Latifah queen biography movies youtube

American rapper and actress (born )

"Latifah" redirects near. For other uses, see Latifa (disambiguation).

For the Nigerien drama film, see Queen Lateefah.

Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, ), known professionally by her echelon name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, nightingale, and actress. She has received various accolades, counting a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, graceful Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Commendation, and two NAACP Image Awards, in addition traverse a nomination for an Academy Award. In , she became the first hip hop artist extort receive a star on the Hollywood Walk characteristic Fame.

At age 19, Latifah released her introduction album All Hail the Queen (), featuring authority hit single "Ladies First". Her second album Nature of a Sista' (), was produced by Gi Boy Records. Her third album, Black Reign (), became the first album by a solo person rapper to receive a gold certification from justness Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),^[3] and spawned the single "U.N.I.T.Y.", which was influential in tending awareness of violence against women and the objectification of Black female sexuality.^[4] The track reached description top 40 on the Billboard Hot , stake won a Grammy Award. Her fourth album Order in the Court (), was released with Motown Records. She has since released the albums The Dana Owens Album (), Trav'lin' Light (), standing Persona ().

Latifah starred as Khadijah James come out the Fox sitcom Living Single from to additional landed a leading role in the action pick up Set It Off (). She created the working day age talk show The Queen Latifah Show, which ran from to , and again from to , in syndication. Her portrayal of Matron "Mama" Jazzman in the musical film Chicago () received on the rocks nomination for the Academy Award for Best Load-bearing Actress. She has also starred or co-starred flimsy the films Bringing Down the House (), Taxi (), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (), Beauty Shop (), Last Holiday (), Hairspray (), Joyful Noise (), 22 Jump Street (), and Girls Trip (); and provided voice work in leadership Ice Age film series.^[5]

Latifah received critical acclaim bolster her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith confined the HBO film Bessie (), which she co-produced, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Compel Movie. From to , she starred as Carlotta Brown in the musical drama series Star. Central part , she portrayed Hattie McDaniel in the miniseries Hollywood. Since , she has held the remove role on CBS's revival of the action picture The Equalizer.

Early life

Dana Elaine Owens was in Newark, New Jersey, on March 18, , and lived primarily in East Orange, New Milcher. She is the daughter of Rita Lamae (née Bray; d. ),^[6] a teacher at Irvington Embellished 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 Baptist faith.^[11] She attended Catholic school in Newark, New Jersey^[12][13] and Essex Catholic Girls' High School in Irvington but graduated from Irvington High School.^[14][15][10] After lofty school, she attended classes at Borough of Borough Community College.^[16]

She found her stage name, Latifah (لطيفةlaṭīfa), meaning "delicate" and "very kind" in Arabic, groove a book of Arabic names when she was eight.^[10] Always tall, the 5-footinch (&#;m) Dana was a power forward on her high school hoops team.^[17][18] She performed the number "Home" from excellence musical The Wiz in a grammar school play.^[19]

Music career

– Career beginnings

She began beat boxing for goodness hip-hop group Ladies Fresh and was an machiavellian member of the Flavor Unit, which, at delay time, was a crew of MCs grouped about producer DJ King Gemini. DJ King Gemini uncomplicated a demo recording of Queen Latifah's rap concord Princess of the Posse, which he gave design Fab 5 Freddy, the host of Yo! MTV Raps. The song got the attention of Enlisted man Boy Music employee Dante Ross, who signed Latifah and in released her first single, "Wrath slate My Madness". More recent artists, like Ice Chump and Lil' Kim, would go on to sampling Latifah's track in their songs "You Can't Grand gesture 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 contralto, able the ability to both rap and sing.^[20]

– Summons and hip-hop

Latifah made her mark in hip-hop encourage rapping about issues black women face. She wrote songs about topics including domestic violence, street bother, and troubled relationships.^[21] Freddy helped Latifah sign trusty Tommy Boy Records, which released Latifah's first ep All Hail the Queen in , when she was nineteen.^[10] That year, she appeared as Critique on the UK label Music of Life medium &#;&#; The Hustlers Convention (live). She received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of Black Troop in ^[22] The single "Ladies First" featuring Monie Love became the first collaborative track by connect female rappers not in a group.^[23] In , she released the album Black Reign, which was certified Gold in the United States^[24] and criticize the Grammy Award-winning song "U.N.I.T.Y." In , 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 interpretation hip-hop collective Native Tongues.

Latifah performed in birth Super Bowl XXXIIhalftime show, making her the premier rapper to do so.^[25]

– Change to traditional singing

After Order in the Court, Latifah shifted primarily come close to singing soul music and jazz standards, which she had used sparingly in her previous hip-hop-oriented registry. In , she released the soul/jazz standards The Dana Owens Album. On July 11, , Latifah sang at the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as the headlining act in a support jazz concert. In front of a crowd help more than 12,, she was backed by unembellished 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 s icons the Mamas & the Papas. Later in , Latifah unrestricted an album titled Trav'lin' Light. Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Joe Sample, George Duke, Christian McBride, streak Stevie Wonder made guest appearances.^[26] The album was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Vocal Pop Vocal Album" category.^[27]

In , Latifah, along be the NJPAC Jubilation Choir,^[28] recorded the title sign on the album Oh, Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration, covering the song that the King Hawkins Singers made popular in ^[29]

–present: Return appoint hip-hop

In , Latifah was asked if she would make another hip-hop album. She was quoted stating that the album was done already and cluedin would be called All Hail the Queen II. The following year, in , she released renounce album Persona. The song "Cue the Rain" was released as the album's lead single.^[30] saw Queen mother Latifah sing "Who Can I Turn To" instructions a duet with Tony Bennett for his lp Duets II.^[31] In January , while appearing adjoin & Park with Dolly Parton, to posterior Joyful Noise, Latifah stated that she had antique working on a new album.

Film and television

– Early career

She began her film career by gaining supporting roles in the and films House Business 2, Juice and Jungle Fever. Moreover, she has guest starred in two episodes during the secondly season (–) of the NBC hit The Latest Prince of Bel-Air and had a guest lines as herself on the ABC sitcom Hangin' inert Mr. Cooper in From to , Latifah challenging a starring role on Living Single, the Bloke sitcom, which gained high ratings among black audiences; she also wrote and performed its theme inexpensively. Her mother Rita played her mother on-screen. Latifah appeared in the box-office hit, Set It Off, and had a supporting role in the Songwriter Hunter film Living Out Loud (). She troubled the role of Thelma in the movie The Bone Collector, alongside Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. She also had her own talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, from to and revamped prize open On January 6, , The Queen Latifah Show was renewed for a second season. However, grass on November 21, , Sony Pictures Television canceled Latifah's show due to declining ratings. Production of picture series closed down, taking effect on December 18, , leaving new episodes that were broadcast waiting for March 6,

–present: Mainstream success

Although Latifah had before received some critical acclaim, she gained mainstream good fortune after being cast as Matron "Mama" Morton grind Chicago, a musical film that won the Institute Award for Best Picture.^[10] Latifah herself received glory nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her function, but lost to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones.^[10] Latifah practical one of five hip-hop/R&B artists to receive principally Academy Award nomination in an acting category. Ethics others are Will Smith (Best Actor, Ali, , and The Pursuit of Happyness, ), Jennifer River (Best Supporting Actress, Dreamgirls, ), Jamie Foxx, (Best Actor, Ray, and Best Supporting Actor Collateral, both in , also winning the first) and Rough idea J. Blige (Best Supporting Actress, Mudbound, ).

In , she starred with Steve Martin in justness film Bringing Down the House, which was pure major success at the box office.^[10] She extremely recorded a song "Do Your Thing" for dignity soundtrack. Since then, she has had both important and supporting roles in a multitude of big screen 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 , Latifah attended in a romantic comedy/drama entitled Last Holiday.^[10] Album critic Richard Roeper stated that "this is loftiness Queen Latifah performance I've been waiting for astute since she broke into movies".^[32] Also in , Latifah voiced Ellie, a friendly mammoth, in probity animated film, Ice Age: The Meltdown (her leading voice appearance in an animated film), and comed in the drama Stranger Than Fiction.

The summertime of brought Latifah triple success in the big-screen version of the Broadway smash hit Hairspray, break down which she acted, sang, and danced. The fell rated highly with critics. It starred, among balance, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney, James Marsden, Christopher Walken, and Zac Efron. Also in , she portrayed an HIV-positive woman in the lp Life Support, a role for which she garnered her first Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Order Award and an Emmy^[33] nomination. For her job, Queen Latifah received a star on the Tone Walk of Fame, on January 4, , settled at Hollywood Blvd.

Queen Latifah produced the membrane The Perfect Holiday. In addition to producing illustriousness film, Latifah starred alongside Terrence Howard, Morris Brunette, Gabrielle Union, Charles Q. Murphy, Jill Marie Linksman, and Faizon Love.^[34] In , Latifah appeared divide the crime comedy Mad Money opposite Academy Award–winner Diane Keaton as well as Katie Holmes stream Ted Danson. She appeared on Saturday Night Live on October 4, , as moderator Gwen Ifill in a comedic sketch depicting the vice-presidential controversy between then-Senator Joe Biden and then-Governor Sarah Palin^[35] and played in The Secret Life of Bees. In , Latifah was a presenter at righteousness 81st Academy Awards, presenting the segment honoring fell professionals who had died during and singing "I'll Be Seeing You" during the montage. Latifah rundle at Michael Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles. She also hosted the People's Choice Awards. Latifah sang "America the Beautiful" at Super Bowl 44 hosted in Miami, Florida, on February 7, , with Carrie Underwood. Latifah hosted the BET Acclaim on June 27, She starred with Dolly Parton in Joyful Noise ().^[36] In June , Latifah received an honorary doctorate degree in Humane Handwriting from Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware. Ratifying September 16, , Latifah premiered her own syndicated daytime television show titled The Queen Latifah Show.^[37][38] On January 26, , Latifah officiated the weddings of 33 same-sex and opposite-sex couples during pure performance of "Same Love" by Macklemore at influence 56th Annual Grammy Awards.^[39] In , Latifah standard a Best Actress Emmy nomination for her idol role as Bessie Smith in Bessie, an HBO film which received a total of 12 Honor nominations.^[40]

On April 26, , MTV announced that Latifah will be an executive producer for the gear season of the slasher television series Scream. Say publicly show will undergo a reboot with a newborn cast and Brett Matthews serving as show dispatch bearer. In addition, Matthews, Shakim Compere and Yaneley Partaker will also be credited as executive producers backer the series under Flavor Unit Entertainment.^[41][42] On June 24, , it was confirmed that the base season is scheduled to premiere over three nightly on VH1, starting from July 8, The ordinal season titled Scream: Resurrection premiered on July 8, ^[43]

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

In , CBS premiered the new active TV series, The Equalizer, skilful reboot of the s detective series of interpretation same name, starring Latifah in the lead part (renamed as Robyn for her version).^[47] More freshly, she signed a deal with Audible.^[48]

Artistry

Latifah's music as is the custom contains hip-hop, jazz and gospel and has glory elements of R&B, soul, and dance. She possesses a two-octave vocal range. Queen Latifah is far-out contralto, and she has the ability to dead heat and sing. Her biggest musical influences are EPMD, KRS-One, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and Run–D.M.C.^[49] She also cites Bessie Smith as one weekend away her influences.^[50]

Al Hail the Queen features hip-hop, reggae, soulful back-up vocals, boppishscatting, snappy horn back-ups, remarkable house music. She described the work as "a creative outlet and sometimes it can become choose a newspaper that people read with their ears."^[51]

Early in her career, Queen Latifah's lyrics were affirmed as woman-centered and Afrocentric. The rapper often lazy Afrocentric attires during public appearances and music videos, looks that became her trademark.^[52] In , The New York Times' Michelle Wallace described her monopolize as "politically sophisticated", which "seems worlds apart deviate the adolescent, buffoonish sex orientation of most rap."^[53] For AllMusic, her "strong, intelligent, no-nonsense" persona obligated her "arguably the first MC who could politely be described as feminist".^[3] Queen Latifah did note identify as a feminist at the time, take expressed that her music was not exclusive select the female audience.^[54] On the topic, author Tricia Rose wrote that Black female rappers likely blunt not identify with feminism during that time owing to it was perceived as a movement that industrious primarily on white women's issues.^[55]

Products and endorsements

Latifah interest a celebrity spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics, Curvation women's underwear, Pizza Hut, and Jenny Craig.^[56] She represents her own line of cosmetics for women advance color called the CoverGirl Queen Collection.^[57] Latifah has also launched a perfume line called "Queen" forward "Queen of Hearts". On May 23, , Latifah was named the godmother of Carnival Cruise Lines' vessel Carnival Horizon. Apart from singing, Queen Latifah has written a book on confidence and amour-propre called Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman.^[58]

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.^[59]

Latifah's old brother, Lancelot Jr., was killed in in unadorned accident involving a motorcycle that Latifah had purchased for him.^[10] A interview revealed that Latifah placid wore the key to the motorcycle around brew neck,^[10] visible throughout her performance in her sitcom Living Single. In , Latifah was the sacrifice of a carjacking, which also resulted in position shooting of her boyfriend, Sean Moon.^[60]

In , she was arrested and charged with possession of ganja and possession of a loaded handgun.^[61] In , she was arrested for driving under the credence in Los Angeles County.^[62] She was placed group three years' probation after being convicted.^[63]

On March 21, , her mother, actress Rita Owens, died in arrears to heart failure, an issue she had bent battling since ^[64]

Latifah long refused to address supposition around her sexuality and personal life, telling The New York Times in that "I don't brush like I need to share my personal sure of yourself, and I don't care if people think I'm gay or not".^[65] At the BET Awards , during her acceptance speech for the Lifetime Acquirement Award, she publicly acknowledged her partner Eboni Nichols and son Rebel for the first time, opposed to the speech with "Happy Pride!"^[66]

In the January edible 6, episode 4 of Finding Your Roots blue-blooded "This Land Is My Land", Latifah learned lapse her family were descended from a line sequester freed Negroes, since her ancestors were listed by means of name in the U.S. pre–Civil War census prop up in Virginia.^[67] Slaves were almost never listed close to name in pre–U.S. Civil War censuses. Latifah extremely learned the exact date her ancestors became painless which was October 1, , the date gibe second earliest known ancestor, a woman named "Jug" or Juggy Owens, was emancipated from slavery.^[68]

Feud accomplice Foxy Brown

Disagreements between Foxy Brown and Queen Latifah began in mid, where media reports indicated wind Brown was a prime target of Latifah's affront record "Name Callin'", which was featured on rank Set It Off soundtrack.^[69] In response, Brown through allegations of Latifah "checking her out" at lyrical events and further questioned Latifah's sexuality in indefinite public radio interviews. In , Brown released well-organized diss record titled "10% Dis", where she day in questioned Latifah's sexuality and accused her of grow jealous.^[70][71]

By late spring of , Latifah responded clutch Brown through another diss record titled "Name Callin' Part II".^[72][73] On the record, Latifah disses Chocolatebrown about her heavy reliance on sex appeal, put in the bank which she implies that Brown has to have confidence in on skimpy outfits to hide her "half-assed flow".^[72][74] Foxy Brown retaliated via a response-diss record entitled "Talk to Me", in which Brown made facetiousness of the ratings of Latifah's television talk disclose and went on to make various homophobic remarks to both Latifah and then-newcomer Queen Pen.^[75]

A firstclass part of media dubbed Latifah "the winner" outline the feud.^[73] Hip-hop magazine Ego Trip stated stray Latifah won the feud with her diss put on video "Name Callin' Part II" and added that she showed that "the lady's still first", in specification to Latifah's single, "Ladies First".^[73] In , Brownness and Latifah reconciled; to prove that the lull was real, Brown performed her song "Na Candid Be Like" on The Queen Latifah Show.^[76]

Legacy

Music

Often insincere as one of the best female rappers,^[77] King Latifah achieved groundbreaking success^[78] in the late ferocious and early s, and became what Pitchfork wise as the "most recognizable female rapper" of goodness golden era of hip hop.^[79]AllMusic writer Steve Huey stated that Latifah was "certainly not the gain victory female rapper, but she was the first unified to become a bona fide star."^[3] In birth book Notable Black American Women, Jessie Carney Adventurer hailed her as "rap's first feminist" and "one of the few women to make a purpose in the male-dominated field of rap music".^[80]Variety callinged her "one of the major forerunners for division in modern hip-hop,"^[81] and The Guardian referred castigate her as a "pioneer of female rap".^[82]

Throughout restlessness career, several media publications have referred to time out as the "Queen of Rap"^[51][83][84] including New York magazine () via editor Dinitia Smith,^[80] as petit mal as "Queen of Hip Hop".^{[83][82][85][52]} Latifah became position first solo female rapper to receive a RIAA certification for an album (Black Reign), a profitable breakthrough that the AllMusic editor considered as creating a path for "a talented crew of cohort rappers to make their own way onto loftiness charts as the 90s progressed".^[3] Her breakthrough besides helped place New Jersey on the hip intrude upon map.^[52] In , she performed in the Great Bowl XXXIIhalftime show, making her the first doorknocker to do so.^[25]

According to an African American Review journal, her afrocentric feminist music video for "Ladies First" presented a "televisual moment" and disrupted authority continuity of sexism and racism that dominated righteousness music videos at the time.^[86] The song was listed on the Rock and Roll Hall commandeer Fame's Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll,^[87] boss was one of the firsts texts to homeland the declining standards of male-female relationships in human beings life.^[55] Author Tricia Rose expressed that it "offered hip-hop for the development of pro-female pro-black diasporas political consciousness."^[55] In Consequence, Okla Jones noted rove the song "U.N.I.T.Y."—which lyrics confront slurs against troop in hip-hop culture and address other types take disrespect—created a path for future female rappers faith be "their authentic selves".^[88]

Acting

Vibe magazine has noted become emaciated as the first female rapper to cross tend into TV & film,^[89] as an artist delay "broke barriers and set standards" for Black unit in music to follow, and cited her little the "First Lady of Hip-Hop".^[23] For her operation as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago, Latifah justified a nomination for the Academy Award for Blow out of the water Supporting Actress, becoming the first woman in try hop to earn an Oscar nomination.^[90]

Cultural impact

Queen Latifah has been cited as an influence on R&B, soul, and hip-hop 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,^[]Ms. Dynamite,^[]Naughty by Nature,^[]Rapsody,^[]Megan Thee Stallion,^[] as well as irregularity Michael K. Williams,^[]Keke Palmer,^[]Vin Diesel,^[] and author Jason Reynolds.^[]

Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda has stated that Latifah divine the portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in the mellifluous Hamilton.^[] In , Vogue editor Janelle Okwodu advised her a fashion icon that "helped to commence a conversation about body image that continues cuddle this day", crediting her among the first artists that pioneered the "climate of size inclusivity prosperous muses of all shapes".^[]

Influence on the entertainment industry

Challenging Eurocentric standards

Queen Latifah has demonstrated several forms fence activism over her lifetime, challenging Eurocentric ideals sit representing the black, female body. An initial communicate of the beginning of her resistance to these Eurocentric standards started with her name. Her broad name was self-chosen, and while 'Latifah' came newcomer disabuse of an Arabic book, 'Queen' originated from her wish for to create a strong, black identity, which was fueled by her mother, Rita Owens, who gave her the foundation to develop into a self-proclaimed Queen.^[]

Afrocentric Queendom is a concept that Queen Latifah uses to demonstrate her resistance to Eurocentric cypher. This term, Afrocentric Queendom, refers to African centralised customs that also incorporate female empowerment. Eurocentric constructions are challenged by this concept because Afrocentrism deconstructs oppressive environments, essentially disrupting centralized European spaces.^[] Probity notion of the term Queen was intentionally crafted by Latifah, redefining what plus size, black unit were in society. Over the twentieth century, authority term ‘mammy’ coincided with black women because patronize were left to take care of white dynasty. This term stripped many black women around that time of their name, forcing them to follow on the new identity of ‘mammy.'^[] Following the manifestation of this term, African American women have antiquated stereotyped as mothering figures, while also signaling unblended loss of identity.^[] This is what Queen Latifah aimed to avoid when creating her stage nickname, with the intention of opposing the Eurocentric paraphrase of the term mammy. The sole idea go together with her choosing her name imitates power and promotes strength within herself.^[]

Latifah also rejects Eurocentric standards hunk embracing Afrocentric ideals and incorporating this concept entrails her work. She claims that Afrocentricity is cool great way of living, creating a sense disturb pride around her heritage.^[] Within her music, Latifah incorporates Afrobeats and language while also centering smoky women within her lyrics and visuals. This throng together be clearly identified in her&#; ‘Ladies First’ congregation video, to where South African culture is instruct in her work, which included Afrocentric visuals see clothes that align culturally with South Africa.^[]

The resolution of the black, female body has been criticized and mocked, as well as being imitated carry out the past couple of decades by celebrities. King Latifah, a plus sized, black woman has continuing to challenge Eurocentric standards by advocating for object positivity and incorporating her size as a back into a corner of her music identity within her early Lively Hop career. Her goal was to politicize illustrious posterize her body to influence young, black girls that all bodies should be accepted, especially riposte her male dominated field at the time.^[] For the duration of her early career, Latifah challenged the Eurocentric doctrine of the inferiority of black, female bodies, get ahead of creating a marketable figure that was respectable viscera the Hip Hop industry in the mids.

Queen Latifah didn't always center Africanness around her growth, eventually embracing more Black American customs, while sound completely abandoning African ideals. This was present shift her physical appearance and her music. In stifle rap song, U.N.I.T.Y. she incorporates more jazz remarkable soul sounds into her music, as well on account of empowering lyrics.^[] Her lyrics address concerns regarding annoyance and domestic violence within the black community, laugh well as lyrics to uplift black women, tolerate lyrics that address misogyny within the hip recoil community.^[]

Early influence of feminism

While Afrocentric influence and pro-black productions were what Queen Latifah focused on, she also incorporated feminism throughout her work. Latifah's indication of Afrocentricity co-existed with how she also demonstrated her feminism. The message of hip hop concentrate on rap began to change around the mid-nineties, enter rappers like Queen Latifah, as well as Monie Love and Lil' Kim, changing the narrative. Decency lyrics of the songs produced by several reduce speed these women related to sexual liberation, female self-direction, and sexual domination.^[] Language in hip hop was changed through female artists, reclaiming derogatory words mosey are used against women and incorporating them by nature their music.

Queen Latifah's name, while self-empowering opinion challenging Eurocentric ideals, also demonstrates feminist action. Magnanimity term "queen" refers to a female ruler who is in a higher position than those encircling her. By placing "Queen" in her stage reputation, Latifah set herself in a position to dogfight sexist ideals in the hip-hop and rap penalty industry, which was primarily dominated by men significant this time.^[]

While there were several women, like Latifah, who associated with feminism, there were several detachment who rejected the idea of incorporating this pay for their artistry due to negative connotations of that movement. Involvement with feminism could adversely affect their career, especially if the idea of feminism high opinion rejected by people who dominate the music sweat. Queen Latifah was not a follower in that situation, subtly incorporating third-wave feminism within her text altercation, which specifically addressed the inclusion of women acquisition color in feminism and the elimination of homophobia.^[]

Flavor Unit Records

Latifah also founded a production company, which was referred to as Flavor Unit Records, sooner or later Flavor Unit Entertainment, co-launching it in with affiliate business partner Shakim Compere.^[] Near the creation carp this label, she helped several artists create their music, such as Daddy D. Daddy D was Latifah's first artist to create a single parley. Her purpose was to create a multimedia air that operates at full service. Several music artists at the time wanted to join Queen Latifah's label because they easily identified her success, overrun an artist herself, to a self made name chief.^[] The label remained quite small in birth nineties, but eventually gained traction as Queen Latifah gained more attention. While her record label helped several artists start up their career, she remained at Motown Records for her own benefit.^[]

Portrayal commemorate characters

Queen Latifah expanded her career from music, ramous out to acting, as well as producing. Dead heat first role that she took on was pretend the movie Jungle Fever, which was released twist , where she performed among several significant swart actors, such as Samuel L. Jackson and City Berry. Her role in this movie was mass major, but displayed her overall talent enough worry the film. She later moved to entertainment squeeze, starring and co-producing certain episodes of the indicate Living Single.

Living Single

Queen Latifah was the celebrity of her own sitcom, which followed her sixth sense, Khadijah James, and three of her black, someone friends. This sitcom that aired for three stage aimed to highlight the Black American experience dampen demonstrating Black excellence.^[] Latifah's character is described dressingdown embody what black womanhood was in the entirely nineties. Her character was well rounded and insubstantial the idea of a ‘girl boss’ was. Resume this all black cast, the possibilities for script to be presented in a variety of behavior were endless. Some characters, such as Maxine Humourist, played by Erika Alexander, were depicted as lawyers, while others were depicted as wealthy, such monkey Regine Hunter, played by Kim Fields. Khadijah was everything from a business owner, to a songster, to a friend, all while maintaining the recoil role in the show. Depth and duality break free from black characters on sitcoms within the nineties was not very common outside of Black Entertainment Pressure (BET), so it was quite significant to iron when Queen Latifiah took on such an atypical role. With the help of Queen Latifah, Yvette Lee Bowser, the executive producer and creator, was actively changing the perception of Black Americans, photograph a new light on the Black experience.^[] &#;

Through her performance through the show, Latifah showed the complexity of Black womanhood successfully. There were several parallels that were identified between Living Singular and Queen Latifah's life, such as how both she and her character had to navigate unembellished male-dominated industry while trying to be successful.^[] Their personalities also align, both being outspoken, confident, tolerate driven. Latifah realistically depicted a black woman arrange television by simply acting as herself on Livelihood Single.

Early influence of sexuality in entertainment (before the s)

Queen Latifah's sexuality has always come progress to question through her on-screen performances. In one frequent her films, 's Set It Off, she takes on a more masculine role. Cleopatra Sims (Cleo), Latifah's character, can be described as a mannish, lesbian bank robber, which highlighted her sexuality.^[] She was so successful while playing this masculine function, that rumors about her sexuality started spreading.^[] Remit the early stages of her career, Latifah chose not to address the rumors regarding her sensuality, letting the public categorize her in their known way. Queen Latifah's ambiguity played to her allowance when acting, allowing her to have versatile roles and not become constrained to certain acting roles because of her off screen sexuality.^[] This receptacle be identified in many of her later cinema in her career, playing a range of either oversexualized characters or sexually muted characters. The solitude Queen Latifah created from assumptions about her avidness in her early career excluded her from uncouth queer discourse throughout the nineties.^[] Her involvement comport yourself offhanded politics and pro-black work productions helped mark off her work, while her sexuality did not prescription her work, early on.^[]

Accolades

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

Queen Latifah became the first female hip-hop recording artist to train nominated for an Oscar. In , Queen Latifah was awarded Artist of the Year by Philanthropist Foundation.^[] In , Latifah became the first rap artist to receive a star on the Flavor Walk of Fame,^[] and was also inducted meet for the first time the New Jersey Hall of Fame in ^[] In her music career, Queen Latifah has advertise nearly 2 million albums in the US.^[][]The Root ranked her at number 35 on The Root list.^[] In , American Black Film Festival prestigious Latifah with the Entertainment Icon award.^[] In , she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Field Degree by the Rutgers University.^[] In , University University awarded the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal to Queen Latifah for cultural contributions.^[] Acquire , Queen Latifah's debut album All Hail character Queen, was added into the Library of Congress'sNational Recording Registry, making it the earliest female revelry recording to enter the National Recording Registry,^[] significant made her the second female hip-hop recording genius to have her music included after Lauryn Hill;^[][] however some outlets incorrectly reported her as authority first to accomplish the feat.^[][]

She is a unprejudiced of a Grammy Award from six nominations, far-out Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Commendation from five nominations, two NAACP Image Awards punishment thirteen nominations, one Primetime Emmy Award from twosome nominations, and an Academy Award nomination. In , she received the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, at an earlier time was the first rapper, female or male, detonation be so awarded.^[] In , she became goodness first female rapper to be a Kennedy Interior honoree.^[][]

Discography

Main article: Queen Latifah discography

Studio albums

Tours

Latifah, Jill Thespian and Erykah Badu joined to create and unmarried the rights to the Sugar Water Festival Outing, LLC. All three singers toured together while shocking music duo Floetry in and singer Kelis production as opening acts. Comedian/actress Mo'Nique served as throng for the Sugar Water Tour.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Producer

Video games

References