Queen Latifah

Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970),[2] known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, actress, model, television producer, record producer, comedian, and talk show host. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album All Hail the Queen the same year, featuring the hit single "Ladies First". Her second album, Nature of a Sista (1991), was her final album with Tommy Boy Records.

Latifah starred as Khadijah James on the FOX sitcom Living Single, from 1993 to 1998. Her third album Black Reign (1993), spawned the single "U.N.I.T.Y.", which won a Grammy Award and was successful on the Billboard Hot 100. She then starred in the lead role of Set It Off (1996) and released her fourth album, Order in the Court, in 1998, with Motown Records. Latifah gained mainstream success and acclaim with her performance in the film Chicago (2002), receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Latifah released her fifth album The Dana Owens Album in 2004, and has since appeared in a number of films, such as Bringing Down the House (2003), Taxi (2004), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2005), Beauty Shop (2005), Last Holiday (2006), Hairspray (2007) and Joyful Noise (2012). In 2007 and 2009, she released two more studio albums – Trav'lin' Light and Persona. She created the daytime talk show The Queen Latifah Show, which ran from late 2013 to early 2015 on CBS. Latifah received critical acclaim for her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO film Bessie (2015), which she co-produced, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

She has long been considered one of hip-hop's pioneer feminists.[3] Queen Latifah received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. Latifah's work in music, film and television has earned her a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, an Academy Award nomination and sales of over two million records.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Music career 2.1 1988–89: Career beginnings 2.2 1989–2002: Rap & Hip-Hop 2.3 2003–09: Change to traditional singing 2.4 2008–present: Return to Hip-Hop 3 Film and television 3.1 1991–2001: Early career 3.2 2002–present: Mainstream success 4 Artistry 5 Products and endorsements 6 Personal life 6.1 Feud with Foxy Brown 7 Legacy and influence 8 Discography 9 Tours 10 Filmography 10.1 Film 10.2 Television film 10.3 Television 11 References 12 External links

Early life
Latifah was born in Newark, New Jersey on March 18, 1970, and lived primarily in East Orange, New Jersey.[4] She is the daughter of Rita (née Bray), a teacher at Irvington High School (Latifah's alma mater) and Lancelot Owens, Sr, a police officer.[5][6][7] Her parents divorced when Latifah was ten.[7] Latifah was raised in the Baptist faith[8] and attended Catholic school in Newark, New Jersey.[9][10] Her stage name, Latifah (لطيفة laţīfa), meaning "delicate" and "very kind" in Arabic, she found in an Arabic book of names when she was eight.[7] Always a tall girl, the 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) Latifah was a power forward on her high school girls basketball team.[11][12] She performed the number "Home" from the musical The Wiz in a high school play.[13]

Music career
1988–89: Career beginnings

She started beat boxing for the hip-hop group Ladies Fresh and was an original member of the Flavor Unit, which, at that time, was a crew of MCs grouped around producer DJ King Gemini, who made a demo recording of Queen Latifah's rap Princess of the Posse. He gave the recording to Fab 5 Freddy, the host of Yo! MTV Raps. The song got the attention of Tommy Boy Music employee Dante Ross, who signed Latifah and in 1988 issued her first single, "Wrath of My Madness".

1989–2002: Rap & Hip-Hop

Latifah made her mark in hip-hop by rapping about issues of black women. Her songs covered topics including domestic violence, harassment on the streets, and relationship problems.[14] Freddy helped Latifah sign with Tommy Boy Records, which released Latifah's first album All Hail the Queen in 1989, when she was nineteen.[7] That year, she appeared as Referee on the UK label Music of Life album 1989—The Hustlers Convention (live). She received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women in 1992.[15] In 1998, co-produced by Ro Smith, now CEO of Def Ro Inc., she released her fourth hip-hop album Order in the Court, which was released by Motown Records. Latifah was also a member of the hip-hop collective Native Tongues.

2003–09: Change to traditional singing

After Order in the Court, Latifah shifted primarily to singing soul music and jazz standards, which she had used sparingly in her previous hip-hop-oriented records. In 2004, she released the soul/jazz standards The Dana Owens Album. On July 11, 2007, Latifah sang at the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as the headlining act in a live jazz concert. Before a crowd of more than 12,400, she was backed by a 10-piece live orchestra and three backup vocalists, which was billed as the Queen Latifah Orchestra. Latifah performed new arrangements of standards including "California Dreaming", first made popular by 1960s icons the Mamas & the Papas. Later in 2007, Latifah released an album titled Trav'lin' Light. Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Joe Sample, George Duke, Christian McBride, and Stevie Wonder made guest appearances.[16] It was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" category.[17]

In 2009, Latifah, along with the NJPAC Jubilation Choir,[18] recorded the title track on the album Oh, Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration, covering the song that the Edwin Hawkins Singers made popular in 1969.[19]

2008–present: Return to Hip-Hop

In 2008, Latifah was asked if she would make another hip-hop album. She was quoted saying the album was done already and it would be called "All Hail the Queen II". The following year, in 2009, she released her album Persona. The song "Cue the Rain" was released as the album's lead single. She also has a song with Missy Elliott.[20] 2011 saw Queen Latifah sing "Who Can I Turn To" in a duet with Tony Bennett for his album "Duets II".[21] In January 2012, while appearing on 106 & Park with Dolly Parton, to promote Joyful Noise, Latifah stated that she had been working on a new album.

Film and television
1991–2001: Early career

From 1993 to 1998, Latifah had a starring role on Living Single, the FOX sitcom, which gained high ratings among black audiences; she also wrote and performed its theme music. Her mother Rita played her mother on-screen. She began her film career in supporting roles in the 1991 and 1992 films House Party 2, Juice and Jungle Fever. She had her own talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, from 1999 to 2001 and revamped in 2013. On January 6, 2014, The Queen Latifah Show was renewed for a second season. However, on November 21, 2014, Sony Pictures Television canceled Queen Latifah's show due to declining ratings. Production of the series closed down, taking effect on December 18, 2014, leaving new episodes that were broadcast until March 6, 2015. She also had recurring roles during the second season (1991–1992) of the NBC hit The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She made a guest role as herself on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper in 1993. Latifah appeared in the 1996 box-office hit, Set It Off, and had a supporting role in the Holly Hunter film Living Out Loud (1998). She played the role of Thelma in the 1999 movie The Bone Collector, alongside Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

2002–present: Mainstream success

Queen Latifah performing at the "Kids Inaugural: We Are the Future" concert in 2009 Although Latifah had previously received some critical acclaim, she gained mainstream success after being cast as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago, a musical film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.[7] Latifah herself received the nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role, but lost to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones.[7] Latifah is one of three hip-hop/R&B artists to receive an Academy Award nomination in an acting category. The others are Will Smith (Best Actor, Ali, 2001, and The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006), and Jamie Foxx, (Best Actor, Ray, and Best Supporting Actor Collateral, both in 2004, also winning the first).

In 2003, she starred with Steve Martin in the film Bringing Down the House, which was a major success at the box office.[7] She also recorded a song "Do Your Thing" for the soundtrack. Since then, she has had both leading and supporting roles in a multitude of films that received varied critical and box office receptions, including films such as Scary Movie 3, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Taxi, Kung Faux, Beauty Shop, and Hairspray. In early 2006, Latifah appeared in a romantic comedy/drama entitled Last Holiday.[7] Film critic Richard Roeper stated that "this is the Queen Latifah performance I've been waiting for ever since she broke into movies".[22] Also in 2006, Latifah voiced Ellie, a friendly mammoth, in the animated film, Ice Age: The Meltdown (her first voice appearance in an animated film), and appeared in the drama Stranger Than Fiction.

The summer of 2007 brought Latifah triple success in the big-screen version of the Broadway smash hit Hairspray, in which she acted, sang, and danced. The film rated highly with critics. It starred, among others, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney, James Marsden, Christopher Walken, and Zac Efron. Also in 2007, she portrayed an HIV-positive woman in the film Life Support, a role for which she garnered her first Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and an Emmy[23] nomination. For her work, Queen Latifah received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on January 4, 2006, located at 6915 Hollywood Blvd.

Latifah produced the 2007 film The Perfect Holiday. In addition to producing the film, Latifah starred alongside Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Charles Q. Murphy, Jill Marie Jones, and Faizon Love.[24] In 2008, Latifah appeared in the crime comedy Mad Money opposite Academy Award-winner Diane Keaton as well as Katie Holmes and Ted Danson. She appeared on Saturday Night Live on October 4, 2008, as moderator Gwen Ifill in a comedic sketch depicting the vice-presidential debate between then-Senator Joe Biden and then-Governor Sarah Palin.[25] In 2009, Latifah was a presenter at the 81st Academy Awards, presenting the segment honoring film professionals who had died during 2008 and singing "I'll Be Seeing You" during the montage. Latifah spoke at Michael Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles. She also hosted the 2010 People's Choice Awards. Latifah sang America the Beautiful at Super Bowl XLIV hosted in Miami, Florida on February 7, 2010, with Carrie Underwood. Latifah hosted the 2010 BET Awards on June 27, 2010. She starred with Dolly Parton in Joyful Noise (2012).[26] In June 2011, Latifah received an honorary doctorate degree in Humane Letters from Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware. On September 16, 2013, Latifah premiered her own syndicated daytime television show titled The Queen Latifah Show.[27][28] On January 26, 2014, Latifah officiated the weddings of 33 same-sex and opposite-sex couples during a performance of "Same Love" by Macklemore at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.[29] In 2015, Latifah received a Best Actress Emmy nomination for her lead role as Bessie Smith in Bessie, an HBO film which received a total of 12 Emmy nominations.[30]

Artistry
Latifah's music usually contains hip-hop, jazz and gospel and has the elements of R&B, soul, and dance. She possesses a two-octave vocal range. Queen Latifah is a contralto, she has the ability to rap and sing. Her biggest musical influences are EPMD, KRS-One, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and Run–D.M.C..[31] She also cites Bessie Smith as one of her influences.

Products and endorsements
Latifah is a celebrity spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics, Curvation ladies underwear, Pizza Hut and Jenny Craig.[32] She represents her own line of cosmetics for women of color called the CoverGirl Queen Collection.[33] Latifah has also launched a perfume line called "Queen" and "Queen of Hearts".

Personal life
Raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Latifah has been a resident of Colts Neck, New Jersey; Rumson, New Jersey and Beverly Hills, California.[34]

Latifah's older brother, Lancelot Jr., was killed in 1992 in an accident involving a motorcycle that Latifah had recently bought him.[7] Latifah still wears the key to the motorcycle around her neck,[7] visible throughout her performance in her sitcom Living Single. She also dedicated Black Reign to him. In her 1999 autobiography, Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman, Latifah discussed how her brother's death had led to a bout of depression and drug abuse, from which she later recovered.

In 1995, Latifah was the victim of a carjacking, which also resulted in the shooting of her boyfriend, Sean Moon.[35]

In 1996, she was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a loaded handgun.[36] In 2002, she was arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles County.[37] She was placed on three years' probation after being convicted.[38]

She also works out with a trainer and kickboxes.[39]

Latifah was asked by Maya Angelou, who was unable to attend, to recite a poem written by Angelou at the memorial service for Michael Jackson in July 2009.

Feud with Foxy Brown

Disagreements between Foxy Brown and Queen Latifah ensued in mid-1996, where media reports indicated that Brown was a prime target in Latifah's diss record "Name Callin'", which was featured in the movie soundtrack Set It Off.[40] In response, Brown made allegations of Latifah "checking her out" at musical events and had even gone further to question Latifah's sexuality in various public radio interviews. In 1998, Brown released a diss record titled "10% Dis", where she continually questioned Latifah's sexuality and accused her of being jealous.[41][42]

By late spring of 1998, Latifah responded to Brown through another diss record titled, "Name Callin' Part II".[43][44] In the record, Latifah disses Brown about her heavy reliance on sex-appeal, in which she implies that Brown has to rely on skimpy outfits to hide her "half-assed flow".[43][45] Foxy Brown retaliated via a response-diss record titled "Talk to Me", in which Brown made fun of the ratings of Latifah's television talk show and went on to make various homophobic remarks to both Latifah and then–newcomer Queen Pen.[46]

A significant part of media dubbed Latifah as "the winner" of the feud.[44] Hip-hop magazine ego trip stated that Latifah won the feud with her diss record "Name Callin' Part II" and added that she showed that "the lady's still first", in reference to Latifah's 1990 single, "Ladies First".[44] In 2000, Brown and Latifah reconciled; to show truce, Brown performed her song "Na Na Be Like" on The Queen Latifah Show.[47]

Legacy and influence
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Queen Latifah

In her music career, she sold nearly 2 million records worldwide.[48][49] Queen Latifah has been dubbed as the "Queen of Jazz-Rap". She became the first female hip-hop recording artist to get nominated for an Oscar. The Root ranked her at number 35 on The Root 100 list.[50] Latifah was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2011.[51] She is a recipient of a Grammy Award, with six nominations, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, with two nominations, two NAACP Image Awards, including thirteen nominations, two Emmy Award nominations and an Academy Award nomination. Queen Latifah became an influence to R&B, soul, and hip-hop artists, such as Eve,[52] Da Brat,[53] Lil' Kim,[54] Fugees,[55] Darius Brown-Bey, Jill Scott,[56] Lauryn Hill,[57] Missy Elliott,[58] Remy Ma,[59] Ivy Queen,[60] Foxy Brown,[61] Ms. Dynamite,[62] and Naughty by Nature.[63]

Discography
Main article: Queen Latifah discography 1989: All Hail the Queen 1991: Nature of a Sista 1993: Black Reign 1998: Order in the Court 2004: The Dana Owens Album 2007: Trav'lin' Light 2009: Persona

Tours
Queen Latifah, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu joined together to create and own the rights to the Sugar Water Festival Tour, LLC. All three singers toured together, while inviting music duo Floetry in 2005 and singer Kelis in 2006 as opening acts. Comedian/actress Mo'Nique served as host for the 2006 Sugar Water Tour. Sugar Water Festival Tour (2005–06) Travlin' Light Tour (2007)

Filmography
Film

Year

Film

Role

Notes

1991 Jungle Fever Waitress 1991 House Party 2 Zora 1992 Juice Ruffhouse M.C. 1993 Who's the Man? Cameo role 1993 My Life Theresa 1996 Set It Off Cleopatra 'Cleo' Sims American Black Film Festival Award for Best Actress Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 1997 Hoodlum Sulie 1998 Living Out Loud Liz Bailey Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture 1998 Sphere Alice "Teeny" Fletcher 1999 The Bone Collector Thelma Nominated — Black Reel Award for Theatrical – Best Supporting Actress Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture 1999 Bringing Out the Dead Dispatcher Love 2002 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton BET Award for Best Actress Black Reel Awards for Theatrical – Best Supporting Actress Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Movie Breakout Star 2002 Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio Dove (English voice) 2002 Brown Sugar Francine BET Award for Best Actress Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 2002 The Country Bears Cha-Cha 2003 Scary Movie 3 Aunt Shaneequa/The Oracle 2003 Bringing Down the House Charlene Morton Producer BET Award for Best Actress NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress – Comedy Nominated — BET Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Box Office Movie Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actress Nominated — Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Missi Pyle) Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout Star – Female Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Chemistry (shared with Eugene Levy) 2004 Taxi Belle Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress 2004 The Cookout Security Guard Also producer Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress Nominated — BET Award for Outstanding Writing for a Theatrical Film 2004 Barbershop 2: Back in Business Gina Norris BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress - Comedy 2005 Beauty Shop Gina Norris Producer Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress Nominated — BET Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Theatrical Film Nominated — Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominated — Black Reel Award for Film – Best Actress Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Comedy Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Hissy Fit Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Rap Artist in a Movie 2006 Stranger than Fiction Penny Escher 2006 Ice Age: The Meltdown Ellie Voice Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress 2006 Last Holiday Georgia Byrd Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress Nominated — Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Movie – Choice Actress: Comedy Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Movies – Choice Liplock (shared with LL Cool J) 2007 Hairspray Motormouth Maybelle Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast Palm Springs International Film Festival for Ensemble Cast Award Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 2007 The Perfect Holiday Mrs. Christmas Producer Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress 2008 Mad Money Nina Brewster Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress 2008 What Happens in Vegas... Dr. Twitchell 2008 The Secret Life of Bees August Boatwright Black Reel Award for Best Actress Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 2009 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Ellie Voice role 2010 Valentine's Day Paula Thomas Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Movie Actress Romantic Comedy 2010 Just Wright Leslie Wright Producer Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actress Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Original or Adapted Song (for the song "Champion") Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Movie Actress Romantic Comedy 2011 The Dilemma Susan Warner 2012 Ice Age: Continental Drift Ellie Voice 2012 Joyful Noise Vi Rose Hill 2013 House of Bodies Nicole Executive Producer Netflix Instant Exclusive 2014 22 Jump Street Mrs. Dickson 2016 Miracles from Heaven Angela 2016 Ice Age: Collision Course Ellie Voice

Television film

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1998 Mama Flora's Family Diana 2002 Living with the Dead Midge Harmon Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2005 The Muppets' Wizard of Oz Aunt Em 2007 Life Support Ana Wallace Producer Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Lead – Drama Series or Special NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated — Prism Award for Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film 2012 Steel Magnolias M'Lynn 2015 Bessie Bessie Smith Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie (as a producer) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Miniseries or a Movie Nominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Miniseries[64] Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Pending — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film 2015 The Wiz Live! The Wiz NBC Musical based on The Wiz

Television

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1991 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Dee Dee / Marissa Redman 2 episodes 1993–1998 Living Single Khadijah James Lead Role Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (1996–98) Nominated — Blimp Award for Favorite Television Actress (1995–96) 1999–2001 The Queen Latifah Show Host Also Creator, Executive Producer 2001 Spin City Robin Jones 1 episode 2004 Eve Simone 1 episode 2004 The Fairly OddParents Pam Dromeda 1 episode 2005 47th Annual Grammy Awards Host TV Special 2008 Sweet Blackberry Presents 1 episode 2008 Entourage Herself 1 episode 2010 30 Rock Regina Bookman 2 episodes 2011–2012 Single Ladies Sharon Love Recurring; 4 episodes Also Executive Producer 2012 Let's Stay Together Bobbie 1 episode Also Executive Producer 2013–2015 The Queen Latifah Show Host Also Creator, Executive Producer 2014 Hot In Cleveland Aunt Esther Jean Johnson 1 episode 2016 Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade