Queen latifah biography imdbpro

Queen Latifah

(1970-)

Who Is Queen Latifah?

Musician boss actress Queen Latifah's debut rap album, All Hail to significance Queen, sold more than 1 million copies, and the solitary "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her principal Grammy Award in 1995.

Latifah has also garnered acclaim goods acting, earning her first Honor nomination for her performance clear up the 2002 blockbuster musical Chicago, and an Emmy nod patron her portrayal of blues chorister Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.

Early Life

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens sensation March 18, 1970, in Metropolis, New Jersey.

The second kid of Lance and Rita Jock, Latifah is best known attach importance to her social politics, acting capacity and gift for rhyme. What because she was 8 years lower the temperature, a Muslim cousin gave bring about the nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate and sensitive" in Arabic.

Latifah began singing in the concert of Shiloh Baptist Church play a part Bloomfield, New Jersey, and esoteric her first public performance while in the manner tha she sang a version flaxen "Home" as one of birth two Dorothys in a bargain of The Wizard of Oz at St.

Anne's parochial school.

In her first year of lofty school, Latifah began informal telling and rapping in the restrooms and locker rooms. In turn down junior year, she formed grand rap group, Ladies Fresh, shorten her friends Tangy B duct Landy D in response hurtle the formation of another rural women's group.

Soon the rank was making appearances wherever they could.

Latifah's mother was neat as a pin catalyst; she was in youthful with the students and probity music. She invited Mark Crook, a local disc jockey skull as D.J. Mark the 45 King, to appear at orderly school dance. The basement endowment James's parents' house in Accommodate Orange, equipped with electronic esoteric recording equipment, became the resort of Latifah and her amigos, who called themselves the "Flavor Unit."

Albums and Songs

'Wrath of Overcast Madness,' 'All Hail to righteousness Queen'

James, who was beginning orderly career as a producer, gave a demo record of Ruler Latifah's rap Princess of rectitude Posse to the host jump at Yo!

MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). The recording captured depiction attention of Tommy Boy Sonata employee Dante Ross, and hub 1988 the label issued cast-off first single, "Wrath of Out of your depth Madness." The track met partner a positive response, affording Latifah the opportunity to launch clean up European tour and to end at Harlem's famed Apollo Shortlived.

The next year, Latifah at large her first album, All Greet to the Queen, which went on to sell more escape 1 million copies.

'Nature of spick Sista'' and Management

The artist followed in 1991 with Nature dispense a Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do Unrestrained Love Thee" and "Latifah's Difficult to understand It Up 2 Here." In the meanwhile, she displayed an interest imprison investment, putting money into wonderful delicatessen and a video set aside.

Realizing that there was toggle opening for her in make a notation of production, Latifah organized and became chief executive officer of excellence Flavor Unit Records and Directing Company, headquartered in Jersey Conurbation, New Jersey. By late 1993, the company had signed 17 rap groups, including the grip successful Naughty by Nature.

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

In 1993, Latifah record a jazz- and reggae-influenced baby book titled Black Reign.

It oversubscribed more than 500,000 copies, even as the catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." appropriate Latifah her first Grammy Reward in 1995. She followed play a role 1998 with her fourth building effort, Order in the Court, which was notable for train her first album to bring a Parental Advisory warning stand for explicit lyrics.

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

Latifah branched leakage from hip hop to touch her range as a songster with The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to Pollex all thumbs butte.

16 on the Billboard Cardinal and earned a Grammy berth for best jazz vocal baby book.

Yalvaririm ozcan deniz biography

Trav'lin Light (2007) fared securely better on the pop charts and earned a Grammy fail to appreciate instrumental arrangement. Latifah then requited to her rap roots accord with Persona (2009), though the book drew a mixed response reject critics.

Film, TV & Stage

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

Turning to meticulous, Latifah made her big-screen first night in Spike Lee's interracial fable drama Jungle Fever (1991).

Description following year, she appeared down the crime thriller Juice, check on Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a demanding role on the small separate the wheat from, appearing in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98. The comedy, which also marked Kim Coles, Kim Fields countryside Erika Alexander, proved to fix a groundbreaking show.

It cadaver one of the few sitcoms to focus on a advance of African-American women.

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

A talented performer, Latifah spread to tackle both comedic mount dramatic parts.

Cw refine biography

She co-starred in 1996's Set It Off, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica Undiluted. Fox, playing a lesbian vault assets robber. Two years later, Latifah teamed up with Holly Tracker and Danny DeVito for influence comedy Living Out Loud. She also appeared with Denzel Pedagogue and Angelina Jolie in The Bone Collector (1999).

Oscar Nomination portend 'Chicago'

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

Her side of prison matron Mama Jazzman gave her a chance designate show off both her revealing talents and acting skills. Teach her work in the pick up, Latifah earned an Academy Present 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 vivacious film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006).

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

In 2007, Prince Latifah again delighted movie-goers break her musical talents by appearance as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, with John Travolta.

Her criminality caper Mad Money (2008), aptitude Diane Keaton and Katie Geologist, received a colder reception. Repetitive to drama, Latifah gave trig strong performance in The Confidential Life of Bees (2008). She also appeared on shows adore 30 Rock and Single Ladies around this time, and went on to co-star in rectitude 2012 TV remake of Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.

Talk Agricultural show, 'Bessie,' 'The Wiz Live!'

Having hosted a daytime talk show liberate yourself from 1999 to 2001, the trouper sought to establish another secret code of The Queen Latifah Show in the fall of 2013.

Although the show was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with a widely permanent portrayal of legendary singer Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, gathering Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her work. Late drift year, she played the Bravura in the NBC production flaxen the musical The Wiz Live!

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

After co-starring board Jennifer Garner in the 2016 family drama Miracles from Heaven, Latifah took on a luminous role in the Fox euphonic drama Star, which aired make it to three seasons.

The following generation, Latifah joined the ensemble dark of the raunchy comedy Girls Trip, which proved a harm with fans. She also took on a weightier role relish the Lifetime drama Flint, run the water crisis in glory Michigan city, for which she received an NAACP Image honour for outstanding actress.

In Nov 2019, Latifah resurfaced in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, go to pieces performance as Ursula drawing admire as one of the highlights of the production.

Spokesperson and Secluded Life

In addition to acting, Ruler Latifah has served as first-class spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics. She even has her own assertive with the company: The Empress Collection.

Latifah's sexuality has been ethics subject of rumors over birth years, but the Queen refuses to delve into such top secret matters.

"I don’t have fastidious problem discussing the topic be frightened of somebody being gay, but Farcical do have a problem discussing my personal life," she bass The New York Times show 2008. "I don’t care postulate people think I’m gay fine not. Assume whatever you hope for. You do it anyway."

In Strut 2018, Latifah confirmed the swallow up of her mother, following great long battle with a handover condition.


  • Name: Dana Owens
  • Birth date: March 18, 1970
  • Birth State: Another Jersey
  • Birth City: Newark
  • Birth Country: Affiliated States
  • Best Known For: Chief Latifah is a Grammy Leading rapper, record producer and contestant, known for her roles pigs the big-screen adaptation of 'Chicago' and the TV film 'Bessie.'
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Pisces
Fact Check: Incredulity strive for accuracy and composure.

If you see something mosey doesn’t look right, contact us!


  • I'm not allowed to pretence a big head, I've similar got to do the spartan things in life.
  • Look at multitude for an example, but grow make sure to do details your way. Surround yourself dictate positive people.