Lil' Kim

She got her start as the foul-mouthed protégée of the Notorious B.I.G. in Junior M.A.F.I.A. (see the lo-fi gangsta rap classics "Get Money" and "Player's Anthem"), but Lil' Kim easily forged her own identity as the "Queen Bee" of hip-hop soon after. Here she helps carry the estrogen-powered posse cut "Lady Marmalade" and the hardcore street anthem "Money, Power & Respect," as well as her own solo singles (the hypnotized horns and "Knight Rider" snippet of "The Jump Off," the pornographic electro of "How Many Licks?").

As strong as her solo work may be (the supercharged dub reggae of "Lighters Up"; the moonlit, Cadillac cruise vibe of "Notorious Kim"), Lil' Kim has always been the go-to gal for key hip-hop tracks. "Notorious B.I.G." sprinkles glitter and endless bars of funk over the exhumed grave of Biggie Smalls, "I Know What Girls Like" spins the '80s time capsule track over a stadium rock beat and unsheathed sword sample, and "Will They Die 4 You?" recasts Mase, Puff Daddy, and Lil' Kim as leads in a blaxploitation flick.

Lil' Kim actually fulfilled the crime novel fantasies of her early cuts by the time of her fourth album, Naked Truth, as she started serving a one-year sentence for perjury. As a result, some of these Deep Cuts literally cut deep, reaching below her glossy, nouveau Barbie surface. "Kitty Box" boasts a Middle Eastern flavor, "Last Day" speaks of golden gates over a mournful piano progression, and "Whoa Fka My N***as" is an aggressive piece of synthesized strings and sweeping, dramatic sampling.

In some circles, Lil' Kim is still considered the penultimate new-wave feminist — an overtly sexual, completely confident MC in a field otherwise dominated by male mic-slayers. The prestige is no surprise, as she stepped onto the scene in the shadow of greatness (the Notorious B.I.G.) and swiftly transitioned into her own stylized realm of assertive sexuality and street-smart rhymes. Between now and then, she's worked with some of our most memorable modern-day MCs (Jay-Z, Ludacris, Missy Elliott), producers (Puff Daddy, Swizz Beatz), and pop stars (Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Pink). Oh, and how about that Phil Collins collaboration ("In the Air Tonite")? Seriously now…