Marissa redman biography rappers

American rapper and actress (born 1970)

"Latifah" redirects here. For annoy uses, see Latifa (disambiguation).

For interpretation 2024 Nigerian drama film, mark Queen Lateefah.

Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American doorknocker, singer, and actress.

She has received various accolades, including excellent Grammy Award, a Primetime Honor Award, a Golden Globe Furnish, three Screen Actors Guild Acclaim, and two NAACP Image Fame, in addition to a recommendation for an Academy Award. Hub 2006, she became the eminent hip hop artist to hire a star on the Flavor Walk of Fame.

At vanguard 19, Latifah released her opening album All Hail the Queen (1989), featuring the hit only "Ladies First".

Her second recording Nature of a Sista' (1991), was produced by Tommy Immaturity Records. Her third album, Black Reign (1993), became the control album by a solo feminine rapper to receive a gilded certification from the Recording Assiduity Association of America (RIAA),^[3] bear spawned the single "U.N.I.T.Y.", which was influential in raising perceive of violence against women direct the objectification of Black mortal sexuality.^[4] The track reached authority top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and won topping Grammy Award.

Her fourth release Order in the Court (1998), was released with Motown Chronicles. She has since released ethics albums The Dana Owens Album (2004), Trav'lin' Light (2007), nearby Persona (2009).

Latifah starred gorilla Khadijah James on the Violently sitcom Living Single from 1993 to 1998 and landed a- leading role in the walkout film Set It Off (1996).

She created the daytime dissertation show The Queen Latifah Show, which ran from 1999 rescue 2001, and again from 2013 to 2015, in syndication. Kill portrayal of Matron "Mama" Jazzman in the musical film Chicago (2002) received a nomination be selected for the Academy Award for Defeat Supporting Actress.

She has extremely starred or co-starred in illustriousness films Bringing Down the House (2003), Taxi (2004), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2005), Beauty Shop (2005), Last Holiday (2006), Hairspray (2007), Joyful Noise (2012), 22 Jump Street (2014), spell Girls Trip (2017); and on the assumption that voice work in the Ice Age film series.^[5]

Latifah received disparaging acclaim for her portrayal illustrate blues singer Bessie Smith accent the HBO film Bessie (2015), which she co-produced, winning high-mindedness Primetime Emmy Award for Omitted Television Movie.

From 2016 extremity 2019, she starred as Carlotta Brown in the musical scene series Star. In 2020, she portrayed Hattie McDaniel in grandeur miniseries Hollywood. Since 2021, she has held the lead job on CBS's revival of picture action drama The Equalizer.

Early life

Dana Elaine Owens was exclusive in Newark, New Jersey, oddity March 18, 1970, and flybynight primarily in East Orange, Different Jersey.

She is the bird of Rita Lamae (née Bray; d. 2018),^[6] a teacher shipshape Irvington High School (Dana's alma mater), and Lancelot Amos Athlete, a police officer.^[7][8][9] Her parents divorced when she was ten.^[10]

She was raised in the Baptistic faith.^[11] She attended Catholic college in Newark, New Jersey^[12][13] ride Essex Catholic Girls' High College in Irvington but graduated distance from Irvington High School.^[14][15][10] After revitalization school, she attended classes immaculate Borough of Manhattan Community College.^[16]

She found her stage name, Latifah (لطيفةlaṭīfa), meaning "delicate" and "very kind" in Arabic, in shipshape and bristol fashion book of Arabic names while in the manner tha she was eight.^[10] Always lanky, the 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) Dana was a power forward on troop high school basketball team.^[17][18] She performed the number "Home" evade the musical The Wiz wear a grammar school play.^[19]

Music career

1988–1989: Career beginnings

She began beat enclosure for the hip-hop group Creme de la creme Fresh and was an innovative member of the Flavor Part, which, at that time, was a crew of MCs classified around producer DJ King Mortal.

DJ King Gemini made splendid demo recording of Queen Latifah's rap song Princess of depiction Posse, which he gave redo Fab 5 Freddy, the still of Yo! MTV Raps. Goodness song got the attention announcement Tommy Boy Music employee Poet Ross, who signed Latifah subject in 1989 released her chief single, "Wrath of My Madness".

More recent artists, like Thoughtful Cube and Lil' Kim, would go on to sample Latifah's track in their songs "You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo" and "Wrath of Kim's Madness" respectively in later years. Latifah has a two-octave vocal range.^[20] She is considered a alto, with the ability to both rap and sing.^[20]

1989–2002: Rap tell hip-hop

Latifah made her mark tag hip-hop by rapping about issues black women face.

She wrote songs about topics including residential violence, street harassment, and nervous relationships.^[21] Freddy helped Latifah notice with Tommy Boy Records, which released Latifah's first album All Hail the Queen in 1989, when she was nineteen.^[10] Lapse year, she appeared as Arbitrator on the UK label Concerto of Life album 1989 – The Hustlers Convention (live).

She received cool Candace Award from the Civil Coalition of 100 Black Detachment in 1992.^[22] The single "Ladies First" featuring Monie Love became the first collaborative track overstep two female rappers not hostage a group.^[23] In 1993, she released the album Black Reign, which was certified Gold amusement the United States^[24] and attain the Grammy Award-winning song "U.N.I.T.Y." In 1998, co-produced by Ro Smith, now CEO of Chillin` Ro Inc., she released in sync fourth hip-hop album Order direction the Court, which was free by Motown Records.

Latifah was also a member of position hip-hop collective Native Tongues.

Latifah performed in the Super Wheel XXXIIhalftime show, making her character first rapper to do so.^[25]

2003–2009: Change to traditional singing

After Order in the Court, Latifah shifted primarily to singing soul refrain and jazz standards, which she had used sparingly in attendant previous hip-hop-oriented records.

In 2004, she released the soul/jazz principles The Dana Owens Album. Contend July 11, 2007, Latifah intone at the famed Hollywood Wheel in Los Angeles as ethics headlining act in a be present jazz concert. In front jurisdiction a crowd of more more willingly than 12,400, she was backed saturate a 10-piece live orchestra deed three backup vocalists, which was billed as the Queen Latifah Orchestra.

Latifah performed new visa of standards including "California Dreaming", first made popular by Decade icons the Mamas & honourableness Papas. Later in 2007, Latifah released an album titled Trav'lin' Light. Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Joe Sample, George Duke, Christianly McBride, and Stevie Wonder finished guest appearances.^[26] The album was nominated for a Grammy have as a feature the "Best Traditional Pop Voiced articulate Album" category.^[27]

In 2009, Latifah, well ahead with the NJPAC Jubilation Choir,^[28] recorded the title track outcome the album Oh, Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration, haze the song that the King Hawkins Singers made popular attach importance to 1969.^[29]

2008–present: Return to hip-hop

In 2008, Latifah was asked if she would make another hip-hop stamp album.

She was quoted stating turn the album was done by that time and it would be labelled 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.^[30] 2011 saw Emperor Latifah sing "Who Can Farcical Turn To" in a saltation with Tony Bennett for realm album Duets II.^[31] In Jan 2012, while appearing on 106 & Park with Dolly Parton, to promote Joyful Noise, Latifah stated that she had archaic working on a new sticker album.

Film and television

1991–2001: Early career

She began her film career beside having supporting roles in influence 1991 and 1992 films House Party 2, Juice and Jungle Fever. Moreover, she has caller starred in two episodes all along the second season (1991–1992) advance the NBC hit The Advanced Prince of Bel-Air and difficult to understand a guest role as myself on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr.

Cooper in 1993. From 1993 to 1998, Latifah had a starring role figurative Living Single, the FOX sitcom, which gained high ratings middle black audiences; she also wrote and performed its theme tune. Her mother Rita played team up mother on-screen. Latifah appeared speck the 1996 box-office hit, Set It Off, and had grand supporting role in the Songster Hunter film Living Out Loud (1998).

She played the r“le of Thelma in the 1999 movie The Bone Collector, conjoin Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. She also had her impish talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, from 1999 to 2001 and revamped in 2013. Outlook January 6, 2014, The Ruler Latifah Show was renewed foothold a second season. However, scrutiny November 21, 2014, Sony Cinema Television canceled Latifah's show naughty to declining ratings.

Production near the series closed down, winsome effect on December 18, 2014, leaving new episodes that were broadcast until March 6, 2015.

2002–present: Mainstream success

Although Latifah challenging previously received some critical plaudit, she gained mainstream success puzzle out being cast as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago, a mellifluous film that won the School Award for Best Picture.^[10] Latifah herself received the nomination consign Best Supporting Actress for assimilation role, but lost to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones.^[10] Latifah is given of five hip-hop/R&B artists cause to feel receive an Academy Award prison term in an acting category.

Position others are Will Smith (Best Actor, Ali, 2001, and The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006), Jennifer Hudson (Best Supporting Actress, Dreamgirls, 2007), Jamie Foxx, (Best Artiste, Ray, and Best Supporting Phenomenon Collateral, both in 2004, very winning the first) and Traditional J. Blige (Best Supporting Participant, Mudbound, 2017).

In 2003, she starred with Steve Martin beckon the film Bringing Down rank House, which was a larger success at the box office.^[10] She also recorded a concert "Do Your Thing" for integrity soundtrack. Since then, she has had both leading and enduring roles in a multitude support films that received varied fault-finding and box office receptions, with films such as Scary Coat 3, Barbershop 2: Back move Business, Taxi, Kung Faux, Beauty Shop, and Hairspray.

In mistimed 2006, Latifah appeared in fastidious romantic comedy/drama entitled Last Holiday.^[10] Film critic Richard Roeper confirmed that "this is the Ruler Latifah performance I've been dawdling for ever since she impoverished into movies".^[32] Also in 2006, Latifah voiced Ellie, a convivial mammoth, in the animated crust, Ice Age: The Meltdown (her first voice appearance in arrive animated film), and appeared sediment the drama Stranger Than Fiction.

The summer of 2007 on one\'s knees Latifah triple success in interpretation big-screen version of the Level smash hit Hairspray, in which she acted, sang, and danced. The film rated highly come together critics. It starred, among leftovers, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney, James Marsden, Christopher Walken, and Zac Efron.

Also smudge 2007, she portrayed an HIV-positive woman in the film Life Support, a role for which she garnered her first Joyous Globe Award, Screen Actors Order Award and an Emmy^[33] appointment. For her work, Queen Latifah received a star on illustriousness Hollywood Walk of Fame, inclination January 4, 2006, located favor 6915 Hollywood Blvd.

Queen Latifah produced the 2007 film The Perfect Holiday. In addition be producing the film, Latifah asterisked alongside Terrence Howard, Morris Brick, Gabrielle Union, Charles Q. Potato, Jill Marie Jones, and Faizon Love.^[34] In 2008, Latifah arised 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, slightly moderator Gwen Ifill in top-notch comedic sketch depicting the vice-presidential debate between then-Senator Joe Biden and then-Governor Sarah Palin^[35] spell played in The Secret Progress of Bees. In 2009, Latifah was a presenter at righteousness 81st Academy Awards, presenting position segment honoring film professionals who had died during 2008 gleam singing "I'll Be Seeing You" during the montage.

Latifah rundle at Michael Jackson's memorial attack in Los Angeles. She likewise hosted the 2010 People's Over Awards. Latifah sang "America loftiness Beautiful" at Super Bowl Cardinal hosted in Miami, Florida, forgery February 7, 2010, with Carrie Underwood. Latifah hosted the 2010 BET Awards on June 27, 2010. She starred with Doll Parton in Joyful Noise (2012).^[36] In June 2011, Latifah normal an honorary doctorate degree remodel Humane Letters from Delaware Do up University in Dover, Delaware.

Wave September 16, 2013, Latifah premiered her own syndicated daytime bustle show titled The Queen Latifah Show.^[37][38] On January 26, 2014, Latifah officiated the weddings hold sway over 33 same-sex and opposite-sex couples during a performance of "Same Love" by Macklemore at probity 56th Annual Grammy Awards.^[39] Sound 2015, Latifah received a Preeminent Actress Emmy nomination for be a foil for lead role as Bessie Economist in Bessie, an HBO fell which received a total match 12 Emmy nominations.^[40]

On April 26, 2017, MTV announced that Latifah will be an executive creator for the third season be in command of the slasher television series Scream.

The show will undergo systematic reboot with a new earmark and Brett Matthews serving chimpanzee show runner. In addition, Matthews, Shakim Compere and Yaneley Assemblage will also be credited monkey executive producers for the apartment under Flavor Unit Entertainment.^[41][42] Observer June 24, 2019, it was confirmed that the third patch is scheduled to premiere duck three nights on VH1, model from July 8, 2019.

Honesty third season titled Scream: Resurrection premiered on July 8, 2019.^[43]

Latifah played the sea witch Ursula in The Little Mermaid Live!. Although the production itself was not well received, critics wide praised Latifah's performance,^[44][45] with The Hollywood Reporter calling her program "the best moment of greatness evening".^[46]

In 2021, CBS premiered nobility new active TV series, The Equalizer, a reboot of probity 1980s detective series of character same name, starring Latifah gratify the lead role (renamed reorganization Robyn for her version).^[47] Statesman recently, she signed a give the impression with Audible.^[48]

Artistry

Latifah's music usually contains hip-hop, jazz and gospel nearby has the elements of R&B, soul, and dance.

She possesses a two-octave vocal range. Queen mother Latifah is a contralto, other she has the ability coalesce rap and sing. Her water musical influences are EPMD, KRS-One, LL Cool J, Public Combatant, and Run–D.M.C.^[49] She also cites Bessie Smith as one carryon her influences.^[50]

Al Hail the Queen features hip-hop, reggae, soulful assisting vocals, boppishscatting, snappy horn back-ups, and house music.

She designated the work as "a ingenious outlet... and sometimes it pot become like a newspaper dump people read with their ears."^[51]

Early in her career, Queen Latifah's lyrics were described as woman-centered and Afrocentric. The rapper ofttimes used Afrocentric attires during overwhelm appearances and music videos, appearance that became her trademark.^[52] Direct 1990, The New York Times' Michelle Wallace described her theory as "politically sophisticated", which "seems worlds apart from the youth, buffoonish sex orientation of cap rap."^[53] For AllMusic, her "strong, intelligent, no-nonsense" persona made prepare "arguably the first MC who could properly be described whilst feminist".^[3] Queen Latifah did arrange identify as a feminist weightiness the time, and expressed stroll her music was not unique for the female audience.^[54] Exact the topic, author Tricia Crimson wrote that Black female rappers likely did not identify proper feminism during that time for it was perceived as spruce movement that focused primarily take into account white women's issues.^[55]

Products and endorsements

Latifah is a celebrity spokesperson purport CoverGirl cosmetics, Curvation women's undergarment, Pizza Hut, and Jenny Craig.^[56] She represents her own identify of cosmetics for women advance color called the CoverGirl King Collection.^[57] Latifah has also launched a perfume line called "Queen" and "Queen of Hearts".

Problem May 23, 2018, Latifah was named the godmother of Celebration Cruise Lines' vessel Carnival Compass. Apart from singing, Queen Latifah has written a book construction confidence and self-respect called Ladies First: Revelations of a Pungent Woman.^[58]

Personal life

Raised in East River, New Jersey, Latifah has archaic a resident of Colts Zip up, New Jersey; Rumson, New Jersey; and Beverly Hills, California.^[59]

Latifah's senior brother, Lancelot Jr., was attach in 1992 in an protrude involving a motorcycle that Latifah had purchased for him.^[10] Neat 2006 interview revealed that Latifah still wore the key censure the motorcycle around her neck,^[10] visible throughout her performance bind her sitcom Living Single.

On the run 1995, Latifah was the sufferer dupe of a carjacking, which as well resulted in the shooting countless her boyfriend, Sean Moon.^[60]

In 1996, she was arrested and live with possession of marijuana delighted possession of a loaded handgun.^[61] In 2002, she was seize for driving under the faculty in Los Angeles County.^[62] She was placed on three years' probation after being convicted.^[63]

On Parade 21, 2018, her mother, entertainer Rita Owens, died due just about heart failure, an issue she had been battling since 2004.^[64]

Latifah long refused to address theory around her sexuality and out-of-the-way life, telling The New Royalty Times in 2008 that "I don't feel like I require to share my personal growth, and I don't care assuming people think I'm gay skin texture not".^[65] At the BET Laurels 2021, during her acceptance discourse for the Lifetime Achievement Purse, she publicly acknowledged her significant other Eboni Nichols and son Disobey for the first time, occurrence the speech with "Happy Pride!"^[66]

In the January 2020 season 6, episode 4 of Finding Your Roots titled "This Land Deference My Land", Latifah learned divagate her family were descended spread a line of freed Negroes, since her ancestors were catalogued by name in the U.S.

pre–Civil War census of 1860 in Virginia.^[67] Slaves were seemingly never listed by name assume pre–U.S. Civil War censuses. Latifah also learned the exact day her ancestors became free which was October 1, 1792, prestige date her second earliest become public ancestor, a woman named "Jug" or Juggy Owens, was gratuitous from slavery.^[68]

Feud with Foxy Brown

Disagreements between Foxy Brown and Queen consort Latifah began in mid-1996, at media reports indicated that Heat was a prime target admire Latifah's diss record "Name Callin'", which was featured on influence Set It Off soundtrack.^[69] Remit response, Brown made allegations be more or less Latifah "checking her out" bear out musical events and further difficult Latifah's sexuality in various get around radio interviews.

In 1998, Browned released a diss record aristocratic "10% Dis", where she day out questioned Latifah's sexuality and culprit her of being jealous.^[70][71]

By entire spring of 1998, Latifah responded to Brown through another affront record titled "Name Callin' Pinnacle II".^[72][73] On the record, Latifah disses Brown about her dense reliance on sex appeal, detect which she implies that Chromatic has to rely on insufficient outfits to hide her "half-assed flow".^[72][74] Foxy Brown retaliated past a response-diss record titled "Talk to Me", in which Browned made fun of the ratings of Latifah's television talk display and went on to put a label on various homophobic remarks to both Latifah and then-newcomer Queen Pen.^[75]

A significant part of media entitled Latifah "the winner" of nobility feud.^[73] Hip-hop magazine Ego Trip stated that Latifah won loftiness feud with her diss document "Name Callin' Part II" stomach added that she showed mosey "the lady's still first", restrict reference to Latifah's 1990 unmarried, "Ladies First".^[73] In 2000, Embrown and Latifah reconciled; to destroy that the truce was transpire, Brown performed her song "Na Na Be Like" on The Queen Latifah Show.^[76]

Legacy

Music

Often cited pass for one of the best ladylike rappers,^[77] Queen Latifah achieved innovative success^[78] in the late Decade and early 1990s, and became what Pitchfork considered as representation "most recognizable female rapper" wages the golden era of ask hop.^[79]AllMusic writer Steve Huey described that Latifah was "certainly call for the first female rapper, however she was the first put off to become a bona fide star."^[3] In the book Notable Black American Women, Jessie Carney Smith hailed her as "rap's first feminist" and "one liberation the few women to mark a mark in the male-dominated field of rap music".^[80]Variety entitled her "one of the older forerunners for women in latest hip-hop,"^[81] and The Guardian referred to her as a "pioneer of female rap".^[82]

Throughout her job, several media publications have referred to her as the "Queen of Rap"^[51][83][84] including New York magazine (1990) via editor Dinitia Smith,^[80] as well as "Queen of Hip Hop".^{[83][82][85][52]} Latifah became the first solo female doorknocker to receive a RIAA confirmation for an album (Black Reign), a commercial breakthrough that goodness AllMusic editor considered as creating a path for "a masterful crew of women rappers perfect make their own way be given the charts as the 90s progressed".^[3] Her breakthrough also helped place New Jersey on justness hip hop map.^[52] In 1998, she performed in the Master Bowl XXXIIhalftime show, making torment the first rapper to strength so.^[25]

According to an African Denizen Review journal, her afrocentric crusader music video for "Ladies First" presented a "televisual moment" obtain disrupted the continuity of classism and racism that dominated depiction music videos at the time.^[86] The song was listed survey the Rock and Roll Engross of Fame's 500 Songs Turn Shaped Rock and Roll,^[87] concentrate on was one of the firsts texts to address the deteriorating standards of male-female relationships call in community life.^[55] Author Tricia Red expressed that it "offered rap for the development of pro-female pro-black diasporas political consciousness."^[55] Fashionable Consequence, Okla Jones noted wander the song "U.N.I.T.Y."—which lyrics contrast slurs against women in rap culture and address other types of disrespect—created a path nurture future female rappers to put in writing "their authentic selves".^[88]

Acting

Vibe magazine has noted her as the pass with flying colours female rapper to cross camouflage into TV & film,^[89] variety an artist that "broke barriers and set standards" for Swarthy women in music to get the message, and cited her as character "First Lady of Hip-Hop".^[23] Be after her performance as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago, Latifah justified a nomination for the Institution Award for Best Supporting Sportswoman, becoming the first woman slot in hip hop to earn play down Oscar nomination.^[90]

Cultural impact

Queen Latifah has been cited as an claim on R&B, soul, and rap artists, such as Eve,^[91]Da Brat,^[92]Lil' Kim,^[93]Fugees,^[94]Jill Scott,^[95]Lauryn Hill,^[96]Missy Elliott,^[97]Remy Ma,^[98]Ivy Queen,^[99]Foxy Brown,^[100]Ms.

Dynamite,^[101]Naughty by Nature,^[102]Rapsody,^[103]Megan Thee Stallion,^[104] as well primate actors Michael K. Williams,^[105]Keke Palmer,^[106]Vin Diesel,^[107] and author Jason Reynolds.^[108]

Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda has stated defer Latifah inspired the portrayal care Angelica Schuyler in the harmonious Hamilton.^[109] In 2020, Vogue columnist Janelle Okwodu considered her well-ordered fashion icon that "helped pare start a conversation about entity image that continues to that day", crediting her among depiction first artists that pioneered dignity "climate of size inclusivity arm muses of all shapes".^[110]

Influence as regards the entertainment industry

Challenging Eurocentric standards

Queen Latifah has demonstrated several forms of activism over her natural life, challenging Eurocentric ideals and on the side of the black, female body.

Principally initial sign of the reiterate of her resistance to these Eurocentric standards started with collect name. Her entire name was self-chosen, and while 'Latifah' came from an Arabic book, 'Queen' originated from her desire knock off create a strong, black sameness, which was fueled by in sync mother, Rita Owens, who gave her the foundation to better into a self-proclaimed Queen.^[111]

Afrocentric Queendom is a concept that Sovereign Latifah uses to demonstrate repel resistance to Eurocentric standards.

That term, Afrocentric Queendom, refers assail African centered customs that besides incorporate female empowerment. Eurocentric constructions are challenged by this construct because Afrocentrism deconstructs oppressive environments, essentially disrupting centralized European spaces.^[111] The notion of the title Queen was intentionally crafted brush aside Latifah, redefining what plus trim down, black women were in kingdom.

Over the twentieth century, loftiness term ‘mammy’ coincided with grey women because many were nautical port to take care of pale children. This term stripped repeat black women around this stretch of their name, forcing them to adopt the new smooth of ‘mammy.'^[112] Following the outflow of this term, African Indweller women have been stereotyped owing to mothering figures, while also warning sign a loss of identity.^[112] That is what Queen Latifah recognized to avoid when creating mix stage name, with the scrounging of opposing the Eurocentric paraphrase of the term mammy.

Integrity sole idea of her decision her name imitates power crucial promotes strength within herself.^[113]

Latifah as well rejects Eurocentric standards by defence Afrocentric ideals and incorporating that concept within her work. She claims that Afrocentricity is far-out great way of living, creating a sense of pride be friendly her heritage.^[113] Within her congregation, Latifah incorporates Afrobeats and make conversation while also centering black squad within her lyrics and proffering.

This can be clearly determinate in her 1989 ‘Ladies First’ opus video, to where South Person culture is present in arrangement work, which included Afrocentric show and clothes that align culturally with South Africa.^[113]

The idea mimic the black, female body has been criticized and mocked, introduce well as being imitated go bad the past couple of decades by celebrities.

Queen Latifah, span plus sized, black woman has continued to challenge Eurocentric cryptogram by advocating for body incontrovertibility and incorporating her size orangutan a part of her theme identity within her early Friendship Hop career. Her goal was to politicize and posterize deduct body to influence young, swart girls that all bodies requisite be accepted, especially in multifarious male dominated field at nobleness time.^[111] Throughout her early vitality, Latifah challenged the Eurocentric folklore of the inferiority of swart, female bodies, by creating keen marketable figure that was honest within the Hip Hop elbow grease in the mid-1990s.

Queen Latifah didn't always center Africanness go ahead her career, eventually embracing betterquality Black American customs, while crowd together completely abandoning African ideals. That was present through her sublunary appearance and her music. Intimate her 1993 rap song, U.N.I.T.Y. she incorporates more jazz suggest soul sounds into her opus, as well as empowering lyrics.^[111] Her lyrics address concerns with reference to harassment and domestic violence viscera the black community, as be a triumph as lyrics to uplift smoky women, and lyrics that sermon misogyny within the hip catch in flagrante community.^[114]

Early influence of feminism

While Afrocentric influence and pro-black productions were what Queen Latifah focused reveal, she also incorporated feminism during the whole of her work.

Latifah's demonstration place Afrocentricity co-existed with how she also demonstrated her feminism. Ethics message of hip hop with rap began to change turn the mid-nineties, with rappers adoration Queen Latifah, as well orang-utan Monie Love and Lil' Skate, changing the narrative. The barney of the songs produced alongside several of these women allied to sexual liberation, female freedom, and sexual domination.^[115] Language beckon hip hop was changed system female artists, reclaiming derogatory dustup that are used against body of men and incorporating them within their music.

Queen Latifah's name, spell self-empowering and challenging Eurocentric upright, also demonstrates feminist action. Greatness term "queen" refers to span female ruler who is impossible to tell apart a higher position than those around her. By placing "Queen" in her stage name, Latifah set herself in a glance to counter sexist ideals pry open the hip-hop and rap melody industry, which was primarily immersed in by men during this time.^[115]

While there were several women, love Latifah, who associated with effort, there were several women who rejected the idea of full this into their artistry advantage to negative connotations of that movement.

Involvement with feminism could adversely affect their career, particularly if the idea of movement is rejected by people who dominate the music industry. Queen mother Latifah was not a beau in this situation, subtly embodying third-wave feminism within her disagreement, which specifically addressed the counting of women of color guess feminism and the elimination acquire homophobia.^[115]

Flavor Unit Records

Latifah also supported a production company, which was referred to as Flavor Equip Records, eventually Flavor Unit Good time, co-launching it in 1995 give up her business partner Shakim Compere.^[116] Near the creation of that label, she helped several artists create their music, such introduce Daddy D.

Daddy D was Latifah's first artist to construct a single with. Her based on reason was to create a footage company that operates at entire service. Several music artists destiny the time wanted to combine Queen Latifah's label because they easily identified her success, diverge an artist herself, to graceful self made label chief.^[116] Goodness label remained quite small middle the nineties, but eventually gained traction as Queen Latifah gained more attention.

While her slope label helped several artists produce up their career, she remained at Motown Records for scratch own benefit.^[116]

Portrayal of characters

Queen Latifah expanded her career from masterpiece, branching out to acting, gorilla well as producing. Her principal role that she took take a breather was in the movie Wilderness Fever, which was released interior 1991, where she performed halfway several significant black actors, much as Samuel L.

Jackson present-day Halle Berry. Her role up-to-date this movie was not bigger, but displayed her overall ability enough in the film. She later moved to entertainment importune, starring and co-producing certain episodes of the show Living One and only.

Living Single

Queen Latifah was rank star of her own sitcom, which followed her character, Khadijah James, and three of foil black, female friends.

This sitcom that aired for three period aimed to highlight the Sooty American experience by demonstrating Grimy excellence.^[117] Latifah's character is affirmed to embody what black lion\'s share was in the early 1890s. Her character was well annulate and represented the idea go in for a ‘girl boss’ was.

Criticize this all black cast, ethics possibilities for characters to remark presented in a variety conclusion ways were endless. Some signs, such as Maxine Shaw, assumed by Erika Alexander, were delineate as lawyers, while others were depicted as wealthy, such significance Regine Hunter, played by Trail away Fields. Khadijah was everything get round a business owner, to neat as a pin songwriter, to a friend, wrestle while maintaining the lead put it on in the show.

Depth reprove duality behind black characters relations sitcoms within the nineties was not very common outside advance Black Entertainment Television (BET), middling it was quite significant nominate television when Queen Latifiah took on such an important conduct yourself. With the help of Chief Latifah, Yvette Lee Bowser, character executive producer and creator, was actively changing the perception perceive Black Americans, painting a in mint condition light on the Black experience.^[117]  

Through her performance show results the show, Latifah showed nobleness complexity of Black womanhood famously.

There were several parallels ramble were identified between Living Free and Queen Latifah's life, specified as how both she become peaceful her character had to voyage a male-dominated industry while hard to be successful.^[118] Their personalities also align, both being frank, confident, and driven. Latifah at the end of the day depicted a black woman setback television by simply acting despite the fact that herself on Living Single.

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Early influence of concupiscence in entertainment (before the 2000s)

Queen Latifah's sexuality has always into question through her on-screen performances. In one of have time out films, 1996's Set It Off, she takes on a make more complicated masculine role. Cleopatra Sims (Cleo), Latifah's character, can be affirmed as a butch, lesbian cache robber, which highlighted her sexuality.^[118] She was so successful decide playing this masculine role, lose concentration rumors about her sexuality in motion spreading.^[118] In the early rise of her career, Latifah chose not to address the rumors regarding her sexuality, letting goodness public categorize her in their own way.

Queen Latifah's uncertainty played to her strengths just as acting, allowing her to receive versatile roles and not transform into constrained to certain acting roles because of her off make known sexuality.^[118] This can be definite in many of her succeeding films in her career, show a range of either oversexualized characters or sexually muted signs.

The distance Queen Latifah begeted from assumptions about her concupiscence in her early career undesirable her from any queer dissertation throughout the nineties.^[119] Her wonder in offhanded politics and pro-black work productions helped define haunt work, while her sexuality frank not affect her work, apparent on.^[119]

Accolades

Main article: List of credit and nominations received by Sovereign Latifah

Queen Latifah became the crowning female hip-hop recording artist find time for get nominated for an Laurels.

In 2003, Queen Latifah was awarded Artist of the Yr by Harvard Foundation.^[120] In 2006, Latifah became the first rap artist to receive a celestial on the Hollywood Walk presentation Fame,^[121] and was also inducted into the New Jersey Appearance of Fame in 2011.^[122] Count on her music career, Queen Latifah has sold nearly 2 bomb albums in the US.^[123][124]The Root ranked her at number 35 on The Root 100 list.^[125] In 2017, American Black Tegument casing Festival honored Latifah with nobleness Entertainment Icon award.^[126] In 2018, she received an honorary Medic of Fine Arts Degree by way of the Rutgers University.^[127] In 2019, Harvard University awarded the Powerless.

E. B. Du Bois Accolade to Queen Latifah for traditional contributions.^[128] In 2023, Queen Latifah's debut album All Hail high-mindedness Queen, was added into goodness Library of Congress'sNational Recording Register, making it the earliest warm rap recording to enter excellence National Recording Registry,^[129] and indebted her the second female rap recording artist to have foil music included after Lauryn Hill;^[130][131] however some outlets incorrectly in the air her as the first come close to accomplish the feat.^[132][133]

She is unornamented recipient of a Grammy Trophy haul from six nominations, a Prosperous Globe Award, two Screen Thrust Guild Awards from five nominations, two NAACP Image Awards raid thirteen nominations, one Primetime Laurels Award from three nominations, crucial an Academy Award nomination.

Clear up 2021, she received the Gamble Lifetime Achievement Award, and was the first rapper, female down in the mouth male, to be so awarded.^[134] In 2023, she became magnanimity first female rapper to breed a Kennedy Center honoree.^[135][136]

Discography

Main article: Queen Latifah discography

Studio albums

Tours

Latifah, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu married to create and own excellence rights to the Sugar Aqua Festival Tour, LLC.

All singers toured together while grisly music duo Floetry in 2005 and singer Kelis in 2006 as opening acts. Comedian/actress Mo'Nique served as host for excellence 2006 Sugar Water Tour.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Producer

Video games

References