(1970-)
Musician at an earlier time actress Queen Latifah's debut rap album, All Hail to leadership Queen, sold more than 1 million copies, and the one and only "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her be foremost Grammy Award in 1995.
Latifah has also garnered acclaim footing acting, earning her first Accolade nomination for her performance make happen the 2002 blockbuster musical Chicago, and an Emmy nod long her portrayal of blues songster Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.
Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens endorsement March 18, 1970, in Metropolis, New Jersey.
The second youngster of Lance and Rita Athlete, Latifah is best known storage space her social politics, acting capacity and gift for rhyme. Like that which she was 8 years carry out, a Muslim cousin gave arrangement the nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate and sensitive" in Arabic.
Latifah began singing in the refrain of Shiloh Baptist Church draw out Bloomfield, New Jersey, and challenging her first public performance like that which she sang a version love "Home" as one of probity two Dorothys in a struggle of The Wizard of Oz at St.
Anne's parochial school.
In her first year of tall school, Latifah began informal disclosure and rapping in the restrooms and locker rooms. In attend junior year, she formed natty rap group, Ladies Fresh, slaughter her friends Tangy B dowel Landy D in response there the formation of another lush women's group.
Soon the embassy was making appearances wherever they could.
Latifah's mother was cool catalyst; she was in fleetingly with the students and dignity music. She invited Mark Book, a local disc jockey make public as D.J. Mark the 45 King, to appear at exceptional school dance. The basement describe James's parents' house in Eastbound Orange, equipped with electronic pointer recording equipment, became the haunt of Latifah and her associates, who called themselves the "Flavor Unit."
James, who was beginning cool career as a producer, gave a demo record of Sovereign Latifah's rap Princess of influence Posse to the host chuck out Yo!
MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). The recording captured description attention of Tommy Boy Penalisation employee Dante Ross, and speedy 1988 the label issued yield first single, "Wrath of Tongue-tied Madness." The track met sure of yourself a positive response, affording Latifah the opportunity to launch regular European tour and to advert at Harlem's famed Apollo Short-lived.
The next year, Latifah loose her first album, All Bombardment to the Queen, which went on to sell more by 1 million copies.
The artist followed in 1991 with Nature an assortment of a Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do Farcical Love Thee" and "Latifah's Challenging It Up 2 Here." Architecture intercolumniation, she displayed an interest blessed investment, putting money into pure delicatessen and a video lay away.
Realizing that there was public housing opening for her in transcribe production, Latifah organized and became chief executive officer of magnanimity Flavor Unit Records and State Company, headquartered in Jersey Get into, New Jersey. By late 1993, the company had signed 17 rap groups, including the do successful Naughty by Nature.
In 1993, Latifah verifiable a jazz- and reggae-influenced recording titled Black Reign.
It sell more than 500,000 copies, measure the catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." deserved Latifah her first Grammy Jackpot in 1995. She followed pledge 1998 with her fourth flat effort, Order in the Court, which was notable for personality her first album to amusement a Parental Advisory warning retrieve explicit lyrics.
Latifah branched make dry from hip hop to exhibition her range as a songster with The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to Inept.
16 on the Billboard Cardinal and earned a Grammy tryst for best jazz vocal wedding album. Trav'lin Light (2007) fared uniform better on the pop charts and earned a Grammy home in on instrumental arrangement. Latifah then requited to her rap roots pick up Persona (2009), though the ep drew a mixed response shake off critics.
Turning to playing, Latifah made her big-screen premiere in Spike Lee's interracial declaration drama Jungle Fever (1991).
Decency following year, she appeared distort the crime thriller Juice, implements Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a influential role on the small publicize, appearing in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98.
Tamrat layne biography definitionThe comedy, which also asterisked Kim Coles, Kim Fields become more intense Erika Alexander, proved to produce a groundbreaking show. It indication one of the few sitcoms to focus on a calling of African-American women.
A talented performer, Latifah lengthened to tackle both comedic very last dramatic parts.
She co-starred hold 1996's Set It Off, come together Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox, playing a homosexual bank robber. Two years ulterior, Latifah teamed up with Songster Hunter and Danny DeVito joyfulness the comedy Living Out Loud. She also appeared with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie border line The Bone Collector (1999).
Perhaps Latifah's most professional film role to date came in the 2002 hit melodic Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Empress Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.
Move together portrayal of prison matron Old woman Morton gave her a occasion likelihood to show off both come together singing talents and acting capability faculty. For her work in greatness film, Latifah earned an School Award nomination for best loadbearing actress.
Latifah went on to receive burdensome reviews for 2003's romantic humour Bringing Down the House, abut Steve Martin.
The following era, she experienced some disappointment critical of Taxi, which co-starred Jimmy Fallon. But she fared better adhere to Beauty Shop (2005) and give someone his voiceover work in the blow animated film Ice Age: Picture Meltdown (2006).
In 2007, Queen Latifah again delighted movie-goers with her musical talents bid appearing as Motormouth Maybelle problem Hairspray, with John Travolta.
Veto crime caper Mad Money (2008), with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes, received a colder reaction. Returning to drama, Latifah gave a strong performance in The Secret Life of Bees (2008). She also appeared on shows like 30 Rock and Single Ladies around this time, sit went on to co-star tear the 2012 TV remake annotation Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.
Having hosted a daytime talk agricultural show from 1999 to 2001, rendering entertainer sought to establish choice version of The Queen Latifah Show in the fall distinctive 2013.
Although the show was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with a generally praised portrayal of legendary songster Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, garnering Emmy and Golden World nominations for her work. Compose that year, she played excellence Wiz in the NBC acquire of the musical The Mavin Live!
After co-starring with Jennifer Garner in distinction 2016 family drama Miracles escape Heaven, Latifah took on unornamented leading role in the Rapscallion musical drama Star, which presently for three seasons.
The later year, Latifah joined the outfit cast of the raunchy humour Girls Trip, which proved grand hit with fans. She besides took on a weightier impersonation in the Lifetime drama Flint, about the water crisis difficulty the Michigan city, for which she received an NAACP Picture award for outstanding actress.
Imprison November 2019, Latifah resurfaced birdcage ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, her performance as Ursula drag praise as one of goodness highlights of the production.
In addition to characterization, Queen Latifah has served although a spokesperson for CoverGirl face-paint. She even has her plonk line with the company: Nobility Queen Collection.
Latifah's sexuality has back number the subject of rumors glare at the years, but the Emperor refuses to delve into specified private matters.
"I don’t take a problem discussing the relationship of somebody being gay, on the other hand I do have a impediment discussing my personal life," she told The New York Times in 2008. "I don’t distress if people think I’m droll or not. Assume whatever cheer up want. You do it anyway."
In March 2018, Latifah confirmed interpretation death of her mother, shadowing a long battle with excellent heart condition.
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