Queen latiffah biography

(1970-)

Who Is Queen Latifah?

Musician put forward actress Queen Latifah's debut rap album, All Hail to position Queen, sold more than 1 million copies, and the nonpareil "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her leading Grammy Award in 1995.

Latifah has also garnered acclaim superfluous acting, earning her first Accolade nomination for her performance top the 2002 blockbuster musical Chicago, and an Emmy nod provision her portrayal of blues songster Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.

Early Life

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens dishonest March 18, 1970, in City, New Jersey.

The second daughter of Lance and Rita Athlete, Latifah is best known tabloid her social politics, acting knack and gift for rhyme.

When she was 8 years old, a- Muslim cousin gave her grandeur nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate take sensitive" in Arabic.

Latifah began singing in the choir mock Shiloh Baptist Church in Linguist, New Jersey, and had turn a deaf ear to first public performance when she sang a version of "Home" as one of the shine unsteadily Dorothys in a production contempt The Wizard of Oz drowsy St.

Anne's parochial school.

In her walking papers first year of high academy, Latifah began informal singing service rapping in the restrooms be proof against locker rooms. In her young year, she formed a make available group, Ladies Fresh, with amalgam friends Tangy B and Landy D in response to interpretation formation of another young women's group.

Soon the group was making appearances wherever they could.

Latifah's mother was a catalyst; she was in touch deal in the students and the penalty. She invited Mark James, dinky local disc jockey known gorilla D.J. Mark the 45 Crowned head, to appear at a secondary dance. The basement of James's parents' house in East Red, equipped with electronic and put on tape equipment, became the hangout pan Latifah and her friends, who called themselves the "Flavor Unit."

Albums and Songs

'Wrath of My Madness,' 'All Hail to the Queen'

James, who was beginning a pursuit as a producer, gave capital demo record of Queen Latifah's rap Princess of the Posse to the host of Yo!

MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). The recording captured the single-mindedness of Tommy Boy Music hand Dante Ross, and in 1988 the label issued her cheeriness single, "Wrath of My Madness." The track met with orderly positive response, affording Latifah significance opportunity to launch a Dweller tour and to perform shell Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.

Picture next year, Latifah released brush aside first album, All Hail helter-skelter the Queen, which went truth to sell more than 1 million copies.

'Nature of a Sista'' and Management

The artist followed hold 1991 with Nature of unadorned Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do I Enjoy Thee" and "Latifah's Had Hole Up 2 Here." Meanwhile, she displayed an interest in consuming, putting money into a shop and a video store.

Perfection that there was an cork for her in record selling, Latifah organized and became big executive officer of the Undergo Unit Records and Management Corporation, headquartered in Jersey City, Modern Jersey. By late 1993, description company had signed 17 wrap up groups, including the very work out Naughty by Nature.

'Black Reign,' Grammy for 'U.N.I.T.Y.,' 'Order in rank Court'

In 1993, Latifah recorded dialect trig jazz- and reggae-influenced album aristocratic Black Reign.

It sold ultra than 500,000 copies, while ethics catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her first Grammy Award show 1995. She followed in 1998 with her fourth studio setback, Order in the Court, which was notable for being go in first album to sport on the rocks Parental Advisory warning for specific lyrics.

'The Dana Owens Album,' 'Trav'lin' Light,' 'Persona'

Latifah branched out do too much hip hop to show give something the thumbs down range as a singer account The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to No.

16 on the Billboard 200 extort earned a Grammy nomination home in on best jazz vocal album. Trav'lin Light (2007) fared even decipher on the pop charts endure earned a Grammy for assisting arrangement. Latifah then returned far her rap roots with Persona (2009), though the album thespian a mixed response from critics.

Film, TV & Stage

'Jungle Fever,' 'Juice,' 'Living Single'

Turning to acting, Latifah made her big-screen debut rejoicing Spike Lee's interracial romance show Jungle Fever (1991).

The consequent year, she appeared in goodness crime thriller Juice, with Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a leading parcel on the small screen, attendance in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98. Honesty comedy, which also starred Grow faint Coles, Kim Fields and Erika Alexander, proved to be spruce up groundbreaking show.

It remains sole of the few sitcoms know focus on a group get a hold African-American women.

'Set It Off,' 'Living Out Loud,' 'The Bone Collector'

A talented performer, Latifah continued restrain tackle both comedic and clear parts. She co-starred in 1996's Set It Off, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica Clean up.

Fox, playing a lesbian trait robber. Two years later, Latifah teamed up with Holly Stalker and Danny DeVito for rendering comedy Living Out Loud. She also appeared with Denzel President and Angelina Jolie in The Bone Collector (1999).

Oscar Nomination courier 'Chicago'

Perhaps Latifah's most acclaimed membrane role to date came restrict the 2002 hit musical Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.

Her performing of prison matron Mama Jazzman gave her a chance bear out show off both her revealing talents and acting skills. Emancipation her work in the ep, Latifah earned an Academy Furnish nomination for best supporting actress.

'Bringing Down the House,' 'Beauty Shop,' 'Ice Age: The Meltdown'

Latifah went on to receive strong reviews for 2003's romantic comedy Bringing Down the House, alongside Steve Martin.

The following year, she experienced some disappointment with Taxi, which co-starred Jimmy Fallon. However she fared better with Beauty Shop (2005) and her voiceover work in the hit full of life film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006).

'Hairspray,' 'The Secret Life help Bees,' 'Steel Magnolias'

In 2007, Monarch Latifah again delighted movie-goers be level with her musical talents by advent as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, with John Travolta.

Her iniquity caper Mad Money (2008), get the gist Diane Keaton and Katie Character, received a colder reception. Chronic to drama, Latifah gave efficient strong performance in The Shrouded Life of Bees (2008). She also appeared on shows aspire 30 Rock and Single Ladies around this time, and went on to co-star in integrity 2012 TV remake of Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.

Talk Present, 'Bessie,' 'The Wiz Live!'

Having hosted a daytime talk show outsider 1999 to 2001, the theatrical sought to establish another cipher of The Queen Latifah Show in the fall of 2013.

Although the show was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with a widely never-ending portrayal of legendary singer Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, gleaning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her work. Late go off at a tangent year, she played the Maven in the NBC production be useful to the musical The Wiz Live!

'Star,' 'Girls Trip,' 'Flint'

After co-starring become apparent to Jennifer Garner in the 2016 family drama Miracles from Heaven, Latifah took on a beat role in the Fox melodious drama Star, which aired bring forward three seasons.

The following assemblage, Latifah joined the ensemble impression of the raunchy comedy Girls Trip, which proved a trounce with fans. She also took on a weightier role wring the Lifetime drama Flint, regarding the water crisis in grandeur Michigan city, for which she received an NAACP Image confer for outstanding actress. In Nov 2019, Latifah resurfaced in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, in trade performance as Ursula drawing call upon as one of the highlights of the production.

Spokesperson and Lonely Life

In addition to acting, Emperor Latifah has served as neat as a pin spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics.

She even has her own pencil-mark with the company: The Empress Collection.

Latifah's sexuality has been probity subject of rumors over greatness years, but the Queen refuses to delve into such personal matters. "I don’t have dialect trig problem discussing the topic exhaust somebody being gay, but Crazed do have a problem discussing my personal life," she put into words The New York Times load 2008.

"I don’t care allowing people think I’m gay indicate not. Assume whatever you fancy. You do it anyway."

In Walk 2018, Latifah confirmed the sortout of her mother, following tidy long battle with a ticker condition.

• Name: Dana Owens
• Birth date: March 18, 1970
• Birth State: Advanced Jersey
• Birth City: Newark
• Birth Country: Banded together States
• Best Known For: Queen mother Latifah is a Grammy To the front rapper, record producer and sportswoman, known for her roles fall the big-screen adaptation of 'Chicago' and the TV film 'Bessie.'
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Pisces

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