releases, and high-profile collaborations. Her fearless approach to sexuality, lyricism, and self-presentation created a template for female rappers that continues to influence contemporary artists like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion, cementing her legacy as a pioneer who redefined possibilities for women in hip-hop.

Bankruptcy

In June 2018, Lil' Kim filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey, citing $4 million in liabilities and just $2.5 million in assets. According to the court filing, she had recently lost her 6,000-square-foot gated mansion in Alpine, New Jersey—originally purchased for $2.3 million in 2002 and later valued at $3 million—to foreclosure. She reportedly owed $1.47 million to the IRS in back taxes and an additional $376,000 to the state of New Jersey, as well as $667,000 in missed mortgage payments. Her monthly income had dropped from $823,000 in 2016 to $398,000 in 2017, with filings showing an average monthly income of about $18,000. At the time, she listed a selection of her monthly expenses and assets:

Monthly Expenses:

• $6,610 on her mortgage
• $10,000 on travel and entertainment
• $2,200 on wardrobe
• $2,300 on staff

Reported Assets:

• 2005 Bentley valued at $52,600
• 2000 Mercedes worth $4,200
• Jewelry worth $25,000
• $2,500 in available cash

She initially offered to pay a creditor $5,500 per month for five years, but the bankruptcy trustee rejected the plan.

In August 2018, she narrowly avoided foreclosure by agreeing to pay over $32,000 to bring her mortgage current, plus $10,000 in monthly payments going forward. By June 2019, she requested the dismissal of her bankruptcy case, stating that she had secured a loan modification and reorganized her finances. The court granted her request. In a positive development, reports in April 2023 revealed that Lil' Kim had settled her tax debts, paying off approximately $1.4 million to the IRS, effectively removing the federal liens on her assets.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Early Life

Lil' Kim was born Kimberly Denise Jones on July 11, 1974, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. She has one older brother, Christopher.

When Kim was nine years old, her parents, Linwood and Ruby Jones, separated, and she was then raised by her father. They had a complicated relationship, and Kim was eventually kicked out of the house. She then dropped out of high school and started living on the streets.

This was when teenage Kim met Christopher Wallace—or The Notorious B.I.G. The rap legend became a key figure in her career and they also had a romantic relationship. In 1994, at the age of 19, Jones joined the Brooklyn-based group Junior M.A.F.I.A, which Biggie formed and promoted. It was at this time that she assumed the name Lil' Kim.

The group's first album, "Conspiracy," was released on August 29, 1995. It was met with mediocre reviews and moderate commercial success—debuting at #8 on the U.S. "Billboard" 200 chart and selling 69,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 6, 1995. "Conspiracy's" three hit singles were "Player's Anthem," "I Need You Tonight," and "Get Money."

Just one year after joining Junior M.A.F.I.A, Lil' Kim started pursuing a solo career. She began working on her debut album in late 1995.

Success

Lil' Kim's debut album, "Hard Core," was certified double platinum by the RIAA and has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide to date. The album also reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart and #11 on the "Billboard" 200 chart.

Her two subsequent releases—"The Notorious K.I.M." (2000) and "La Bella Mafia" (2003)—also went platinum. "The Notorious K.I.M." reached #1 on the U.S. R&B chart and #4 on the "Billboard" 200 chart, while "La Bella Mafia" reached #4 and #5 on those charts, respectively.

Her fourth studio album, "The Naked Truth," was released in 2005 while she was in federal prison. (She served a one-year prison sentence for lying to a jury about her friends' involvement in a shooting four years prior.) "The Naked Truth" reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart and #6 on the "Billboard" 200 chart. Lil' Kim's fifth album, "9," came out in 2019.

She was also a featured singer on the 2001 remake of "Lady Marmalade," along with fellow artists Mýa, Pink, and Christina Aguilera. As a single, the song sold over five million copies globally and is one of the highest-selling singles of all time.

Over the course of her career, Lil' Kim has won two "Billboard" Music Awards, a Grammy, three MTV VMAs, and two Soul Train Awards. To date, she has sold more than 15 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide as a solo artist.

As an actress, Lil' Kim has appeared in several films, including "She's All That" (1999), "Zoolander" (2001), "Juwanna Mann" (2002), "You Got Served" (2004), and "Superhero Movie" (2008).

In 2009, Lil' Kim was a contestant on the eighth season of the ABC reality television series "Dancing with the Stars." Her partner was Derek Hough, and the pair came in fifth place when they were eliminated from the dance competition on May 5, 2009. Since then, she has appeared in numerous documentaries and reality shows.

(Photo by Maury Phillips/Getty Images)

Personal Life

Lil' Kim had an on-again, off-again relationship with Christopher Wallace, or the Notorious B.I.G., up until his death in 1997.

During the recording of her debut album, she became pregnant with Wallace's child but ultimately decided to terminate the pregnancy. She revealed this years later, during a 1999 interview with The Source: "I already knew the kind of relationship that Biggie and I had, and I knew that [having a child] was something that couldn't take place…" In 2017, Lil' Kim admitted her relationship with Wallace was "very violent."

Lil' Kim dated accused gang leader Damion "World" Hardy from 2002 to 2003 and then dated record producer Scott Storch for two months in 2004. In 2007, Lil' Kim and singer/rapper Ray J briefly dated.

In February 2014, 39-year-old Lil' Kim announced that she was pregnant. She gave birth to her first child, Royal Reign, on June 9, 2014.

Who's Richer?

Lil'
Kim

Compare!

Missy
Elliott