Synopsis

Set in a series of brightly colored rooms, the video presents Lil' Kim as a shape-shifting fashion icon while Lil' Cease delivers the verses to the flirtatious hip-hop track. Kim appears in coordinated red, blue, yellow, and green outfits, complete with matching wigs, as dancers and celebrity cameos fill the playful sets. The video favors visual spectacle over narrative, turning the song's boastful attitude into a colorful runway show and establishing Kim's image as an unpredictable, highly stylized rap star.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed on January 29, 1997, and released in February of that year.

• Its changing floor colors were inspired by the 1978 film "The Wiz." Kim and stylist Misa Hylton developed the idea of matching her clothes and wigs to each set.

• The four main color schemes are blue, yellow, green, and red.

• The video is widely regarded as the first Lil' Kim video to feature the multicolored wigs that became one of her signature visual trademarks.

• The song's original album version featured Lil' Cease performing the verses alone. The version used for the single and video added Lil' Kim's vocals.

• Lil' Kim later explained that her pregnancy made it difficult to complete parts of "Hard Core," which contributed to Lil' Cease's prominent role on the song.

• The video includes appearances by Aaliyah, Luther "Luke" Campbell, Leslie Segar, Ed Lover, and Sheek Louch.

• The Notorious B.I.G. provides the chorus on the recording, although he is not presented as a principal performer in the video's title.