Queen Latifah
Music Biography
 In
the male dominated world of Rap and Hip-Hop music, it is still
rare to find a female MC who puts substance above sexual
prowess, skills above fashion styles and positivity above
bling-bling mentality. So when that rare individual steps out
you take notice. So it is with
rapper/actress/author/entrepreneur QUEEN LATIFAH.
Queen
Latifah, arguably the most respected and revered female rapper
of our time, returns to her musical roots with the release of
her greatest hits a collection of music culled from a decade
plus in the hip hop game. Aptly titled SHE'S A QUEEN GREATEST
HITS COMPILATION, the 13 track CD, containing two new
original songs, provides the perfect showpiece for a career that
has been defined as groundbreaking, genre defying and socially
significant to the hip-hop community and indeed to her
generation.
The
award-winning entertainer was born Dana Elaine Owens in Newark,
New Jersey in 1970 and later dubbed Latifah (Arabic word meaning
sensitive) by an aunt. This self proclaimed Queen burst onto rap
music's scene in 1988 with the single, Wrath of My Madness,
followed by her groundbreaking 1989 debut album, ALL HAIL THE
QUEEN. As part of the early 90's consortium of positive rap
groups/artists, Native Tongues, which included A Tribe
Called Quest, Monie Love, 45 King, De La Soul
(who discovered and produced Latifah's first album) and MC Lyte,
Latifah rocked the mic with lyrics of empowerment of self,
community and most notably of women. These themes have yet to be
addressed more significantly since even by most of today s
female rappers.
SHE'S A QUEEN
GREATEST HITS COMPILATION
contains songs from all four of Latifah's Grammy nominated
albums, starting with her 1989 Tommy Boy Records debut, ALL
HAIL THE QUEEN, to her most recent CD, the 1998 Motown
release, ORDER IN THE COURT. Also included on the set are
cuts from the hit motion picture soundtracks, Set If Off
and New Jack City. Singles include Ladies First,
Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here, Just Another Day, Paper,
Black Hand Side, Set It Off, It's Alright, Come
Into My House, and the anthematic top 20 hit single, U.N.I.T.Y.
Additionally, SHE'S A QUEEN GREATEST HITS COMPILATION
includes two new tracks, She's A Queen, produced
by Kenny Flav and the Timbaland produced party jam, Go
Head.
After
grabbing the attention of the music industry and fans alike with
Wrath of My Madness, Latifah followed up with the brash
and boastful Ladies First (featuring fellow female
rapper, Monie Love). The crazy upbeat dance track garnered
Latifah major radio attention and established her as an MC to be
reckoned with. ALL HAIL THE QUEEN delivered yet another
standout cut the classic house flavored, Come Into My House.
Flexing her singing chops as well as her razor sharp rap skills,
Come Into My House, pulsated on dance floors of clubs
around the world.
 Firmly
ensconced in her position as rap's dominating female MC, Latifah
kept the rhymes flowing with her second album released in 1991,
NATURE OF A SISTA . The album featured Fly Girl and
the classic hip-hop track, Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here. In
1993, Latifah signed with Motown Records and in 1993 she
released her Gold certified album, BLACK REIGN. The award
winning album produced the laid back odes to her hood, Just
Another Day and Black Hand Side. In 1994,
Latifah took home the Grammy Award for the Best Rap Solo
Performance for the universal anthem for respect, U.N.I.T.Y,
which was also featured on the album.
In 1998,
after an almost five year break from full-time recording, Motown
released ORDER IN THE COURT. Latifah's fourth album found
the multi-talented entertainer in full possession of her sharp
and powerful lyrical skills. The project produced the standout
singles, It's Alright and Paper, a Wyclef Jean
produced rework of the Marvin Gaye classic, Heard It Through
the Grapevine. Latifah performed the updated Motown classic
at the Super Bowl XXXIII Motown Half-Time Show in San Diego.
Latifah's
accomplishments in the music arena are but one part of her
success story. The accomplished performer is also a respected
television and film star. After spending five years on the hit
Fox Network television series, Living Single, Latifah has
gone on to appear and star in films, including her critically
acclaimed performances in Set It Off, Bone Collector
with Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and Living Out
Loud surprising her fans as she confidently belted out jazz
standards, in her role as a lounge singer. Latifah appeared in
the made-for-TV movie, Mama Flora s Family and also spent
two years executive producing and hosting her own nationally
syndicated daily talk show Queen Latifah.
Adding to
her already impressive list of credentials, the Cover Girl model
added author to the list with the 1999 publication of Ladies
First Revelations of a Strong Woman. As she had with her
music and television show Latifah used her life experiences as
material and delivered a message about the importance of
developing strong self-esteem and illustrating everyone s
potential for becoming a king or a queen.
With Flavor Unit
the entertainment company she co-owns as her base, Latifah has
entertained, educated and demonstrated why she represents the
very best of humanity. She has graced us with her regal style
and talent on records, on stage and on both the big and small
screen for more than ten years. First and foremost, Latifah will
be remembered as the rap music female MC who dared to be
different. The one who stood toe to toe with her male
contemporaries rhyme for rhyme. As the magnificent MC who
demanded respect for herself and her fellow sisters, QUEEN
LATIFAH reigns supreme.
Track listing
For The Love of
Money featuring Troop & Levert
Ladies First
Featuring Money Love
She's A Queen
(new)
fly girl
Latifah s Had it
Up 2 Here
U.N.I.T.Y
Black Hand Side
Go Head (new)
Just Another Day
Set If Off
Paper
It's Alright
featuring Faith Evans
Come Into My
House |
