Hard Core (Lil' Kim album)

Hard Core
Hard Core
Studio album by Lil' Kim
Released	November 12, 1996
Recorded	1995–96
Genre	Hip hop
Length	56:59
Label	Undeas, Big Beat
Producer	Sean "Puffy" Combs, Christopher "B.I.G." Wallace (exec.), Stevie J., Andraeo "Fanatic" Heard, Jermaine Dupri, Carlos "6 July" Broady, Ski, Jacob York (exec.), Lance "Un" Rivera (exec.), Stretch Armstrong, Fabian Hamilton, Nashiem Myrick
Lil' Kim chronology
Singles from Hard Core
	"No Time"; Released: October 29, 1996; "Crush on You"; Released: June 13, 1997; "Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)"; Released: June 30, 1997;

Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim. It was released on November 12, 1996 by Undeas Recordings and Big Beat Records.^[1]

Track listing[change | change source]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro in a-Minor"			2:14
2.	"Big Momma Thang" (featuring Jay-Z and Lil' Cease)	Kimberly Jones, Christopher Wallace, Harvey Fuqua, James Lloyd, Sylvester James, Shawn Carter	Stretch Armstrong	4:17
3.	"No Time" (featuring Puff Daddy)	Jones, Wallace, Steven Jordan	Steven "Stevie J" Jordan for The Hitmen	5:00
4.	"Spend a Little Doe"	Jones, Wallace, David Willis	Ski	5:35
5.	"Take It!"			0:46
6.	"Crush on You" (Feat. Lil' Cease and The Notorious B.I.G.)	Jones, Wallace, Cameron Giles, James Lloyd, Jeff Lorber, Mason Betha	Andraeo "Fanatic" Heard	4:35
7.	"Drugs" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.)	Jones, D. Owen, Wallace, Fabian Hamilton, Isaac Hayes	Fabian Hamilton	4:20
8.	"Scheamin'"			0:49
9.	"Queen Bitch"	Jones, Wallace, Carlos Broady, Nashiem Myrick	Carlos "6 July" Broady, Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen	3:17
10.	"Dreams"	Jones, Wallace, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Reggie Andrews	Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool for The Hitmen	4:39
11.	"M.A.F.I.A. Land"	Jones, Wallace, Bert Kaempfert, Brent Toussaint, Herbert Rehbein, Richard Ahlert	Brent "Faraoh" Toussaint	4:37
12.	"We Don't Need It" (featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A.)	Wallace, Jones, James Lloyd, Mark Richardson, Rayshaun Spain	Minnesota	4:10
13.	"Not Tonight" (featuring Jermaine Dupri)	Jones	Jermaine Dupri	4:31
14.	"Player Haters"			0:43
15.	"Fuck You" (featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A.)	Jones, Antoine Spain, Chris Cresco, Wallace, Rayshaun Spain	Chris "Cornbread" Cresco, Christopher Wallace	2:53
16.	"Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)" (featuring Da Brat, Angie Martinez, Missy Elliott and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes)	Carlos Crespo, K. Jones, Rick Spain, Chester Wallace	Armando Colon, Rashad Smith	4:24

Sample credits[change | change source]

"Big Momma Thang" contains a sample of Sylvester's "Was It Something I Said".
"No Time" contains a sample of Vicki Anderson's "Message from the Soul Sisters" and Lyn Collins's "Take Me Just As I Am" and The Notorious B.I.G.
"Crush On You" contains excerpts and a sample of Jeff Lorber's "Rain Dance" and Average White Band's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven"
"Drugs" contains a sample of Soul Mann & The Brothers "Bumpy's Lament".
"Queen Bitch" contains a sample of Roberta Flack's "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye".
"Dreams" contains a sample of Lyn Collins's "Think (About It)" and Jimi Hendrix's "Who Knows".
"M.A.F.I.A. Land" contains a sample of Bert Kaempfert's "Only a Fool".
"We Don't Need It" contains a sample of Lou Donaldson's "Ode to Billie Joe" and Shirley Murdock's "The One I Need".
"Not Tonight" contains a sample of George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around".
"Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)" contains a sample of Kool & the Gang's "Ladies Night".

Charts and certifications[change | change source]

Chart[change | change source]

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Canadian Albums Chart	9
U.S. Billboard 200	11^[2]
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	1

Certifications[change | change source]

Country	Certification (sales thresholds)
United States	2x Platinum (RIAA)

Personnel[change | change source]

Lil' Kim - vocals, rapping

Technical personnel

Stretch Armstrong, Corn Bread, Andraeo "Fanatic" Heard, Carlos Broady, Stevie J., Fabian Hamilton, Ski - producer
Sean Combs, Christopher Wallace - executive producer, additional vocals
Kenny Ortiz, Phil Tan - engineer
Jermaine Dupri - producer, engineer
Tony Black - engineer, mixing
James Cruz, Herb Powers, Jr. - mastering
Junior M.A.F.I.A., Jay-Z - additional vocals
LaMarquis Mark Jefferson - bass

Art personnel

Michael Lavine - photography

Certifications[change | change source]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[3]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

References[change | change source]

↑ Vladimir Bogdanov, All Music Guide to Hip-hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-hop (San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2003), p. 283
↑ "Lil' Kim, Hardcore, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
↑ "American album certifications – Lil' Kim – Hard Core". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2014.

[1] Vladimir Bogdanov, All Music Guide to Hip-hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-hop (San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2003), p. 283

[2] "Lil' Kim, Hardcore, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 August 2015.

[United_StatesLil'_KimHard_CorealbumCertRef-3] "American album certifications – Lil' Kim – Hard Core". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2014.

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