Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974 or July 11, 1975), known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, model, and actress. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, living much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, Jones would freestyle rap, heavily influenced by actress/singer Diana Ross, and fellow female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and The Lady of Rage. Performing a freestyle rap for The Notorious B.I.G. got her music career start in 1995 with his group Junior M.A.F.I.A., whose debut album Conspiracy generated three hit singles.
Lil' Kim's debut studio album, Hard Core (1996) was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spawned three consecutive No. 1 rap hits: "No Time", "Not Tonight (Ladies Night remix)", and "Crush on You", a record for a female rapper. Her following albums, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000) and La Bella Mafia (2003), were certified Platinum, making her the only female rapper besides Missy Elliott to have at least 3 platinum albums. She was featured on the single "Lady Marmalade", which also had guest vocals by fellow recording artists Mýa, Pink and Christina Aguilera (a remake of the 1975 smash hit, originally recorded by LaBelle) which went to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making her the second female rapper to have a No. 1 on that chart after Lauryn Hill. In addition, the remake won two MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year, and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 44th Grammy Awards in 2002. In 2005, she served a yearlong prison sentence for lying to a jury about her friends' involvement in a shooting four years earlier. During her incarceration, her fourth album The Naked Truth was released. She returned to the public eye in 2009 with an appearance on Dancing with the Stars.
"Whoa" is the second single from the album The Naked Truth by rapper Lil' Kim which is produced by J.R. Rotem. "Whoa" never made it to the Billboard Hot 100 but did make the R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks chart, where it peaked at number 30. Originally sent to US radio on November 22, 2005, it was then re-released in February to coincide with the airing of her reality show, Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown, for which it served as the theme song. It was released in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2006.
Before the album was released, some versions of the "Lighters Up" promo CD and vinyl listed the title of the song as "My Ni*#@s". Due to the lyrics in the second verse, Whoa is heard as a Junior M.A.F.I.A. diss.
The music video for "Whoa" premiered on 106 & Park on February 16, 2006.
The video begins with Kim, her friend/ co-defendant Moe and Zab Judah riding in a car talking. Once the first verse starts, one scene features Kim in a museum with a drink while looking at artwork. In another scene Kim is seen dodging laser beams and hiding from security. By the second verse Kim has stolen a painting and is seen escaping. Meanwhile police ask friends of Kim to leave. By the second chorus Kim is seen returning to the car from the start of the video. Shortly after the song fades into another song "Spell Check" which in one scene Kim is singing the song in front of her car, and in another scene she is seen being forced out of her car and the painting she stole is being returned. At the end the police throw kim in the back of a police truck in an orange suit. The song sharply ends and large text appears that says COMING HOME SOON.
Whoa is an interjection, often said when in awe of something.
It may also refer to: