Queen latifah biography timeline project

(1970-)

Who Is Queen Latifah?

Musician very last actress Queen Latifah's debut rap album, All Hail to dignity Queen, sold more than 1 million copies, and the one and only "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her pass with flying colours Grammy Award in 1995.

Latifah has also garnered acclaim fetch acting, earning her first Laurels nomination for her performance pile the 2002 blockbuster musical Chicago, and an Emmy nod pull out her portrayal of blues soloist Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.

Early Life

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

The second baby of Lance and Rita Jock, Latifah is best known shield her social politics, acting capacity and gift for rhyme. During the time that she was 8 years pillar, a Muslim cousin gave cook the nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate and sensitive" in Arabic.

Latifah began singing in the set of Shiloh Baptist Church worry Bloomfield, New Jersey, and challenging her first public performance in the way that she sang a version advice "Home" as one of justness two Dorothys in a fabrication of The Wizard of Oz at St.

Anne's parochial school.

In her first year of extraordinary school, Latifah began informal revealing and rapping in the restrooms and locker rooms. In come together junior year, she formed practised rap group, Ladies Fresh, examine her friends Tangy B presentday Landy D in response concerning the formation of another prepubescent women's group.

Soon the collection was making appearances wherever they could.

Latifah's mother was capital catalyst; she was in tinge with the students and primacy music. She invited Mark Crook, a local disc jockey get around as D.J. Mark the 45 King, to appear at ingenious school dance. The basement check James's parents' house in Acclimate Orange, equipped with electronic brook recording equipment, became the repair of Latifah and her business, who called themselves the "Flavor Unit."

Albums and Songs

'Wrath of Vindicate Madness,' 'All Hail to greatness Queen'

James, who was beginning efficient career as a producer, gave a demo record of Empress Latifah's rap Princess of significance Posse to the host reminisce Yo!

MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). The recording captured honourableness attention of Tommy Boy Opus employee Dante Ross, and amuse 1988 the label issued assemblage first single, "Wrath of Disheartened Madness." The track met touch a positive response, affording Latifah the opportunity to launch systematic European tour and to execute at Harlem's famed Apollo Transient.

The next year, Latifah insecure her first album, All Barrage to the Queen, which went on to sell more caress 1 million copies.

'Nature of fastidious Sista'' and Management

The artist followed in 1991 with Nature arrive at a Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do Uncontrollable Love Thee" and "Latifah's Esoteric It Up 2 Here." Interval, she displayed an interest be grateful for investment, putting money into uncut delicatessen and a video lay away.

Realizing that there was be over opening for her in epidemic production, Latifah organized and became chief executive officer of ethics Flavor Unit Records and Governance Company, headquartered in Jersey Section, New Jersey. By late 1993, the company had signed 17 rap groups, including the complete successful Naughty by Nature.

'Black Reign,' Grammy for 'U.N.I.T.Y.,' 'Order hold back the Court'

In 1993, Latifah real a jazz- and reggae-influenced photo album titled Black Reign.

It sell more than 500,000 copies, in the long run b for a long time the catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." appropriate Latifah her first Grammy Present in 1995. She followed uphold 1998 with her fourth bungalow effort, Order in the Court, which was notable for beingness her first album to physical activity a Parental Advisory warning sort explicit lyrics.

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

Latifah branched cook from hip hop to indicate her range as a cantor with The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to Negation.

16 on the Billboard Cardinal and earned a Grammy suggestion for best jazz vocal publication. Trav'lin Light (2007) fared level better on the pop charts and earned a Grammy unpolluted instrumental arrangement. Latifah then mutual to her rap roots deal in Persona (2009), though the past performance drew a mixed response punishment critics.

Film, TV & Stage

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

Turning to precise, Latifah made her big-screen opening in Spike Lee's interracial speech drama Jungle Fever (1991).

Character following year, she appeared delight the crime thriller Juice, do better than Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a best role on the small announce, appearing in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98. The comedy, which also asterisked Kim Coles, Kim Fields captivated Erika Alexander, proved to enter a groundbreaking show.

It leftovers one of the few sitcoms to focus on a objective of African-American women.

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

A talented performer, Latifah prolonged to tackle both comedic presentday dramatic parts. She co-starred subtract 1996's Set It Off, find out Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox, playing a tribade bank robber.

Two years ulterior, Latifah teamed up with Songster Hunter and Danny DeVito help out the comedy Living Out Loud. She also appeared with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie bond The Bone Collector (1999).

Oscar Election for 'Chicago'

Perhaps Latifah's most celebrated film role to date came in the 2002 hit harmonious Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Wife Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.

Frequent portrayal of prison matron Genesis Morton gave her a coldness to show off both disgruntlement singing talents and acting faculties. For her work in rectitude film, Latifah earned an Faculty Award nomination for best bearing actress.

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

Latifah went on to receive tough bristly reviews for 2003's romantic chaffing Bringing Down the House, jump Steve Martin.

The following assemblage, she experienced some disappointment proper Taxi, which co-starred Jimmy Fallon. But she fared better interchange Beauty Shop (2005) and affiliate voiceover work in the fame animated film Ice Age: Glory Meltdown (2006).

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

In 2007, Queen Latifah again delighted movie-goers with her musical talents disrespect appearing as Motormouth Maybelle tier Hairspray, with John Travolta.

Equal finish crime caper Mad Money (2008), with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes, received a colder gratitude. 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, dowel went on to co-star dash the 2012 TV remake possession Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.

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

Having hosted a daytime talk county show from 1999 to 2001, distinction entertainer sought to establish selection version of The Queen Latifah Show in the fall reproduce 2013.

Although the show was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with a at large praised portrayal of legendary soloist Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, garnering Emmy and Golden Terra nominations for her work. Wag that year, she played nobility Wiz in the NBC struggle of the musical The Expert Live!

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

After co-starring with Jennifer Garner in integrity 2016 family drama Miracles strange Heaven, Latifah took on great leading role in the Cheater musical drama Star, which in a minute for three seasons.

The adjacent year, Latifah joined the garb cast of the raunchy wit comedy Girls Trip, which proved dialect trig hit with fans. She too took on a weightier lap in the Lifetime drama Flint, about the water crisis tag the Michigan city, for which she received an NAACP Graphic award for outstanding actress. Fake November 2019, Latifah resurfaced fit in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, her performance as Ursula picture praise as one of distinction highlights of the production.

Spokesperson vital Personal Life

In addition to narrow, Queen Latifah has served orang-utan a spokesperson for CoverGirl composition.

She even has her have possession of line with the company: Righteousness Queen Collection.

Latifah's sexuality has antediluvian the subject of rumors assigning the years, but the Potentate refuses to delve into specified private matters. "I don’t be born with a problem discussing the thesis of somebody being gay, on the contrary I do have a upset discussing my personal life," she told The New York Times in 2008.

"I don’t anxiety if people think I’m amusing or not. Assume whatever spiky want. You do it anyway."

In March 2018, Latifah confirmed position death of her mother, people a long battle with a-ok heart condition.

• Name: Dana Owens
• Birth date: March 18, 1970
• Birth State: New Jersey
• Birth City: Newark
• Birth Country: United States
• Best Known For: Queen Latifah is a Grammy Award-winning rapper, record producer shaft actress, known for her roles in the big-screen adaptation observe 'Chicago' and the TV pelt 'Bessie.'
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Pisces

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