Rap Royalty: Leelanau Sands to Welcome Lil’ Kim
By Kristi Kates
Perhaps one of the most famous Lil’ Kim quotes to date is this one: “I
like to be daring and I like to be different. You think anyone out here
looks like me? It’s pretty different, right?”
Different is definitely an understatement. Not since Madonna’s heyday, and
with the exception of perhaps Lady Gaga, no current female performer
generates as much visual controversy as the petite rapper/singer/actress.
Relying on an ever-rotating, often questionable wardrobe and over 800
wigs, the 4’11 Kim, aka “Queen Bee,” constantly changes her look and
continues to evolve her sound, working with everyone from the late
Notorious B.I.G. to the trio of Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Pink, with
whom she crafted a dance-club remake of Patti LaBelle’s disco tune “Lady
Marmalade” (2001.)
DRAMA QUEEN
But just when you think you’ve got her hip-hop persona figured out, Kim
Jones takes yet another turn - or several.
Also in 2001, she appeared in the movie Zoolander - as herself - and then
took her acting experience to another level with subsequent roles in
Juwanna Mann, Nora’s Hail Salon, and You Got Served.
In 2005, during her much-publicized 10-month stint in jail (for allegedly
lying to a Federal Grand Jury about the crime of two of her friends), she
released her fourth album, The Naked Truth.
And in 2009’s biopic Notorious, she portrayed herself yet again, as the
movie showcased the life of Lil’ Kim’s long-time mentor (and rumored
boyfriend) Biggie “B.I.G.” Smalls.
So from hip-hop music to movies - not that big of a leap, right? Well,
this next career move might just throw you.
DANCING QUEEN
Last year, Lil’ Kim showed up, not at a recording studio, not at a movie
set, not at a hip-hop club... but on season 8 of the mainstream TV dance
competition show Dancing with the Stars.
Paired with former Latin American Dance world champion Derek Hough, Kim
did the Cha-Cha, the Quickstep, the Samba, the Argentine Tango, the Waltz,
the Rumba, and the Paso Doble before being eliminated. At her elimination,
she called her time on Dancing... “one of the greatest experiences I’ve
ever experienced in my life.”
Let no one ever accuse the quotable Lil’ Kim of being boring.
Now, she’s taking her hip-hop hits to the road, with live dates taking
place throughout the month of June, including stops in Vermont, New York
City, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Phoenix, Arizona.
And on Wednesday, June 9, she’ll be making an appearance at the Leelanau
Sands Casino, where her age-limited (18 and over only) show is sure to
draw plenty of hip-hop fans. Which wig will she wear? Which rhymes will
she rap? With Lil’ Kim, you can never quite be sure just what she’ll do
next - and that’s part of what makes her Lil’ Kim.
Lil’ Kim will appear in concert at the Leelanau Sands Casino in
Peshawbestown on June 9; doors open at 8:45 p.m., show starts at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now for $20 at Leelanau Sands/Turtle Creek and all
Michigan Meijer locations; for more info, visit www.starticketsplus.com
and
www.casino2win.com.
By Kristi Kates
Perhaps one of the most famous Lil’ Kim quotes to date is this one: “I
like to be daring and I like to be different. You think anyone out here
looks like me? It’s pretty different, right?”
Different is definitely an understatement. Not since Madonna’s heyday, and
with the exception of perhaps Lady Gaga, no current female performer
generates as much visual controversy as the petite rapper/singer/actress.
Relying on an ever-rotating, often questionable wardrobe and over 800
wigs, the 4’11 Kim, aka “Queen Bee,” constantly changes her look and
continues to evolve her sound, working with everyone from the late
Notorious B.I.G. to the trio of Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Pink, with
whom she crafted a dance-club remake of Patti LaBelle’s disco tune “Lady
Marmalade” (2001.)
DRAMA QUEEN
But just when you think you’ve got her hip-hop persona figured out, Kim
Jones takes yet another turn - or several.
Also in 2001, she appeared in the movie Zoolander - as herself - and then
took her acting experience to another level with subsequent roles in
Juwanna Mann, Nora’s Hail Salon, and You Got Served.
In 2005, during her much-publicized 10-month stint in jail (for allegedly
lying to a Federal Grand Jury about the crime of two of her friends), she
released her fourth album, The Naked Truth.
And in 2009’s biopic Notorious, she portrayed herself yet again, as the
movie showcased the life of Lil’ Kim’s long-time mentor (and rumored
boyfriend) Biggie “B.I.G.” Smalls.
So from hip-hop music to movies - not that big of a leap, right? Well,
this next career move might just throw you.
DANCING QUEEN
Last year, Lil’ Kim showed up, not at a recording studio, not at a movie
set, not at a hip-hop club... but on season 8 of the mainstream TV dance
competition show Dancing with the Stars.
Paired with former Latin American Dance world champion Derek Hough, Kim
did the Cha-Cha, the Quickstep, the Samba, the Argentine Tango, the Waltz,
the Rumba, and the Paso Doble before being eliminated. At her elimination,
she called her time on Dancing... “one of the greatest experiences I’ve
ever experienced in my life.”
Let no one ever accuse the quotable Lil’ Kim of being boring.
Now, she’s taking her hip-hop hits to the road, with live dates taking
place throughout the month of June, including stops in Vermont, New York
City, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Phoenix, Arizona.
And on Wednesday, June 9, she’ll be making an appearance at the Leelanau
Sands Casino, where her age-limited (18 and over only) show is sure to
draw plenty of hip-hop fans. Which wig will she wear? Which rhymes will
she rap? With Lil’ Kim, you can never quite be sure just what she’ll do
next - and that’s part of what makes her Lil’ Kim.
Lil’ Kim will appear in concert at the Leelanau Sands Casino in
Peshawbestown on June 9; doors open at 8:45 p.m., show starts at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now for $20 at Leelanau Sands/Turtle Creek and all
Michigan Meijer locations; for more info, visit www.starticketsplus.com
and
www.casino2win.com.
