Fame and fortune has cost Lil Kim part of the gritty edge that made her 1996 debut solo album a classic. Seven years later, the closest Kim comes to recapturing that magic is on the only Kanye West produced track, 'Came Back For You'. Regardless, her latest album, La Bella Mafia, is chalked full of diversity and progression, with only a pinch of her staple bitchyness.

Lil Kim, the self-proclaimed Queen Bitch, gets down and dirty with a large number of featured artists on La Bella Mafia. Rap's hottest commodity, 50 Cent, makes an appearance on my favorite song: the sexually tinged 'Magic Stick.' 50 further solidifies his title as having the catchiest choruses in hip-hop with yet another head-sticker. Mr. Cheeks drops his hit-tinged style on the upbeat, party-starting, Timbaland-produced 'The Jump Off.' Twista adds his lightning fast vocals on 'Thug Luv.' Missy Elliott also appears on '(When Kim Say) Can You Hear Me Now?', as Scott Storch provides production that nicely complements Kim's lyricism. Other guests include Havoc, Swizz Beatz, Styles P, and Lil Shanice. As well, I usually find skits annoying, but Kim managed to capture my attention with her funny fan call-in skits.

La Bella Mafia also falters in several areas. 'Shake Ya Bum Bum' has a child-oriented feel, possibly following in the footsteps of Left Eye's 'The Block Party.' However, the message seems a bit too sexual and thus slightly disturbing, especially with Lil Shanice dropping verses like "Now I know I aint grown, but that don't stop me from shaking my anus / See I'm bout to blow, I'm soon to be famous." 'Heavenly Father' is nothing short of annoying as it makes use of the overused high-pitched chipmunk sound for the chorus. Lil Kim also makes a failed attempt at R&B with 'This is a Warning.' However, her message is still well delivered and is one of the more conscious tracks on the album.

Lil Kim presents an enjoyable album full of club-friendly beats, but tinged with her still slightly hard style. Had the album been shortened, it would have been a much more enjoyable listen. She's not the same Kim that broke out in '96, but she's still got some game left in her.

Click here to buy the album at amazon.com