Lil Kim just released her fifth studio album, 9. Her career has spanned nearly 25 years, with classic hits like “Crush On You”, “Ladies Night (Not Tonight Remix)”, “Lighters Up” and “The Jump Off”. Now, she’s back with new music and ready to shake up Hip Hop again. In fact, she has stated 9 will have two parts, with the second installment coming soon.

Here’s why Lil Kim is still the Queen Bee after all these years.

Jump Off on the Moment

Lil Kim still knows how to strike while the iron is hot, something many 90s artists have yet to master. She seized the moment of a successful TV show, Girls Cruise (also featuring Mya and Chilli) and kept the momentum going by immediately releasing a new album after the show ended.

Crushin’ on the Competition

Although Nicki Minaj and Cardi B may be leading sales these days with combined streaming singles totals, Lil Kim has sold over 15 million albums worldwide. Her album stats are an impressive feat that only a handful of female rappers have managed to beat.

Trophies Up

Lil Kim’s career is now in the stage for her to start receiving the “lifetime achievement” kind of recognition for contributions to Hip Hop. She just received BET’s I Am Hip Hop Icon award, on the heels of her new album release. Ironically, she publicly critiziced BET for her not recognizing her music before now….rightfully so.

No Time to Prove

Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed by some of the tracks on 9, including the new single, “Found You”. The track samples the Bubba Sparxxx and Ying Yang Twins classic, “Ms. New Booty”. Although the production is a bit dated, Lil Kim proves she still as sexy and downright raunchy as ever. At this stage in her career, her mark has been made and she’s clearly just having fun.

Big Bee Hive Thang

Anyone born in the 90s probably credits Beyonce for coining the term Bey Hive. While the spelling is all hers, Lil Kim’s fan base actually had the name first – affectionately called the Bee Hive.

Money, Power, Respect

Every current female rapper that uses sex to sell their music (in some form or fashion), took a page from Lil Kim’s book. Everything from bright colored wigs, to racy outfits and being overtly sexually explicit all started with Lil Kim. Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan thee Stallion, and City Girls have all sampled Lil Kim’s swagger at one point or another.

It’s Ladies Night…Again

Thankfully, Lil Kim used her recent reality series, Girls Cruise, as a way to highlight all of her celebrity friends in a positive light. She proved that women can get along and still provide some entertaining prime time TV in the process. She should be commended for not using her celebrity status in a trashy manner.

The Notorious C.E.O.

Lil Kim was one of the first female rappers (and rappers period) to start her own label, Queen Bee Entertainment, in 1999. She released her own albums through the label, with the help of a distribution deal from eOne. Queen moves indeed.

The Magic Stick

9 is Lil Kim’s first studio album in 14 years. The recent buzz and hype surrounding it proves that while she was gone, she wasn’t forgotten. Her formula of sex, female empowerment and over the top fashion has cemented her place in Hip Hop and Pop culture.