Lil’ Kim on Her Style: ‘I’ve Been a Trendsetter Since I Walked Into This Industry’

It’s been quite a while since Lil’ Kim was the Kim on every trendy girl’s inner mood board — but that’s not stopping her from noting that the fashion world is indebted to her. 

In a recent video interview posted by Revolt TV, Kim (real name: Kimberly Jones) — looking 100 percent unrecognizable thanks to years of plastic surgery — describes what being a “trendsetter” means to her. 

“I’ve been a trendsetter since I walked into this industry, and it’s a great thing to have people follow me and want to dress like me and want to be like me. That’s the rewarding thing of being in this industry, especially for me,” the rapper, who is currently performing on Diddy’s Bad Boy Reunion tour, explains to someone off-screen. 

Lil’ Kim at the BET Awards in 2003. (Photo: Getty Images)

She continued, “I haven’t had an album out in years, I haven’t had a single out in years, and you can catch me trending at any moment. …A lot of my fans, they dress the way they dress because of me.”

It is true that many styles associated with the ‘90s and early aughts — i.e, Lil’ Kim’s heyday — are now considered cool again. But it sounds to me like Kim might be confusing the meaning of “trendy” with “trending.” Or maybe she’s just very specifically referring to that time two-and-a-half years ago when Miley Cyrus wore her purple 1999 VMAs outfit as a Halloween costume. 

In which case, yes. Yes to all of the things, Lil’ Kim.