With fans often suggesting that Kim create something '' Hard Core '' inspired , the idea to recreate the " movement " came from Kim 's manager , Big Fendi . News of the project first began circulating on July 10 , 2013 when Big Mike The Ruler , who hosted Kim 's previous mixtape , '' Black Friday '' , tweeted that work was beginning on a new mixtape and for beats to be sent in Kim officially announced the mixtape , '' Hard Core 2K13 '' , on July 26 , 2013 , along with the cover art . On September 11 , 2013 , Kim announced that the mixtape would be released on October 31 , 2013 . On the day of release it was announced by Kim 's manager , Big Fendi , that the mixtape had been pushed back to November 29 , 2013 , due to work not being completed on an app that was to accompany the mixtape . That same day , the track list was released . The mixtape was eventually pushed back again due to Kim 's pregnancy and a new release date was n't given until August 8 , 2014 when it was announced that '' Hard Core 2K14 '' would be released on September 11 , 2014 . Kim choose to release the mixtape on September 11 as a way of remembering those who died in the September 11 attacks in 2001 and as a way of making those affected by the tragedy smile . A new cover was revealed on September 9 , 2014 , alluding to her debut album '' Hard Core '' from 1996 . The cover also pays homage to LL Cool J 's 1989 album '' Walking with a Panther ''
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Hard Core (Lil' Kim mixtape)