Oh, what would Biggie think? His former protege, Lil’ Kim (real name: Kimberly Denise Jones), has been trying to reinvent herself following a stint in federal prison in 2005. Kim was found guilty of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury about a 2001 shooting outside the Hot 97 studios in Manhattan and served less than a year in a Philadelphia prison.
Kim claimed to have written over 200 songs while in prison. Once released, she started working on other projects, including more acting gigs and now, a turn on the very popular Dancing with the Stars. Paired with the talented (and not so bad on the eye) Derek Hough, she won rave reviews from the judges last week. She hopes to cha-cha her way to the title, mirror ball trophy, and perhaps a little extra cash… As it turns out, the rapper owed nearly $1 million in state and federal tax liens in California, New York, and New Jersey. The liens were a result of issues with Kim’s tax filings in 2004.
Since that time, Kim has been working to pay down the debt, according to her spokesperson, but still owes a considerable amount. Maybe this will be the year she “Get Money.”