Queen Latifah, whose real name is Dana Elaine Owens, is an award-winning rapper, music producer, singer, entrepreneur, and actress. The music industry paid attention to her as one of the first female rap performers. She received an Academy Award nomination for being the first woman to do so.
Early Life of Queen Latifah
On March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey, Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens. Her hometown was East Orange, New Jersey, where she spent most of her childhood. At the age of ten, her parents divorced. Latifah is an Arabic word that means “delicate” and “extremely gentle.” Latifah was a power forward for her high school girls basketball team, at 5’10”. She attended Borough of Manhattan Community College after graduating from Irvington High School.
Career of Queen Latifah
She took her enterprise to the next level by turning it into a record label. She founded ‘Flavor Unit Records and Management Company’ in New Jersey with her old friend Shakim Compere in 1991, when she was barely 21 years old. She was named the company’s CEO. She made her acting debut in the inter-racial romantic drama ‘Jungle Fever.’ She starred in the crime thriller ‘Juice’ in 1992. She quickly landed a central part in the sitcom ‘Living Single.’ This was a groundbreaking comedic program.
Latifah began beatboxing in the late 1980s and caught the presenter’s attention on “Yo! MTV Raps.” Dante Ross, a Tommy Boy Music staffer, heard the song and signed her. Her debut single was “Wrath of My Madness,” released in 1988. In hip-hop, Latifah became known for highlighting black women’s struggles. Domestic abuse, street harassment, and relationship issues were all subjects tackled in her songs. In 1989, she released her debut album, “All Hail the Queen.” The National Coalition of 100 Black Women honored her with the Candace Award in 1992.
Queen Latifah has starred in several well-known movies and television series. One of her earliest appearances was as a guest star in two episodes of the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in the second season. From 1993 through 1998, she featured in the FOX sitcom “Living Single,” which received excellent ratings. From 1991 until 2001, she hosted the famous “Queen Latifah Show,” which she later redesigned for two seasons in 2013 and 2014.
Latifah rose to prominence in the Oscar-winning musical “Chicago.” For her portrayal, Queen Latifah was nominated for the best-supporting actress. However, she lost to Catherine Zeta-Jones. Latifah is one of just five R&B performers nominated for an Academy Award for acting. In 2007, she won her first Golden Globe for her role in the film “Life Support,” She played an HIV-positive woman.
Queen Latifah has won a Golden Globe, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a Grammy Award, many Grammy nominations, an Emmy Award nomination, and an Academy Award nomination for her achievements in music, cinema, and television. Queen Latifah was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 4, 2006.
Net Worth of Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah has a net worth of $70 million. It is an American singer, songwriter, actor, model, rapper, record producer, television producer, comedienne, and talk show hostess.
Physical Appearance of Queen Latifah
Height | 5 feet 6 inches |
Weight | 91 kg |
Eye Color | Light Brown |
Hair Color | Light Brown |