Queen Latifah ,
1970- , African-American rapper, songwriter, and actress, b. Newark,
N.J., as Dana Elaine Owens. In a musical style known for its misogyny,
Latifah stood out from the state as an empowered woman who sang songs that
addressed her race and gender. She began her career beat boxing as a
teenager when she was “discovered” by the head of rap label,
Tommy Boy Records. Her first major hit came in 1989 with “Ladies
First,” followed by the anthemic “U.N.I.T.Y.” (1993;
Grammy best song). However, after 2003, Latifah primarily focused her
recording career on singing jazz and pop standards. Latifah began her acting
career in 1991, landing her own successful sitcom two years later,
Living Single (1993-98) for which she wrote and
performed the theme song. She has also hosted her own daytime TV talk show
from 1999-2001 and then again from 2013-15. Latifah established her movie
career with her appearance in the film of the musical
Chicago (2002), followed by appearances in
Bringing Down the House (2003),
Hairspray (2007), and the TV movie,
Bessie (2015). In 2021, she began appearing as the lead
in the TV crime drama, The Equalizer. She was the first
rapper to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2006).
See her Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman (1998).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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