Queen Latifah Biography
Queen Latifah is a famous Award-winning American rapper, singer, and actress well-known for appearing in multiple films such as “Hustle”, “End Of The Road”, “Ice Age: Adventures of Buck Wild”, “The Tiger Rising”, etc. She is also known for her multiple songs (gospel, jazz, and hip-hop), including “U.N.I.T.Y.”, “Fix Me, Jesus”, “Higher Medley”, “I Know Where I’ve Been”, etc.
Queen Latifah Age
Latifah was born on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey, United States. She is therefore 53 years old as of 2023. She celebrates her birthday on the 18th of March every year. Her real names are Dana Elaine Owens.
Queen Latifah Height
Latifah stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 10 inches.
Queen Latifah Family
Queen Latifah Parents
Latifah was born to her loving parents, Rita Owens (late mother) and Lancelot Owens, Sr. (father). Her mom was an actress, well known for “The Cookout” (2004), and she passed away on 21 March 2018 due to heart failure. Her mother was also a teacher at Irvington High School. Latifah’s dad was a police officer. Her parents divorced when Latifah was 10 years old.
Queen Latifah Brother
Latifah was mainly raised in the Baptist faith in East Orange, New Jersey, alongside her late older brother, Lancelot Owens, Jr., who passed away in the year 1992 due to an accident on a motorcycle. Lancelot was also a policeman before he died.
Queen Latifah Gay / Partner / Lesbian
Is Queen Latifah married? Latifah is gay – she is in a relationship with her partner, Eboni Nichols. She revealed her partner during her acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the BET Awards in the year 2021. She ended her speech with “Happy Pride!” Usually, Latifah doesn’t like to address the speculations about her personal life and sexuality. In the year 2018 during an interview with The New York Times, she told the interviewer that she doesn’t feel like she needs to share her personal life and that she doesn’t care if people think she’s gay or not!
Latifah once dated a guy called Sean Moon, who died in the year 1995 due to a shooting. Much information regarding their dating life is not known.
Queen Latifah Son
Latifah takes great pride in being a mom to her only son, Rebel. He is 4 years old as of 2023, having been born in the year 2019.
Queen Latifah Daughter
Some of Latifah’s fans think that she has a daughter. However, she has never stated anything about it, so it will remain to be that she doesn’t have one, until she confirms it.
Queen Latifah Net Worth
Latifah has an estimated net worth of between $1 Million-$5 Million which she has earned through her successful career as a rapper, singer, and actress.
Queen Latifah Education
Latifah is a proud alumnus of Irvington High School. Before joining Irvington High School, she was a student at Essex Catholic Girls’ High School in Irvington. he has also studied at a Catholic school in Newark, New Jersey. After getting her high school diploma, she joined Borough of Manhattan Community College. Additionally, Latifah is an alumnus of Rutgers University, where she obtained an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree, in the year 2018. She received an honor of the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal by Harvard University in the year 2019 for cultural contributions.
During her high school years, Latifah stood tall at 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters) and showcased her athletic abilities as a power forward on the school’s basketball team. Her passion for performing was evident even during her grammar school days. She took part in a school play where she performed the song “Home” from the musical “The Wiz.”
Queen Latifah Career
Latifah is a prominent actress and singer, known for her gospel, jazz, and hip-hop songs. She has also appeared in many films. Throughout her career, she has won many awards, such as a Primetime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, 2 NAACP Image Awards, and 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Latifah also became a proud nominee for an Academy Award. In the year 2006, she was the 1st hip-hop artist to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Queen Latifah Career Debut
When Latifah was 19 years old, she unleashed her 1st album called “All Hail the Queen” in the year 1989. One of the popular songs from the album was “Ladies First.” Her 2nd album, “Nature of a Sista'” was released in the year 1991 under the production of Tommy Boy Records.
Her 3rd album, “Black Reign” came out in the year 1993 and was a significant achievement as it became the 1st female rapper’s solo album to be awarded a certificate of gold by RIAA – the Recording Industry Association of America. The album included the influential single “U.N.I.T.Y.,” which helped raise awareness about the objectification of Black female sexuality and violence against women. The song reached the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 and earned a Grammy Award.
Latifah’s 4th album, “Order in the Court,” was released in the year 1998 with Motown Records. Following that, she unleashed several more albums including “Persona” in the year 2009, “Trav’lin’ Light” in the year 2007, and “The Dana Owens Album” in the year 2004.
From 1993
For 5 years (1993-1998), she played the character Khadijah James in the Fox sitcom called “Living Single”. During that time, she also had a leading role in the action film “Set It Off”, which was released in the year 1996. She created her own daytime talk show called “The Queen Latifah Show”, which aired for 2 years (1999-2001) and then again for another 2 years (2013-2015).
In the musical film “Chicago”, released in the year 2002, she portrayed the character Matron “Mama” Morton and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has also been featured in various other movies, either as the main star or co-star. Some of these films include Bringing Down the House (2003), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2005), Taxi (2004), Beauty Shop (2005), Hairspray (2007), Last Holiday (2006), Joyful Noise (2012), Girls Trip (2017), and 22 Jump Street (2014). Additionally, she has provided her voice for characters in the Ice Age film series.
In the year 2015, Latifah gained praise from critics for her performance as blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO film called “Bessie”. She not only acted in the film but also co-produced it. Her remarkable portrayal earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.
From 2016
For 3 years (2016-2019), she starred as Carlotta Brown in the musical drama series called “Star”. In the year 2020, she took on the role of Hattie McDaniel in the miniseries called “Hollywood”. Since the year 2021, she has been the lead actor in CBS’s revival of the action drama series called “The Equalizer”. She plays the main character in the show.
In a different role, on 23 May 2018, she was honored as the godmother of Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Horizon vessel. This title symbolizes a special relationship with the ship.
Queen Latifah Music
Latifah’s music incorporates a blend of gospel, jazz, and hip-hop, with elements of dance, soul, and R&B. She is known for her versatile vocal abilities, possessing a 2-octave vocal range. As a contralto, she has the unique ability to both sing and rap. Latifah draws inspiration from various genres and artists. Some of her biggest musical influences include KRS-One, EPMD, LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., and Public Enemy, who have played a significant role in shaping the hip-hop landscape. Additionally, she cites legendary blues singer Bessie Smith as one of her influences, showcasing her appreciation for the rich history of African American music. Through her eclectic blend of genres and diverse influences, Latifah has crafted a distinct musical style that resonates with audiences worldwide.
Queen Latifah Stage Name “Latifah”
Latifah discovered her stage name at the age of 8. She came across the name “Latifah” in a book of Arabic names, where it was described to mean “very kind” and “delicate” in Arabic.
Queen Latifah Cosmetics Line / Business
Latifah is well-known for being a celebrity spokesperson for various brands. She has endorsed CoverGirl cosmetics, Pizza Hut, Curvation women’s underwear, and Jenny Craig. In fact, she has her own line of cosmetics known as the “CoverGirl Queen Collection”, specifically designed for women of color. Additionally, she has ventured into the fragrance industry by launching her own perfume line known as “Queen” and “Queen of Hearts.”
Queen Latifah Controversies
a). Queen Latifah Arrested
In the year 1996, Latifah faced legal trouble when she was under arrest and charged with possession of a loaded handgun and possession of marijuana. Later, in the year 2002, for driving under the influence in Los Angeles County, she was again arrested. As a result of the conviction, she was placed on 3 years’ probation.
b). Feud with Foxy Brown
In mid-1996, there were disagreements between Latifah and Foxy Brown. Media reports suggested that Latifah’s diss track “Name Callin'” on the Set It Off soundtrack targeted Foxy Brown. In response, Foxy made allegations that Latifah was showing interest in her at music events and publicly questioned Latifah’s sexuality in radio interviews. In the year 1998, Foxy released a diss track called “10% Dis” where she continued to question Latifah’s sexuality. Foxy also accused Latifah of jealousy.
Queen Latifah Book / Author
Beyond Latifah’s involvement in the entertainment industry, she has also showcased her talents as an author. She wrote a book called “Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman,” which focuses on confidence and self-respect.
Queen Latifah Movie and TV Shows
Films
Latifah has appeared in many movies such as;
- Paper Chase
- End of the Road
- Hustle
- The Tiger Rising
- The Trap
- Girls Trip
- Ice Age: Collision Course
- Miracles from Heaven
TV Shows
Latifah has appeared in many television shows such as;
- The Equalizer
- Maya and the Three
- Red Table Talk
- When the Streetlights Go On
- Hollywood
- The Little Mermaid Live!
- Flint
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series
- Empire
- Star
Queen Latifah Music Albums
Latifah has released 7 studio albums;
- Persona (2009)
- Trav’lin’ Light (2007)
- The Dana Owens Album (2004)
- Order in the Court (1998)
- Black Reign (1993)
- Nature of a Sista’ (1991)
- All Hail the Queen (1989)
Queen Latifah Social Media Platforms
She is active on her social media accounts and is often seen posting on her Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. She has over 7.3M followers on Instagram.
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