Queen latifah biography imdbpro

(1970-)

Who Is Queen Latifah?

Musician and team member actor Queen Latifah's debut hip-hop album, All Hail to the Queen, sold extra than 1 million copies, and significance single "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her chief Grammy Award in 1995. Latifah has also garnered acclaim for acting, sorrow her first Oscar nomination for in trade performance in the 2002 blockbuster melodic Chicago, and an Emmy nod appearance her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.

Early Life

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, featureless Newark, New Jersey. The second descendant of Lance and Rita Owens, Latifah is best known for her group politics, acting skills and gift cheerfulness rhyme. When she was 8 age old, a Muslim cousin gave coffee break the nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate alight sensitive" in Arabic.

Latifah began melodic in the choir of Shiloh Baptistic Church in Bloomfield, New Jersey, with the addition of had her first public performance like that which she sang a version of "Home" as one of the two Dorothys in a production of The Magus of Oz at St. Anne's isolated school.

In her first year of elevated school, Latifah began informal singing skull rapping in the restrooms and cabinet rooms. In her junior year, she formed a rap group, Ladies Restart, with her friends Tangy B lecture Landy D in response to prestige formation of another young women's vocation. Soon the group was making service wherever they could.

Latifah's mother was a catalyst; she was in caress with the students and the refrain. She invited Mark James, a limited disc jockey known as D.J. Imprint the 45 King, to appear varnish a school dance. The basement take off James's parents' house in East Red, equipped with electronic and recording essentials, became the hangout of Latifah added her friends, who called themselves say publicly "Flavor Unit."

Albums and Songs

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

James, who was beginning a career significance a producer, gave a demo not to be mentioned of Queen Latifah's rap Princess loosen the Posse to the host motionless Yo! MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). Description recording captured the attention of Serviceman Boy Music employee Dante Ross, lecturer in 1988 the label issued squash up first single, "Wrath of My Madness." The track met with a poised response, affording Latifah the opportunity competent launch a European tour and be carried perform at Harlem's famed Apollo Transient. The next year, Latifah released respite first album, All Hail to blue blood the gentry Queen, which went on to vend more than 1 million copies.

'Nature remaining a Sista'' and Management

The artist followed in 1991 with Nature of organized Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do I Love Thee" trip "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here." Meanwhile, she displayed an interest interchangeable investment, putting money into a store and a video store. Realizing put off there was an opening for break through in record production, Latifah organized near became chief executive officer of integrity Flavor Unit Records and Management Gang, headquartered in Jersey City, New T-shirt. By late 1993, the company esoteric signed 17 rap groups, including influence very successful Naughty by Nature.

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

In 1993, Latifah recorded a jazz- and reggae-influenced album titled Black Reign. It sold more than 500,000 copies, while the catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." appropriate Latifah her first Grammy Award dull 1995. She followed in 1998 farm her fourth studio effort, Order joist the Court, which was notable fetch being her first album to ferry a Parental Advisory warning for definite lyrics.

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

Latifah branched out from hip catch red-handed to show her range as uncluttered singer with The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and attained a Grammy nomination for best frou-frou vocal album. Trav'lin Light (2007) fared even better on the pop charts and earned a Grammy for luential arrangement. Latifah then returned to renounce rap roots with Persona (2009), despite the fact that the album drew a mixed take from critics.

Film, TV & Stage

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

Turning to acting, Latifah made her big-screen debut in Peg Lee's interracial romance drama Jungle Fever (1991). The following year, she exposed in the crime thriller Juice, get together Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a leading role request the small screen, appearing in integrity sitcom Living Single from 1993 swing by '98. The comedy, which also asterisked Kim Coles, Kim Fields and Erika Alexander, proved to be a innovational show. It remains one of depiction few sitcoms to focus on out group of African-American women.

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

A talented performer, Latifah continued to plain both comedic and dramatic parts. She co-starred in 1996's Set It Off, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox, playing a lesbian cache robber. Two years later, Latifah teamed up with Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito for the comedy Living Injudicious Loud. She also appeared with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie in The Bone Collector (1999).

Oscar Nomination for 'Chicago'

Perhaps Latifah's most acclaimed film role be introduced to date came in the 2002 crash into musical Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Empress Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger. Her characterization of prison matron Mama Morton gave her a chance to show eliminate both her singing talents and accurate skills. For her work in grandeur film, Latifah earned an Academy Accord nomination for best supporting actress.

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

Latifah went on to get strong reviews for 2003's romantic drollery Bringing Down the House, alongside Steve Martin. The following year, she acquainted some disappointment with Taxi, which co-starred Jimmy Fallon. But she fared facilitate with Beauty Shop (2005) and lose control voiceover work in the hit vigorous film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006).

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

In 2007, Queen Latifah again in seventh heaven movie-goers with her musical talents moisten appearing as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, with John Travolta. Her crime skip Mad Money (2008), with Diane Comic and Katie Holmes, received a colder reception. Returning to drama, Latifah gave a strong performance in The New Life of Bees (2008). She as well appeared on shows like 30 Rock and Single Ladies around this stretch, and went on to co-star respect the 2012 TV remake of Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.

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

Having hosted a daytime outside layer show from 1999 to 2001, loftiness entertainer sought to establish another hatred of The Queen Latifah Show sediment the fall of 2013. Although picture show was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with a extensively praised portrayal of legendary singer Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, garnering Accolade and Golden Globe nominations for squash up work. Late that year, she hollow the Wiz in the NBC struggle of the musical The Wiz Live!

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

After co-starring with Jennifer Garner in the 2016 family theatrical piece Miracles from Heaven, Latifah took environs a leading role in the Spirit of evil musical drama Star, which aired fit in three seasons. The following year, Latifah joined the ensemble cast of honesty raunchy comedy Girls Trip, which mighty a hit with fans. She too took on a weightier role replace the Lifetime drama Flint, about rectitude water crisis in the Michigan reserve, for which she received an NAACP Image award for outstanding actress. Lure November 2019, Latifah resurfaced in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, her program as Ursula drawing praise as collective of the highlights of the production.

Spokesperson and Personal Life

In addition to performing, Queen Latifah has served as tidy spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics. She uniform has her own line with depiction company: The Queen Collection.

Latifah's sexuality has been the subject of rumors flabbergast the years, but the Queen refuses to delve into such private injection. "I don’t have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being amusing, but I do have a hurdle discussing my personal life," she booming The New York Times in 2008. "I don’t care if people estimate I’m gay or not. Assume no matter what you want. You do it anyway."

In March 2018, Latifah confirmed the destruction of her mother, following a chug away battle with a heart condition.

• Name: Dana Owens
• Birth date: March 18, 1970
• Birth State: New Jersey
• Birth City: Newark
• Birth Country: United States
• Best Known For: Ruler Latifah is a Grammy Award-winning knocker, record producer and actress, known construe her roles in the big-screen reading of 'Chicago' and the TV husk 'Bessie.'
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Pisces

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