On Monday (July 31), Lil Kim took to her twitter to reveal that she has an autobiography almost ready for publishing, titled The Queen Bee. The memoir is written by the “Crush On You” rapper with assistance from Kathy Iandoli, and forworded by her “bestie/soulmate” and famed designer, Marc Jacobs.
“It’s been a long journey beehive, edits are finally done,” she tweeted with a photo of a manuscript. “Thank you to my bestie/soulmate @themarcjacobs for doing my [forword].”
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Iandoli also took to her Twitter to share her gratitude and appreciation for working with Kim and Jacobs. The journalist shared that the opportunity was a full-circle moment.
“My first big writing check I ever earned, I used to buy my first Marc Jacobs bag because Lil’ Kim was his BFF so I needed to have one,” she recalled. “Now I’m here working with Marc Jacobs on the Foreword to Lil’ Kim’s memoir, that I helped her write.”
“Don’t ever deny the power of manifesting.”
“I think my greatest takeaway from working with Marc Jacobs on the Foreword and Lil’ Kim on her book where she discusses Marc at length is just how loving of a friendship they truly have,” Iandoli exclusively told VIBE. “In this industry—and I mean both music AND fashion—it’s really so rare to see two people who genuinely love and respect each other. It meant a lot to hear that love come out from both sides and know it was very much a mutual adoration.”
Iandoli has written for many music publications including VIBE, XXL, The Source, and more. She’s also helped bring Hip-Hop novels to life including Commissary Kitchen: My Infamous Prison Cookbook with the late Prodigy, God Save The Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop, and Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah — a biography about the late singer’s career and influence.
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Lil’ Kim’s The Queen Bee will be published by Hachette Books, and is described as a “true page-turner” that is, “A fearless, inspiring, and refreshingly candid memoir by the Grammy-award winning rapper, multi-platinum recording artist, and cultural icon Lil’ Kim.”
The memoir will cover the onset of the Queen Bee’s music career in the mid-’90s to all of her success afterwards. From being the sole female member of the Notorious B.I.G.’s Junior M.A.F.I.A., to her trailblazing solo career, The Queen Bee will leave no stones unturned. The novel will also detail her “dynamic lyricism, her unflappable no-nonsense attitude, her iconic looks both on and off the red carpet, and her unapologetic sexuality.”
Lil’ Kim attends the BET Awards 2021 at Microsoft Theater on June 27, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
“In this debut memoir, Lil’ Kim reveals everything that really went on behind-the-scenes of her legendary career, much of it for the very first time publicly. From her earliest rap beginnings growing up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and her teenage years spent with the Notorious B.I.G., to her rise as a solo icon, Lil’ Kim not only blazed trails for women in Hip-Hop, but also inspired the careers of those who followed,” Hachette Books states on their website.
“Lil’ Kim also talks about the hidden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison,” it continues.
The Queen Bee is available for pre-order now on all major book-selling sites, and officially releases on Sept. 23, 2025.
