How Many More Years formed his own band in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1948, billing himself as "The Howlin' Wolf". He began broadcasting on radio station KWEM in West Memphis, and was heard by Sam Phillips who signed him for Memphis Recording Service. He recorded "How Many More Years" at the MRS studio at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, in or about July 1951, singing and playing harmonica with a band comprising (probably) Ike Turner (piano), Willie Johnson (guitar), and Willie Steele (drums). The repetitious bass-string boogie line resembles the one played in the traditional blues standard "Forty-Four". The record's original A-side, "Moanin' at
How Many Licks? Kim and Sisqó, who are credited under their legal names (Kimberly Jones and Mark Andrews). Sisqó wrote the song's hook and contributed verses. The vocals were recorded by Dave Wade and Stephen Dent at Daddy's House Recording Studios in New York City and Trans Continental Studios in Orlando, with Ed Raso mixing the audio. "How Many Licks?" was released as the second single from Lil' Kim's second album, "The Notorious K.I.M." (2000), as a 12-inch single and CD single by Atlantic Records and Queen Bee Entertainment. A remix by American production duo the Neptunes was also made available, with vocals