Lil’ Kim Blames Cash Money Records for Nicki Minaj Beef

As one of the most publicized feuds in rap over the past decade, Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj's beef has amplified in recent months. But the spar has surprisingly deep roots. The Queen Bee, who recently released her 'Black Friday' mixtape sporting a decapitated Nicki on its cover, explains that the problem doesn't alone lie with the Harajuku Barbie, and that the disrespect from her label Cash Money actually sparked the back-and-forth between the rapstresses.

After Kim was cut free from her former label Atlantic Records, she had begun talking to Cash Money CEO Ronald 'Slim' Williams about forming a partnership. Agreeing to do a song and accompanying video with then-newcomer Minaj, Kim felt disrespected after they backed out and killed the project.

"I knew she was trying to take shots at me, but I figured that if I did the record with her, I figured that this would help her understand that she wouldn't have to do that," she told The BoomBox. "It would have been better for us to be cool than for them all to say, 'OK, Kim. We got what we needed from you, we don't need you no more. How disrespectful. It's deeper than what people think. And then she was still being disrespectful. I would see her out and she would roll her eyes and not even say nothing to me."

Noticing that Nicki was taking shots at her on 'Monster' and 'Roman's Revenge,' she decided to speak up. "I'm not going to be subliminal when you come at me indirect or whatever or try to come at me indirect, but everyone knows who you're talking about. I get straight to the point," she continued. "I'm from a place -- put it this way -- where you don't deal with fakeness. That's fake. If she was going to do this, she should have been ready what comes after."

Despite their ongoing battle, Kim admits that she doesn't think Nicki's a terrible rapper, crediting her for making it this far. "It was never about me saying, 'She's wack.' I'm not going to do that, because I feel like any female that gets to a certain point knows how to stay on beat somewhat," she states. "This is a hard industry where if you get through it a certain way, you need to be recognized. It's such a male-dominated industry. It's very hard for females."

While some might balk at her aggressive approach in the battle, Kim feels she's in the right. She reflects on advice from her late mentor the Notorious B.I.G., who she knows is giving her his blessing from above. "I had situations where he was alive and understood it and was all for it," she says her approach. "Big had his own situations. He's got records where he says things and does things and he understands it. I definitely know that right now, he's all for it, because I tried to reach out and be a part of what they had going on."

As for what she would need to dead the drama? "It would definitely take a check right at this moment, because I tried to do this on the strength of just being who I am and they didn't want it like that," she states. With her 'Black Friday' mixtape and a new studio album on the way, the Queen Bee hopes that success is the sweetest revenge.