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Queen Latifah (b. Dana Elaine Owens, March 18, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey) is a Grammy-winning American rapper/singer and Academy Award-nominated actress.
Music career
Latifah started her career beatboxing for the rap group Ladies Fresh. In 1988, local DJ Mark the 45 King heard a demo version of Latifah's single, "Princess of the Posse", and gave the demo to Fab Five Freddy (who at the time hosted Yo! MTV Raps). Freddy helped Latifah sign with Tommy Boy Records. They released Latifah's first album, All Hail the Queen, in 1989. She was 18 at the time. In that same year, she also appeared as "Referee" on the UK label 'Music Of Life's album "1989-The Hustlers Convention (live)" remonstrating between MC Duke and an unknown emcee in the crowd not to battle & to deal with the "diss" laid down by Duke as a "man" she then gets cussed for "not being English". Her debut managed to be both a critical and commercial success and was followed by the albums Nature of a Sista and Black Reign, which contained the hit single, U.N.I.T.Y., for which she won a Grammy. In 1998 after releasing fourth rap album, Order in the Court, she released the soul/jazz standards The Dana Owens Album in 2004.
Acting career
From 1993 to 1998, Latifah had a starring role on Living Single, a FOX sitcom; she also wrote and performed its theme music. She began her film career in a supporting role in the 1991 films House Party 2, Juice, and Jungle Fever, and Set It Off in 1996.
Latifah first attracted notice for her role as a lesbian in the 1996 box-office hit, Set It Off, and subsequently had a supporting role in the Holly Hunter film Living Out Loud (1998) and played the role of Thelma in the 1999 movie adaptation of Jeffrey Deavers' The Bone Collector alongside Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. Although she had already received some critical acclaim, she gained mainstream success after being cast as Matron "Mama" Morton in the Oscar-winning musical Chicago, the recipient of the Best Picture Oscar. Latifah received an Academy Award nomination for "Best Supporting Actress" for her role. In 2003 she co-starred with Steve Martin in the film Bringing Down the House, which was a big success at the box office. Since then, she has had both leading and supporting roles in a multitude of films that received varied critical and box office receptions, including Scary Movie 3, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Taxi, Kung Faux, and Beauty Shop.
Her latest film, released in early 2006, is a romantic comedy/drama entitled Last Holiday. Latifah has received some notably positive reviews for the role, including a statement by film critic Richard Roeper that "this is the Queen Latifah performance I've been waiting for ever since she broke into movies". Also in early 2006, Latifah voiced Ellie the mammoth in the animated film, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (her first voice appearance in an animated film), and will soon appear in the drama Stranger Than Fiction and a remake of Hairspray, playing Motormouth Maybelle opposite John Travolta. Latifah and Travolta also co-presented at the 2007 Oscar ceremony, in which Travolta playfully discussed the beauty of a full-figured woman. Currently, she is filming The Perfect Christmas penned by Marc Calixte and Lance Rivera in Warren, NJ, alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Charles Q. Murphy, Jill Marie Jones, and Faizon Love.
Other work
Latifah is a celebrity spokesperson for Cover Girl cosmetics, has developed her own line of cosmetics for women of color called the Covergirl Queen Collectionand Curvation ladies underwear; she has starred in several commercials for the line, as well as a commercial with fellow spokeswoman and singer Faith Hill. She has also had her own talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, from 1999 to 2001. She is a spokesperson for Pizza Hut.
Latifah is one of two hip-hop artists to receive an Academy Award nomination in an acting category (Best Supporting Actress, Chicago, 2002). The other is Will Smith (Best Actor, Ali, 2001).
She gave a biography of her life when she appeared on a show, featured on Bravo! While on the show she cried while speaking of her late brother, Lancelot.
Personal life
Latifah's older brother Lance was killed in 1992 in a biking accident involving the motorbike that Latifah had just bought him. She still wears the key to the motorbike around her neck and dedicated Black Reign to him. In 1993, she was the victim of a carjacking, in which a friend of hers was shot. In 1996, she was arrested for possession of a small amount of marijuana and a fully loaded hand gun; she was fined and sentenced to two years' probation.
In her 1999 autobiography, Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman, Latifah discussed how her brother's death led to a bout of depression and drug abuse from which she later recovered.
Queen Latifah also has two other sisters and a brother from her father's post-marriage from Queen Latifah's mother, Rita Owens.
Because of her portrayal of a lesbian in Set It Off and her avoidance of discussing her romantic life, tabloid media have at times speculated on her sexual orientation. Latifah, neither confirming nor denying, responded to these rumors in her autobiography by saying: "It's insulting when someone asks, 'Are you gay?' A woman cannot be strong, outspoken, competent at running her own business, handle herself physically, play a very convincing role in a movie, know what she wants—and go for it—without being gay? Come on." Queen Latifah is an advocate for same sex marriage and other gay rights issues.
In early 2003, Latifah had breast reduction surgery to relieve back pain. She also works out with a trainer and kickboxes.
Discography
* All Hail the Queen (1989) (Uncertified: 150,000 copies sold)
* Nature of a Sister' (1991) (uncertified: 90,000 copies sold)
* Black Reign (1993) (Gold) (Gold Certification: 480,000 copies sold)
* Order in the Court (1998) (uncerified: 50,000 copies sold)
* She's the Queen: A Collection of Hits (2002) (uncertified:10,000 copies sold)
* The Dana Owens Album (2004) (Gold) (Gold certification: 510,000 copies sold)
Selected filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1991 House Party 2 Zora
1992 Juice Ruffhouse M.C.
1996 Set It Off Cleopatra 'Cleo' Sims
1998 Living Out Loud Liz Bailey
2002 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton
Brown Sugar Francine
2003 Scary Movie 3 Aunt Shaneequa
Bringing Down the House Charlene Morton (also producer)
2004 Taxi Belle
The Cookout Security Guard (also producer)
Barbershop 2: Back in Business Gina
2005 Beauty Shop Gina Norris (also producer)
2006 Stranger Than Fiction Penny Escher
Ice Age: The Meltdown Ellie the woolly mammoth (voice)
Last Holiday Georgia Byrd
2007 Hairspray Motormouth Maybelle
A Perfect Christmas Narrator
Life Support Ana
Awards/Nominations
* Academy Awards
o 2003, Best Supporting Actress: Chicago (Nominated)
* BAFTA Award
o 2003, Best Supporting Actress: Chicago (Nominated)
* BET Awards
o 2006, Best Actress: (Nominated)
o 2003, Best Actress: (Winner)
* Black Movie Awards
o 2006, Best Actress: Last Holiday (Nominated)
o 2005, Best Actress: Beauty Shop (Nominated)
* Black Reel Awards
o 2006, Best Actress: Beauty Shop (Nominated)
o 2004, Best Actress: Bringing Down the House (Nominated)
o 2003, Best Supporting Actress: Chicago (Winner)
o 2000, Best Supporting Actress: The Bone Collector (Nominated)
* Broadcast Film Critics Association
o 2003, Best Ensemble: Chicago (Winner)
* Golden Globes
o 2003, Best Supporting Actress: Chicago (Nominated)
* Image Awards
o 2007, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Last Holiday (Nominated)
o 2006, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Beauty Shop (Nominated)
o 2004, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Bringing Down the House (Winner)
o 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar (Nominated)
o 2000, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: The Bone Collector (Nominated)
o 1999, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Living Out Loud (Nominated)
o 1999, Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series/Television Movie: Momma Flora's Family (Nominated)
o 1998, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Living Single (Nominated)
o 1997, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Living Single (Nominated)
o 1997, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture: Set It Off (Nominated)
o 1996, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Living Single (Nominated)
* Independent Spirit Award
o 1997, Best Female Lead: Set It Off (Nominated)
* MTV Movie Awards
o 2004, Best Female Performance: Bringing Down the House (Nominated)
o 2004, Best Fight: Bringing Down the House Shared w/ Missi Pyle (Nominated)
o 2003, Best Female Performance: Chicago (Nominated)
* Screen Actors Guild
o 2003, Outstanding Cast In a Motion Picture: Chicago (Winner)
o 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Chicago (Nominated)
| Latest news about Queen Latifah |
Queen Latifah Performs “Cue The Rain†Live on Sirius « Hip-Hop WiredQueen Latifah Performs "Cue The Rain" Live on Sirius. » by Justin Stewart November 18, 2009, 20:20pm. Comment Comments 0 Tags: cue the rain, queen latifah, sirius, VIDEO. Share This Story. Share this story on Delicious.com ... Continue reading
Queen Latifah: Returning as Host of 'People's Choice Awards ...Queen Latifah will return as host of the '2010 People's Choice Awards' ij January, and a few people of color and their respective projects will battle it out for the title of 'People's Choice.' Emmy Award-winning supermodel-turned-talk ... Continue reading
Queen Latifah is coming to Chicago for Queen by Queen Latifah ...All hail the queen. Queen Latifah that is. One of the most well-renowned hip hop pioneers, successful female rapper, actress, singer, record label owner and cosmetic line face behind Cover Girl's Queen collection has a new business ... Continue reading
Mane Morning: Queen Latifah's Braided Hump | Backstage Beauty Pass ...Tuesday night Queen Latifah was spotted on the red carpet at Paper Magazine and HP's 25th Anniversary Gala at the New York Public Library in NYC rocking an interesting braided hump segueing into a ponytail. It's a different take on the ... Continue reading
Human Beatbox Queen Latifah Rocks the Mic on 'Lopez Tonight ...In a clip from 'Lopez Tonight' that makes us wish we hadn't sold our old 'Fat Boys' CDs, Queen Latifah throws down on the mike. Continue reading
Queen Latifah's “Persona†Contest Updates | The FembassyQueen Latifah's “Ignite Your Persona†contest with CoverGirl.com is now closed and winners will be announced soon. Also, Queen Latifah's “Persona†tour has been postponed due to work conflict. For more information visit www. ... Continue reading
Live Webcast With Queen Latifah & Olivia Fox Today | MyMajicDC ...Watch Queen Latifah live online while she's live on the air with Olivia Fox this morning. Log on right here at MyMajicDC.com at 10 am! Continue reading
Queen Latifah and Ensiferum Cancel Shows - Miami Music - Crossfade ...Miami Music. Queen Latifah and Ensiferum Cancel Shows. Miami New Times news, blogs, music, movies, restaurants and the arts. Continue reading
Queen Latifah “Believes†for Macy's Holiday Campaign - Style News ...Courtesy Macy's Ho! Ho! Ho! The always upbeat Queen Latifah will bring joyous good cheer to Macy's this year, starring in the retailer's new seasonal TV commercials, which break Nov. 6. Continue reading
Queen Latifah and Ensiferum Cancel Shows - Crossfade - BrowardBroward Palm Beach source of information from news and blogs to music, movies restaurants and the arts. Continue reading
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