The 2026 Rising festival in Melbourne will feature renowned rapper Lil’ Kim as its headliner, along with other performances including that of performance artist Florentina Holzinger and the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale. Lil’ Kim, celebrated for her groundbreaking contributions to hip-hop, last performed in Australia back in 2011. Her 1996 debut album 'Hard Core' will be acknowledged this year as it marks its 30th anniversary, alongside her other significant work, 'The Notorious KIM'.

Hannah Fox, the festival's artistic director, expressed enthusiasm over Lil’ Kim's upcoming performance, emphasizing her influence on contemporary female rappers and the genre as a whole. Fox noted that Lil' Kim's pioneering and provocative style paved the way for many artists who have followed, implying that the current landscape of female artists in hip-hop owes much to the trail blazed by Lil’ Kim in the 1990s. Fox even suggested that the cultural impact of Lil' Kim's work can be seen in modern tracks such as 'WAP'.

The Rising festival, occurring in Melbourne’s winter, highlights diverse artistic expressions, and featuring Lil' Kim is part of a broader strategy to celebrate iconic figures in the music industry. Lil' Kim’s return is anticipated not only as a showcase of her enduring talent but also as a celebration of her role in shaping the feminine narrative in a predominantly male-dominated genre.