Dana Elaine Owens, otherwise known as Queen Latifah, is an American actress and rapper born to a police family in Newark, New Jersey on March 19, 1970 (50 years old). She is statuesque at 5’10”.
Her stage name ‘Latifah’ means “delicate” and “very kind” in Arabic, which she discovered at the age of eight while looking at a book of Arabic names. She then later added “Queen” as her rap name.
In a conversation with People, The Equalizer star fondly recalled her mother laughing when she first heard her screen name and said “Queen? I ain’t calling you Queen!” Let’s take a look at the New Jersey rapper and actress’ life and career.
Police Family
Owens’ father, Lancelot Owens Sr., and her older brother, Lancelot Owens Jr. (deceased) were both policemen and had a strong influence on her life and rap style.
Her mother Rita was a teacher and died in March 2018 due to heart failure, which left her in deep sorrow as they were very close. Her parents divorced when the actress was 10 years old.
Her brother tragically died in a motorcycle accident in 1992. It is reported that Latifah still wears the key to the motorcycle her brother drove as she purchased the bike for him as a gift.
Education
The BET Best Actress winner was raised Baptist but went to a Catholic school in Newark, New Jersey. She graduated from Essex Catholic Girls’ High School in Irvington.
During high school, she was a member of an all-female rap group called “Ladies Fresh.” She would later attend Borough of Manhattan Community College where she recorded a demo tape that impressed the producers of Tommy Boy Records.
She would be signed on to make a debut single Wrath of My Madness in 1988 and release her first album, All Hail The Queen in 1989.
A Queen is Born!
Her musical style ranges from reggae, hip-hop, dance, jazz, and Gospel and is greatly inspired by idols LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and Run-D.M.C.
At age 19, the rapper’s debut record, All Hail The Queen, was released in 1989 and taps deep into her African roots with feminist themes on tracks like Ladies First:
Believe me, when I say being a woman is great, you seeI know all the fellas out there will agree with me
Not for being one but for being with one
Because when it’s time for loving it’s the woman that gets some
Strong, stepping, strutting, moving on
Rhyming, cutting, and not forgetting
We are the ones that give birth
To the new generation of prophets because it’s Ladies First–Ladies First
The album was about women’s empowerment, self-respect, and independence which had a positive response, making it different from the usual sex-oriented themes of rap music at that time
Being an Actress
The rapper-turned-actress’ first film was Jungle Fever, which was directed by Spike Lee, known for Malcom X (1992), Hoop Dreams (1994), and Clockers (1995).
The film revolves around a married black media executive played by Wesley Snipes, who has an affair with his white secretary portrayed by Annabella Sciorra. The movie explores the complexities of an interracial relationship.
Latifah played a minor role as a turban-wearing waitress taking the order of the main characters in the famous soul-food restaurant, Slyvia’s.
During the movie’s 25th anniversary, the rapper shared with ABC News that all she could remember was that it was really hot during filming because it was summertime in Harlem and that her dressing room was so tiny. She also remembers being so nervous.
Achievements
As an actress, Queen Latifah has 99 titles (and counting) in film and television to her name with work in Bringing Down The House (2003), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Beauty Shop (2005), Ice Age (2002), 30 Rock (2010), Entourage (2010), and Hairspray (2007).
The role that captured critics’ recognition was her performance in Chicago (2002). For it she received nominations for Best Supporting Actress from the Academy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She has won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie twice and has a Golden Globe trophy for Life Support (2007). In 2006 she had her very own Star on the Walk of Fame.
On the music front, she has released 7 studio albums and received 6 Grammy Award nominations and 1 win.
Being in showbiz for 3 decades, Dana Owens has come a long way from her humble beginnings in college, losing loved ones, and even working at Burger King at one point. But through her strong will and fearlessness, she is one of the most prolific African-American entertainers, inspiring even the likes of Lauryn Hill, Da Brat, Eve, and Megan Thee Stallion.
The Queen indeed still reigns supreme!