For 17 years, Lil’ Kim has been a dominate female force in the rap industry. Her hood-beauty sex appeal, matched with hard-hitting lyrics, and barely-there ensembles set her apart from the tomboy femcees who were the norm in the early 90s. Under the tutelage of the late Notorious B.I.G, the Brooklyn, NY native broke out on the scene as a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. But her solo pursuits have proven to be her shining moments.

After four successful albums (all of which have been critically acclaimed) and a slew of Billboard hits, Kim is back in the studio (she’s been on a relative hiatus) and is out to reclaim her former glory.

Today [July 11, 2012] marks her 37th birthday, and we’re jammin’ to a playlist of her greatest hits—courtesy of The Hot 10 of course.

#TheHot10

TAGS: Brooklyn, Hip Hop, Junior Mafia, Keyshia Cole, Lil Kim, Mobb Deep, New York, Notorious B.I.G, P. Diddy, rap, The Hot 10, The Hot 10 playlist