Lil' Kim's 2016 Transformation Photos on Instagram Are Unrecognizable — Fans Are Pissed
Rapper Lil' Kim shocked and even upset some fans Sunday after posting pictures of her dramatic transformation on Instagram: The artist appeared to have used bleach cream on her skin and dyed her hair blond.
The musician also posted a video of herself, showcasing her new aesthetic.
A video posted by Lil' Kim (@lilkimthequeenbee) on Apr 24, 2016 at 3:49pm PDT
Trolls and distressed fans alike emerged from the social media woodwork and had criticism at the ready, calling Lil' Kim out for perpetuating racism by choosing to become more fair-skinned.
Lil Kim would rather be an ugly white woman than a pretty black one. God bless.
Lil Kim has looked like 30 different people since she been livin
Can't believe lil Kim did this to her self she gone get to heaven and Big gone walk past her
Lil Kim what happened to all that melanin.......pic.twitter.com/b54mTkHC3j
Wait......So Lil Kim Caucasian Nowpic.twitter.com/G79LaAK2Vi
I don't know how I feel about Lil Kim like I want to like her but I can't #Respek her color transformation.pic.twitter.com/qeYugawf9x
However, others remained more supportive, arguing Lil' Kim is a victim of low self-esteem and society's oppressive beauty standards for women.
Sad about Lil Kim and everyone who doesn't feel comfortable in their own skin. We should be taught the importance of self-love.
Sad that people are making fun of Lil Kim but society is the factor that made her hate her skinpic.twitter.com/hUaqtw0dLQ
@WORLDSTAR instead of bullying Lil' Kim you should focus on how society made her hate herself.pic.twitter.com/0zsJRPusRW
Lil Kim needs help and love not judgement and slander
Lil Kim man I feel sorry for her..
I'm not even mad about what Lil Kim did to her herself because we hold responsibility for making her get there.
Lil Kim transformation is actually pretty sad. I pray none of ya'll dislike yourselves that much.
Lil Kim deserves words of positivity. She needs love, support and understanding, not shame and judgement.
I grew up listening to Lil' Kim, I loved her because she was so confident & I admired that, not realizing she was hurting. @LilKim
It's sad reading how low Lil Kim's self esteem is. Even sadder is how common that is for women.
You're saying horrible things about Lil Kim's appearance then wondering why she has self esteem issues in the same tweet????
Other black artists, such as Michael Jackson, have come under similar heat in the past for becoming increasingly Caucasian in their appearance (though in Jackson's case he cited vitiligo, a skin condition, as responsible for his transformation). Nonetheless, body dysmorphia has plagued a number of celebrities, prompting dramatic plastic surgery in some cases. And given the complex psychological underpinnings for such decisions, the issue is far from black and white.