In 1995, Junior M.A.F.I.A. released a Top 10-charting debut album in Conspiracy. Executive produced by The Notorious B.I.G. (who vocally participated on more than half of the project), the LP made key introductions from rapping members Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease. Both Brooklyn representatives, Kim and Cease would follow Conspiracy with solo endeavors in 1996 and 1999, respectively.

Following Biggie’s 1997 death, the M.A.F.I.A. did not release another album until 2005. While Kim and Cease appeared together for features on Biggie’s Born Again and DJ Clue’s The Professional 2, Kimberly exited the group ahead of ’05’s Riot Musik. That release coincided with Kim’s conviction and sentencing for conspiracy and perjury released to a 2001 shooting at New York City radio station HOT 97 that left one man injured. Notably, Cease provided court testimony that refuted Kim’s claim her then-manager (and longtime Junior M.A.F.I.A. affiliate) Damion “D-Roc” Butler was not with her at the time of the shooting. Along with Cease’s testimony, surveillance video disproved Kim’s account, ultimately leading to her conviction.

The shooting reportedly escalated from an incident related to Capone. In late 2000, Capone-N-Noreaga featured Foxy Brown on “Bang, Bang.” The guest MC dissed Kim during the appearance, as ‘Pone has confirmed. Kim and her entourage allegedly confronted the Queens, New York MC at the radio station in early 2001, where tensions flared.

Having served a sentence behind bars between 2005-2006, Lil’ Kim told MTV in 2011 that she saw no reason to ever speak to her “Crush On You” collaborator again. In 2016, Cease revealed to Complex that he had unsuccessfully attempted reaching out to Kim for years.

Last night (May 21), Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease made peace at a birthday party in honor of Biggie. At what would have been their mentor’s 47th birthday, Cease took the microphone and stood next to Kim at their peacemaking.

“Somebody schooled me and said, ‘Nah, dog, if something means something to you, fight for it. Get it.’ It may not happen at the time you want it to happen, but it’s happening today,” Cease said, with other Junior M.A.F.I.A. members in attendance. To Kim, he continued, “So for all the years you stood tall and held sh*t down for us, I wanted to see you face-to-face, and I wanted to say it in front of a bunch of people that mean something, that’s important. I apologize for things [that hurt] you or affected you or made you feel bad. I genuinely apologize. I love you from the bottom of my heart.” Cease also added that he considers his former band-mate to be his “sister for life.” The two embraced on a video captured by one of Biggie’s musical mentors, DJ Mister Cee.

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In March, Kim released the video to her latest single, “Go Awff.” Cease appeared on Faith Evans’ 2017 Biggie collaborative album, The King & I.