The internet had a field day after Ebony released Lil’ Kim’s “50 Years of Hip-Hop” commemorative cover on Monday, Sept. 18, with many arguing her cover photo was overedited.
“There will never be another lil @lilkimthequeenbee — she still is and has always been “That B****.” If you’ve ever questioned what she was about, all you need to do is listen to her flow on a track like the OG legend she is. In all her glory, Lil Kim graces our cover as only Hip-Hop royalty can,” Ebony captioned the post.
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Although the entire post focused on the longevity of Lil’ Kim’s music, influence and legacy, commenters couldn’t refrain from commenting on the editing work. Some commented she looked like an AI character.
“Harpo…Who dis woman?”
“Whoever did the editing need to be fired.”
“There is such a thing as too much airbrushing, this might as well have been AI.”
“Someone went OD on the soften skin tool.”
“This GOTTA be AI cuz that look nowhere near Lil Kim.”
“Now, I know her pics wasn’t that bad to have to photoshop this that much, damn!”
“Holy airbrush Batman!”
Most commenters weren’t bashing the “Crush On You” rapper’s cosmetic work but the editing work.
What confused social media users more was the behind-the-scenes look into the photo shoot with Lil’ Kim looking stunning and human-like, nothing like the approved cover shot.
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“Absolutely! But not y’all showing the live footage before merging into the cover. Oh, God bless.”
“Ok, this just proved our point. The live footage looks much better! The final frame, ain’t it.”
“Great video, bad cover. Who did that?”
“Kim looks amazing without all the retouching that bordered on obscurity.”
“Whoever retouched the cover photo needs to be fired because the videos tell an entirely different story! Muva looks great! Love her so much.”
On a serious note, without Lil’ Kim, there wouldn’t be Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, etc.
The New York legend was spotlighted after Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Player’s Anthem.” As the saying goes, “Sex sells,” which is what her image revolved around — sex appeal. Her music style would be dubbed “gangsta porno rap” due to the raunchy lyrics that landed her on the Billboard charts. She was raw and remorseless with her flow. It’s what made people fall in love with her. Therefore, she deserves all her flowers.
