''Ms. G.O.A.T. : Greatest Of All Time'' is the debut

mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...

by American rapper

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after ...

. Released June 3, 2008, Kim produced the recording alongside

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

DJs Mister Cee and

DJ Whoo Kid Yves Mondesir (born October 12, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Whoo Kid, is an American hip hop DJ. He is signed with G-Unit Records, its subsidiary, Shadyville Entertainment and was 50 Cent and G-Unit's tour DJ. Mondesir had two alb ...

. The title refers to the

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...

album '' G.O.A.T.'' (2000).

Background

After claiming the desire to possess creative control and a subsequent departure from her previous major record label,

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

, Lil Kim began working on ''Ms. G.O.A.T.'' in October 2006. This also marked her first musical endeavor since her incarceration, and she was released in July 2006. Lil Kim stated in an MTV interview: "I always wanted to do a mixtape... I used to see how 50 (Cent) used to do it so hard... Damn, it's not a lot of girls doing it." ''Ms. G.O.A.T.'' was her first independent release. Prior to the album's release, "Chillin' Tonight" received airplay on the radio. The album showcased new songs from Lil Kim, as well as several remixes she was working on. There are skits intermittently, and the album features collaborations with

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...

, Maino, a

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

based rapper and

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...

, as well as several other Hip Hop stars. Lil' Kim also retaliates to

Remy Ma Reminisce Kioni Mackie ( Smith; born May 30, 1980), known professionally as Remy Ma, is an American rapper and songwriter. Discovered by the late rapper Big Pun, she came to prominence for her work as a member of Fat Joe's group, Terror Squad ...

on the track "I Get It", as part of a continuation of

rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...

, and she pays homage to her heroes

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...

and

MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a ...

through samples or thematics of "Mis-Education of Lil' Kim", which features the beat of "Lost Ones", a song from ''

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper and singer Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 19, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. Recorded after the Fugees embarked on a hiatus, the a ...

'', and "Hood News", respectively. Lil' Kim performed the song "Chillin' Tonight" on the

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

'' The Game'', appearing as herself in the 2007 episode " Media Blitz". As part of promotion, Lil' Kim offered signed copies of ''Ms. G.O.A.T.'' in a contest, where fans would submit requests on who they would like to see her work with, as well as why she is the "Greatest of All Time".

Reviews

Among critics, the mixtape has received generally positive reviews. It has been called a representation of Lil' Kim's return to the streets. Tito Salinas of ''All Hip Hop'' says "Lil' Kim shows that her time behind bars didn't rust all of her swag away" on ''Ms. G.O.A.T.'' On the other hand, Ehren Gresehover of ''New York Mag'' says that although one of the tracks "The Miseducation of Lil' Kim" is not bad, he wished that it was Lauryn Hill who was making a comeback instead.

Track listing

References

{{Authority control Lil' Kim albums 2008 mixtape albums