So it comes as no surprise that Pink's new album, I'm Not Dead, laments the toll western culture is taking on her and the world. On the single "Stupid Girls," the singer weighs in on the current state of young womanhood, serving up caustic lyrics about girls who, "travel in packs of two or three/with their itsy-bitsy doggies and their teeny-weeny tees . . .

"What happened to the dreams of a girl president?," Pink croons righteously, "she's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent . . .where, oh where, have the smart people gone?"

With its timely lyrics, "Stupid Girls" seems certain to click with fans who relate to Pink's struggle to remain genuine in an increasingly narcissistic world. "In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being sexy, feeling sexy, or dressing sexy," the singer writes on her website (www.pinkspage.com). "My point is only this — that 'SMART' and 'SEXY' are not oil and water. You don't need to dumb yourself down in order to be cute. You also don't have to have the latest $10,000 handbag to be cool."

"Stupid Girls" is one of the many highlights featured on I'm Not Dead, an album Blender magazine enthusiastically described as "supercharged." Like its predecessors Can't Take Me Home (2000), Missundaztood (2001) and Try This (2003), the new disc offers a revealing glimpse inside the psyche of a true pop iconoclast, as evidenced by songs like "I Got Money Now," "Conversations With My 13 Year-Old Self," and the scathingly political "Dear Mr. President."

I'm Not Dead takes its esteemed place alongside Pink's previous albums, all certified platinum, yielding the hit singles "There You Go," "Most Girls" and "Don't Let Me Get Me," among others. In spring 2001, Pink joined forces with dance-pop wunderkind Christina Aguilera, rapper Lil' Kim and r&b singer Mya for a remake of the 1975 LaBelle hit, "Lady Marmalade." Co-produced by Missy Elliott and Rockwilder, the song rocketed to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, captured a Grammy and resulted in a tremendously popular video.

Pink made headlines recently when she married motocross/reality TV star Carey Hart. Fans can see her in Catacombs, the 2006 horror flick from the makers of the box-office smash, Saw.

With a blossoming professional career and a fairy-tale personal life, Pink seems to have it all. But the endearingly self-deprecating singer says appearances can be deceiving.

"To a certain extent I am proud of myself for keeping hold of my integrity and taking risks and not completely conforming," she writes on her website. "On the other hand, I am my own worst enemy, my own worst critic, and I am extremely hard on myself."]]> 2006-06-12T18:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234450 3 Doors Down, Adams, Yolanda, Anderson, Bill, Arnold, Brad, Berry, Chuck, Black Eyed Peas, Branch, Michelle, Brown, James, Bryant, Del, Diddley, Bo, Evanescence, Five For Fighting, Fountains of Wayne, Green, Al, Hayes, Isaac, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Kelly, R., Lennon, John, Lil Jon, Lil' Kim, Linkin Park, Little Richard, Los Lonely Boys, Lynn, Loretta, Mann, Barry, Maroon 5, McLachlan, Sarah, Morrison, Van, Nickelback, Parton, Dolly, Price, Sydney, Roberts, Matt, Santana, Carlos, Seal, Sham, Simon & Garfunkel, Simon, Paul, Stone, Joss, Townshend, Pete, Twain, Shania, Usher1, Weil, Cynthia, White Stripes, The, Wilshire, Wilson, Brian, Winans, Mario, Ying Yang Twins, Pop, Rock, Feature, BMI Pop Awards BMI announced its 53rd Annual BMI Pop Awards on May 17, with top honors given to 3 Doors Down's "Here Without You" as Song of the Year, Lil Jon as Songwriter of the Year, and EMI Music Publishing as Publisher of the Year.

Pop Awards Photo Slideshow

2005 BMI Pop Awards Song List

Paul Simon's BMI Awards List

2005 Lennon Scholarship Winners

Del Bryant, President & CEO, and Barbara Cane, Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, hosted the dinner event. The writers and publishers of the 50 most performed songs of the past year were recognized, plus the overall song, songwriter and publisher winners. A highlight of the gala, staged at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, was a tribute to songwriter/artist Paul Simon, who was named a BMI Icon.

3 Doors Down	Lil Jon

"Here Without You" won the title of BMI Pop Song of the Year, with songwriters Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson and Matt Roberts of the group 3 Doors Down accepting; this distinction is given to the song tallying the most feature broadcast performances during the eligibility period. Published by Escatawpa Songs and Songs of Universal, Inc. and included on 3 Doors Down's Republic/Universal CD Away From the Sun, "Here Without You" has already been certified as a BMI Million-Air (with two million broadcast performances) and was previously honored as BMI's 2004 Most Performed Song on College Radio. Lead singer Brad Arnold was also named Songwriter of the Year at the 2002 BMI Pop Awards.

Nickelback	Paul Simon

Lil Jon wrote four songs on the Most Performed List of 50 to collect the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year crown. The songs earning him the title were "Damn!" (YoungBloodZ featuring Lil Jon), "Freek-A-Leek" (Petey Pablo), "Get Low" (Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz featuring the Ying Yang Twins) and "Yeah!" (Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon).

Of the 88 songwriters who received 2005 BMI Pop Awards, two were triple winners: Chad Kroeger (SOCAN) of Nickelback and Sham. Other writer/artists earning awards included Michelle Branch, Five for Fighting, Linkin Park, Sarah McLachlan, Pete Townshend (PRS), Shania Twain, Maroon 5, Los Lonely Boys, R. Kelly, Seal (PRS), Lil' Kim, Evanescence, the White Stripes, Fountains of Wayne, Mario Winans and the Black Eyed Peas.

Paul Simon was saluted as a BMI Icon for his "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." In a career dating back to the 1950s, Paul Simon has established himself among the best and most popular songwriters of the rock era. His songs have bookmarked moments in the lives of millions, whether with words of love, longing, humor, politics or, above all, hope. He has incorporated the rhythms of his native New York with those from as far away as Brazil and South Africa.

For his efforts, he is a 12-time Grammy winner, a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee (as Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist), the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, an Oscar nominee, an Emmy Award winner, and the much-honored co-founder of the Children's Health Fund. His songwriting catalog has earned 39 BMI Awards -- including multiple citations for "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Mrs. Robinson," "Scarborough Fair" and "The Sound of Silence" -- and amassed nearly 75 million broadcast airplays, according to BMI surveys.

After a video tribute, the musical salute to Simon featured performances by 2004 Icon recipient Brian Wilson (who sang "The Sound of Silence"), British sensation Joss Stone ("Mother and Child Reunion"), Adam Levine and James Valentine of the Grammy-winning band Maroon 5 ("Homeward Bound") and soul gospel diva Yolanda Adams ("Bridge Over Troubled Water").

Simon enters the elite company of previously praised BMI Icons, including Bill Anderson, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Loretta Lynn, Carlos Santana, Dolly Parton, Al Green, Van Morrison and Brian Wilson.

EMI Music Publishing (EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc./EMI-Stone Agate Music), with 11 award songs, claimed the BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize, given to the publishing concern with the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. EMI's winning songs were "100 Years," "Bright Lights," "Damn!," "Freek-A-Leek," "Get Low," "Heaven," "I Don't Wanna Know," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Into You," "Unwell" and "Where Is the Love." EMI Chairman & CEO Martin Bandier accepted the crystal trophy.

Other publishers garnering three or more awards were Universal Music Publishing (Irving Music/Songs of Universal, Inc./Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.); Warner/Chappell Music Group (Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Rick's Music, Inc.); Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc./Loco De Amor Music/Zomba Songs Inc.; and White Rhino Music.

In addition to Song of the Year "Here Without You," BMI recognized the performance achievements of two other songs. "Someday" by Nickelback earned Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for songwriters Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, Ryan Peake and Ryan Vikedal of the group and publisher Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," the most performed composition in BMI's repertoire of 6.5 million musical works, was certified as a 10 Million-Air, meaning it has been broadcast 10 million times. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" was written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and published by ABKCO Music, Inc., Mother Bertha Music, Inc., and Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc.

Phil Spector	Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil

Another special presentation was the announcement of the First Place winner of the 2005 John Lennon Scholarship Awards. Sydney Price, a 17-year-old junior at Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts in

Evanescence

The White Stripes

Rock band Evanescence also topped this year's list, picking up five nominations including Best New Artist and Best Rock Album for their multi-platinum breakthrough release, Fallen. Other five-time nominees were rapper Eminem and the late Warren Zevon. Also receiving multiple nods were Willie Nelson, Jack White of The White Stripes (three with his band and one individual), and classical composer Jose Serebrier with four each and Christina Aguilera with three, including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her smash hit, "Beautiful."

Willie Nelson

Eminem

Warren Zevon

The 46th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2004, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on CBS from 8-11:30 p.m. on the East and West Coasts.

BMI's Grammy Nominees

SIX NOMINATIONS
Pharrell Williams

FIVE NOMINATIONS
Eminem
Evanescence
Chad Hugo
Warren Zevon

FOUR NOMINATIONS
Willie Nelson
José Serebrier
The White Stripes

THREE NOMINATIONS
Christina Aguilera
Jeff Bass
Michael Brecker
Chick Corea
Anthony Hamilton
Alison Krauss
Lil' Kim
Shania Twain

TWO NOMINATIONS
Audioslave
Black Eyed Peas
Jorge Calderón
Ry Cooder
Foo Fighters
Fountains of Wayne
Aretha Franklin
Rich Harrison
Heather Headley
Bishop T.D. Jakes
Toby Keith
R. Kelly
k.d. lang (SOCAN)
The Matrix
Martina McBride
Aaron Neville
Nickelback (SOCAN)
Pink
Neal Pogue
Earl Scruggs
Wayne Shorter
Snoop Dogg
Sting (PRS)
Union Station
Doc Watson
will.i.am
John Williams
Lucinda Williams

ONE NOMINATION
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Akwid
Allman Brothers Band
Audio Adrenaline
Marcia Ball
Luther Barnes & the Sunset Jubilaires
Buju Banton (PRS)
Mark Batson
Steve Berkowitz
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones
Carla Bley Big Band
Blind Boys of Alabama
Blue Highway
Michelle Branch
Randy Brecker
Brooks & Dunn
David Bowie (PRS)
Joe Budden
Jimmy Buffett
Martin Buttrich (GEMA)
Café Tacuba
Michel Camilo
Cam'Ron
Caribbean Jazz Project
Rosanne Cash
Stanley Clarke
Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater
The Crabb Family
The Crusaders
Sam Cooke
Adrian Cosentini
Diamond Rio
Ani DiFranco
Reggie Dozier
Jimmy Douglass
Eagles
Fred Ebb
Kurt Elling
Scotty Emerick
The Flaming Lips
Floetry
Bill Frisell
Kenny G
Vince Gill
Gorillaz (PRS)
Percy Gray, Jr.
Buddy Guy
Eddie Gonzalez
Jimmy Gonzalez y El Grupo Mazz
Pat Green
Stephan Haeri
William Hamilton
Roy Hargrove
Faith Hill
Dave Holland Quintet
Eric Idle (PRS)
India
Intocable
Jane's Addiction
Etta James
Keith Jarrett
Jars of Clay
Norah Jones
The Jordanaires
John Kander
Peter Kater
John P. Kee
Garrison Keillor
Kitaro (JASRAC)
Korn
Dave Koz
Nathaniel Kunkel
Patti LaBelle
Amel Larrieux
Glenn Lewis
Mark Levine
Linkin Park
The Light Crust Doughboys
Lonestar
Irving Lorenzo
Patty Loveless
Luis Miguel
Timo Maas (GEMA)
Marilyn Manson
Masters at Work
Donnie McClurkin
Del McCoury Band
Tim McGraw
Sarah McLachlan (SOCAN)
Jim McNeely
Joel McNeely
Pat Metheny
Bette Midler
Ismael Miranda
Molotov
Joel Moss
Newsboys
Bob Norberg
Les Nubians (SACEM)
The Oak Ridge Boys
Walter Ostanek (SOCAN)
Joe Pace
Dolly Parton
Nicholas Payton
Ray Price
Queens of the Stone Age
Eugene Record
Relient K
Don Rollins
Roomful of Blues
The Roots
Scott Rouse
David Sanborn
Pete Seeger
The Sensational Nightingales
Thomas Z. Shepard
Brian Setzer Orchestra
Sean Smith
Luciana Souza
Los Straitjackets
Micheal Strange, Jr.
Jimmy Sturr
Howard Tate
Susan Tedeschi
Télépopmusik (SACEM)
Jacky Terrasson
Los Tigres Del Norte
Los Tucanes De Tijuana
Caetano Veloso
Rhonda Vincent
Redd Volkaert
Muddy Waters
Charlie Wilson
Gerald Wilson Orchestra
Kim Wilson
Vickie Winans
George Winston
Wayne Wonder
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Yerba Buena
Maury Yeston
Yellowjackets

With three albums to his credit and a fourth due later this year, the artist has combined rapping and writing to establish himself as a significant creative influence in the business. In recognition of his songwriting success, he was honored at BMI's 2002 Urban Awards.

But that was last year. This year, he's again in high gear with his own label. "We got the Diplomat label poppin' off, with my man Juelz Santana, the first artist on that," says Cam'ron.

By formulating relevant (and often autobiographical) lyrics to drive his infectious music, this versatile hip-hopper has earned the respect of his peers and acquired a following among record buyers. "One of the things that makes [me] different is that I can be hardcore one minute, slick and laid-back the next," explains the Harlem-born performer. "I'm trying to set trends, not follow them."

"Oh Boy Just Blaze," perhaps his most memorable song, was a Top 5 hit on last summer's Billboard Hot 100 and topped the magazine's R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Its infectious hook and scintillating lyrics are a testament to an artist whose charismatic charm ranks second only to his fervent desire to write quality material for the masses.

Confessions of Fire, Cam'ron's 1998 debut album, jump-started his musical career when it rose to No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Then, of course, the crew he rolled with didn't hurt either.

Cam'ron played basketball in high school where he excelled as a point guard. One of his teammates was rapper Mase. The two joined forces off the court as rap duo Killa Cam & Murder Mase, garnering a measure of underground hip-hop success. But it wasn't until Mase introduced Cam'ron to the late Notorious B.I.G. that things began heating up.

"He had all sorts of tracks around his apartment," Cam'ron recalls. "He flipped on about 12 or 13 beats, and I flowed to every one of them."

The encounter led to a second important introduction, to B.I.G.'s Untertainment label partner Lance Rivera, who signed Cam'ron. Like most developing acts, Cam'ron found himself collaborating on several soundtrack cuts. But in addition to writing songs for his then-soon-to-come solo debut, he also was penning tracks for other artists – not the least of whom was Lil' Kim, whose "Crush On You" that he authored was certified Platinum.

"Back then, I was just showing everybody that I'm multi-talented and that I can flip any style," he says.

Cam'ron's future appears bright. In addition to his upcoming album, Purple Haze, the rapper continues to promote his own label and the artists on it. "With me, what comes along comes along. I just want Juelz and The Diplomat's album to do well, and then lookout for my new album."]]> 2003-08-26T19:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233081 Artists, Adams, Yolanda, Allen, Harley, Brooks, Mel, Clapton, Eric, dc Talk, Douglas, Jerry, Enya, Gill, Vince, Hartford, John, Jackson, Janet, Krauss, Alison, LaBelle, Patti, Lil' Kim, Linkin Park, McClinton, Delbert, Meyer, Edgar, Mya, Parton, Dolly, Rollins, Sonny, Sade, Scruggs, Earl, Stanley, Ralph, Stuart, Marty, They Might Be Giants, Thile, Chris, Train, Tyminski, Dan, Williams, Lucinda, Winans, CeCe, Awards, Musical Styles, Bluegrass, Blues, Classical, Country, Dance, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Rock, Grammy Awards The soundtrack to the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? was the surprise winner at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, presented on February 27 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The multi-platinum album took home five Grammys including the coveted Album of The Year award, besting works by U2, Bob Dylan, OutKast and India.Arie. Produced by BMI songwriter/producer T Bone Burnett who was named Producer of the Year, the bluegrass soundtrack features BMI talents Norman Blake, The Cox Family, Fairfield Four, John Hartford, Alison Krauss, The Soggy Bottom Boys (featuring Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen and Pat Enright), Ralph Stanley, The Stanley Brothers and Gillian Welch. The album also won Best Compilation Soundtrack Album, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, and Best Male Country Vocal for "O Death" by Ralph Stanley. It was 75-year-old Stanley's first Grammy.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss and her band Union Station were also among the night's top winners, picking up the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy for New Favorite and Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "Lucky One." The track also won Best Country Song for songwriter Robert Lee Castleman.

BMI's Robbin Ahrold with John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, winner of the Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media ("Boss of Me" from Malcolm in the Middle)

Other Country category winners included Best Country Instrumental Performance for the remake of the Earl Scruggs classic "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" from his latest CD, Earl Scruggs and Friends, adding to the seven out of eight Country Grammys earned by BMI stars. BMI songwriter/artists also made an impressive show in several other categories, including Jazz, Gospel, Latin and Blues.

Other BMI Grammy Award winners included two each for Mel Brooks, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, as well as a statuette each for Linkin Park for Best Hard Rock Performance, Enya for Best New Age Album, and Lil' Kim and Mya for Best Pop Collaboration on the remake of the Patti LaBelle classic "Lady Marmalade."

Complete List of BMI's Grammy Award Winners:

T Bone Burnett
Producer of the Year
Album of the Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
Best Traditional Folk Album (Down From the Mountain)

Alison Krauss & Union Station
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
Best Country Performance by Duo or Group ("Lucky One")
Best Bluegrass Album (New Favorite)

The Soggy Bottom Boys (Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen and Pat Enright)
Album of the Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
Best Country Collaboration ("I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow")

Mel Brooks
Best Musical Show Album (The Producers)
Best Long Form Music Video ("Recording The Producers - A Musical Romp With Mel Brooks")

Bel� Fleck
Best Instrumental Arrangement (Claude Debussy "Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum" from Children's Corner)
Best Classical Crossover Album (Perpetual Motion)

Edgar Meyer
Best Instrumental Arrangement (Claude Debussy "Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum" from Children's Corner)
Best Classical Crossover Album (Perpetual Motion)

Ralph Stanley
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)
Best Male Country Vocal Performance ("O Death")

Norman Blake
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

The Cox Family
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

Fairfield Four
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

John Hartford
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

Gillian Welch
Album Of The Year (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

Lil’ Kim
Best Pop Collaboration ("Lady Marmalade")

Mya
Best Pop Collaboration ("Lady Marmalade")

Brian Eno (PRS), producer
Record Of The Year ("Walk On")

Eric Clapton (PRS)
Best Pop Instrumental Performance ("Reptile")

Janet Jackson
Best Dance Recording ("All For You")

Sade (PRS)
Best Pop Vocal Album (Lover's Rock)

Harry Connick, Jr.
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Songs I Heard)

Lucinda Williams
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance ("Get Right With God")

Linkin Park
Best Hard Rock Performance ("Crawling")

Scott Underwood (Train)
Best Rock Song ("Drops of Jupiter")

Dolly Parton
Best Female Country Vocal Performance ("Shine")

Earl Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Glen Duncan
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Randy Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Vince Gill
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Marty Stuart
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Gary Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Albert Lee
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Jerry Douglas
Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown")

Robert Lee Castleman
Best Country Song ("Lonely One")

Enya (IMRO)
Best New Age Album (A Day Without Rain)

Michael Brecker
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo ("Chan's Song")

Sonny Rollins
Best Jazz Instrumental Album (This Is What I Do)

Charlie Haden
Best Latin Jazz Album (Nocturne)

DC Talk
Best Rock Gospel Album (Solo)

CeCe Winans
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album (CeCe Winans)

The Blind Boys of Alabama
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album (Spirit of the Century)

Yolanda Adams
Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album (The Experience)

Freddy Fender
Best Latin Pop Album (La Musica De Baldemar Huerta)

Robert Blades
Best Salsa Album (Encore)

Ram�n Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album (En Vivo...El Hombre Y Su Musica)

Jimmie Vaughan
Best Traditional Blues Album (Do You Get The Blues?)

Delbert McClinton
Best Contemporary Blues Album (Nothing Personal)

Verdell Primeaux
Best Native American Music Album (Bless the People - Harmonized Peyote Songs)

Johnny Mike
Best Native American Music Album (Bless the People - Harmonized Peyote Songs)

Jimmy Sturr
Best Polka Album (Gone Polka)

John Flansburgh
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media ("Boss of Me" from Malcolm in the Middle)

John Linnell
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media ("Boss of Me" from Malcolm in the Middle)

Deep Dish
Best Remixed Recording ("Thank You" [Deep Dish Vocal Remix])

Larry Combs
Best Instrumental Soloist (Strauss Wind Concertos)

Christopher Rouse
Best Classical Contemporary Composition ("Rouse: Concert De Gaud� For Guitar And Orchestra")

Chris Thile
Best Classical Crossover Album (Perpetual Motion)

Bootsy Collins
Best Short Form Music Video ("Weapon of Choice")

As the title to her new album implies, the disc includes a tribute to her friend and mentor Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., who was shot to death in 1997. “We lived on the same block in Brooklyn,” says Kim. “I always thought he was cute, and when I first started talking to him, I felt like I’d known him for years. I was working at Bloomingdales, and friends of mine said to him, ‘You know, Kim knows how to rap.’ He was like, ‘Please! She’s too cute to know how to rap’.”

But when Smalls included her in his Brooklyn rap collective Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Junior Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes), Kim seized the moment like the star she’s become. The group earned a gold record for their “Player’s Anthem” single, followed by platinum awards for the “Get Money” single and Conspiracy album. That set the stage for Kim’s own 1996 album Hard Core, which racked up platinum sales for the Undeas/Big Beat/Atlantic release.

Kim’s uninhibited sexuality perked up listener’s ears, but to Lil’ Kim, it’s no big deal. “I was just being myself,” she says. “Now there are so many women out there doing what I did.”

The Notorious K.I.M. heats up the mix further. She salutes her late pal Biggie Smalls on “Hold On,” which features Mary J. Blige. Though Kim’s known to be as tough as the guys, cutting that rap was heart wrenching. “I could only get through it once,” she explains. “I would always break down and cry.” She jams on other tracks with everyone from Grace Jones to Puff Daddy, who also acts as the album’s executive co-producer. Meanwhile, she’s started her own record label, Queen Bee, racked up fashion endorsements from MAC Cosmetics, Candie’s shoes and Iceberg jeans, and made her acting debuts in film (She’s All That) and television (VIP).

It all adds up to Lil’ Kim’s budding status as a cultural icon, albeit one with a streetwise, Bedford-Stuyvesant-bred edge. “I take bits and pieces from everybody,” she says of her personal style. “I’ve studied the fashion of women who were beautiful and glamorous: Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, Millie Jackson, Tina Turner, Eartha Kitt, Josephine Baker, even Brooke Shields.” Yet what she makes it all into is definitely Lil’ Kim

Ultimately, her success feels like destiny for the multi-talented rapper. “I think God has a plan for me,” she concludes. “There are some people who still don’t understand. But I know by the end of my fulfillment, they will.”