Lil' Kim Writes 'Candid' Memoir 'The Queen Bee' and Opens Up About the 'Hidden Moments of Her Reign'

The Queen Bee will be published by Hachette Books on Nov. 2

Lil' Kim. Photo: Matt Alves

Lil' Kim — the "Original Queen Bee" — is reclaiming her throne with her upcoming memoir.

On Wednesday, the rapper announced exclusively with PEOPLE that her book, The Queen Bee, with Kathy Iandoli, will be published by Hachette Books on Nov. 2.

"I'm excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time," Lil' Kim tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. "Many people have thought they knew the story of Lil' Kim, but they have no idea."

Born Kimberly Denise Jones, Lil' Kim grew up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and spent her teenage years rapping with the Notorious B.I.G., who later became her lover. She was the only woman in the iconic artist's rap collective, Junior M.A.F.I.A., before she made a name for herself as a solo rapper. Her double-platinum album Hard Core dropped in 1996. Since then, the Grammy-award winner has sold millions of records and continues to be a cultural force.

Hachette Books

The Queen Bee details Lil' Kim's nearly 30-year career — and the challenges she's met head on. Now, she's finally opening up about it all.

"Lil' Kim not only blazed trails for women in hip-hop, but also inspired the careers of those who followed," reads the book's press release. "However, life at the top hasn't been easy, either. Lil' Kim also talks about the hiddden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison."

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Lil' Kim, the Notorious B.I.G. and Sean 'Diddy' Combs. LIFE Picture Collection via Getty

In July 2006, Lil' Kim was released from prison after nearly 10 months behind bars. The artist had lied to a jury about what she witnessed when a shootout occurred between her entourage and rival rap group Capone-N-Noreaga. (One man was injured.)

"I wanted to show them that y'all cannot hold a good woman down; you could send me to the gutter and I'm going to ride it out," the rapper said of her time in prison in 2006, according to the New York Times.

Not only does Lil' Kim get "candid" in her memoir, she also delves into her work as a "feminist icon," according to the press release.

"A true page-turner from start to finish, The Queen Bee is every bit as fierce, empowering, and badass as the woman at the heart of this story — and firmly cements her legacy as a true feminist icon."

The Queen Bee is set to be released on Nov. 2.