Queen Latifah is not only a rapper but also an accomplished actress, showcasing her versatility in the entertainment industry.
She discovered her stage name, "Latifah," meaning "delicate" in Arabic, when she was just eight years old.
Her debut album, "All Hail the Queen," released in 1989, was a significant milestone in her career, blending hip-hop with jazz and soul.
Biography
Early Life
Dana Elaine Owens, known professionally as Queen Latifah, was born on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey. Raised primarily in East Orange, she was the daughter of Rita Lamae, a teacher, and Lancelot Amos Owens, a police officer. Her parents divorced when she was ten, and she was raised in the Baptist faith. Latifah attended Catholic school and graduated from Irvington High School, where she also played basketball. At the age of eight, she discovered her stage name, "Latifah," meaning "delicate" and "very kind" in Arabic, from a book of Arabic names.
Music Career
Queen Latifah began her music career in the late 1980s, initially beatboxing for the hip-hop group Ladies Fresh. She gained recognition with her debut single "Wrath of My Madness" in 1989, released by Tommy Boy Records. Her first album, "All Hail the Queen," showcased her unique blend of hip-hop, jazz, and soul, and addressed issues faced by Black women. Latifah's influential track "Ladies First" became a landmark collaboration between female rappers. Over the years, she released several successful albums, including "Nature of a Sista’" and "Black Reign," and earned a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Personal Life
Latifah has faced personal challenges, including the tragic loss of her brother in 1992 and a carjacking incident in 1995. Despite these hardships, she has maintained a private life, often choosing not to disclose details about her sexuality until her acceptance speech at the 2021 BET Awards, where she acknowledged her partner and son. Latifah's artistic journey has been marked by her commitment to addressing social issues through her music, making her a pioneering figure in hip-hop and a role model for many.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Persona2009
- 1.The Light5:04
- 2.Fast Car4:18
- 3.Cue the Rain6:02
- 4.My Couch6:04
- 5.Take Me Away (With You)3:46
- 6.With You4:35
- 7.Hard to Love Ya4:15
- 8.What’s the Plan3:10
- 9.Long Ass Week4:11
- 10.Runnin4:03
- 11.People3:54
- 12.If He Wanna4:50
- 13.Over the Mountain5:12
- 14.The World5:31
Trav’lin’ Light2007
- 1.Poetry Man4:40
- 2.Georgia Rose3:44
- 3.Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars3:54
- 4.Don’t Cry Baby2:54
- 5.I Love Being Here With You2:53
- 6.I’m Gonna Live Till I Die2:10
- 7.Trav’lin’ Light4:06
- 8.I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl3:06
- 9.I’m Not in Love4:48
- 10.What Love Has Joined Together3:41
- 11.How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)5:42
- 12.Gone Away5:51
- 13.I Know Where I’ve Been4:14
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Queen Latifah2005
- 1.Wrath of My Madness4:12
- 2.Rough… (edited single version)4:14
- 3.U.N.I.T.Y. (clean version)4:08
- 4.Just Another Day…4:28
- 5.Black on Black Love5:06
- 6.Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here4:26
- 7.Black Hand Side (clean version)3:21
- 8.Paper4:02
- 9.It’s Alright3:46
- 10.Weekend Love4:07
Hip-Hop Hits2005
- 1.Ladies First3:56
- 2.Fly Girl4:02
- 3.Come Into My House4:15
- 4.Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here4:28
- 5.Dance for Me3:43
- 6.Wrath of My Madness4:13
- 7.Nuff' of the Ruff' Stuff3:52
- 8.Give Me Your Love3:50
- 9.Princess of the Posse3:52
- 10.Nature of a Sista3:19
The Dana Owens Album2004
- 1.Baby Get Lost3:43
- 2.I Put a Spell on You3:08
- 3.Simply Beautiful4:11
- 4.The Same Love That Made Me Laugh3:53
- 5.Moody’s Mood for Love3:59
- 6.Close Your Eyes2:56
- 7.California Dreamin’3:42
- 8.Hard Times5:22
- 9.Mercy, Mercy, Mercy3:27
- 10.Hello Stranger3:00
- 11.If I Had You4:05
- 12.Lush Life4:25
She’s a Queen: A Collection of Hits2002
- 1.Ladies First3:55
- 2.She’s a Queen4:45
- 3.Winki’s Theme5:31
- 4.Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here4:26
- 5.U.N.I.T.Y.4:12
- 6.Black Hand Side3:22
- 7.Go Head4:41
- 8.Just Another Day…4:28
- 9.Set It Off5:01
- 10.Paper4:04
- 11.It’s Alright3:47
- 12.Come Into My House4:13
Order in the Court1998
- 1.Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)4:00
- 2.Court Is in Session3:53
- 3.No/Yes Skit0:45
- 4.No/Yes4:51
- 5.Turn You On4:21
- 6.Black on Black Love5:05
- 7.Parlay4:53
- 8.Paper4:01
- 9.What Ya Gonna Do?4:34
- 10.It’s Alright3:46
- 11.Phone Call0:34
- 12.Brownsville4:41
- 13.I Don’t Know4:30
- 14.Life5:43
- 15.Let Her Live3:40
Queen Latifah and the Original Flavor Unit1996
- 1.Greetings From the Queen2:37
- 2.Flavor Unit Assassination Squad6:25
- 3.Passing the Mic3:35
- 4.Pure Righteousness4:30
- 5.I Feel Like Flowing4:02
- 6.Top Gun4:12
- 7.Voice of Power3:29
- 8.Smooth Yet Hard5:14
- 9.Horns Are Horny5:43
- 10.Lyrics in Motion4:06
- 11.Flavor Unit Assassination Squad (45 King remix)6:25
Black Reign1993
- 1.Black Hand Side3:23
- 2.Listen 2 Me4:43
- 3.I Can’t Understand3:50
- 4.Rough…5:05
- 5.4 the D.J.’s (interlude)1:38
- 6.Bring tha Flava3:26
- 7.Coochie Bang…3:47
- 8.Superstar3:56
- 9.No Work2:51
- 10.Just a Flow (interlude)1:31
- 11.Just Another Day…4:29
- 12.U.N.I.T.Y.4:12
- 13.Weekend Love4:10
- 14.Mood Is Right3:30
- 15.Winki’s Theme5:29
Nature of a Sista’1991
- 1.Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here4:29
- 2.Nuff’ of the Ruff’ Stuff’3:51
- 3.One Mo’ Time4:50
- 4.Give Me Your Love3:50
- 5.Love Again3:42
- 6.Bad as a Mutha4:00
- 7.Fly Girl4:03
- 8.Sexy Fancy3:56
- 9.Nature of a Sista’3:21
- 10.That’s the Way We Flow3:22
- 11.If You Don’t Know4:59
- 12.How Do I Love Thee5:02
All Hail the Queen1989
- 1.Dance for Me3:46
- 2.Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children4:29
- 3.Come Into My House4:18
- 4.Latifah’s Law3:54
- 5.Wrath of My Madness4:17
- 6.The Pros5:47
- 7.Ladies First3:59
- 8.A King and Queen Creation3:39
- 9.Queen of Royal Badness3:29
- 10.Evil That Men Do4:07
- 11.Princess of the Posse3:55
- 12.Inside Out4:16
King King2024
Tracklist not collected yet.
Walk the Dinosaur2009
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I Can Do Too (original version + the Neptunes Remixes)2000
Tracklist not collected yet.
It's Alright1997
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Mr. Big Stuff1996
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Just Another Day1994
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U.N.I.T.Y.1993
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Fly Girl1991
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Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here1991
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ladies First1990
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Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children1990
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What’cha Gonna Do?1992
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Come Into My House1990
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Ladies First1989
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Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Verve Records
- Record label
- A&M Records
- Record label
- Interscope Records
- Record label
- Motown
- Record label
- PolyGram
- Record label
- Tommy Boy Records
Achievements
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
- Award
- Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
- Award
- Soul Train Music Award for Sammy Davis, Jr. – Entertainer of the Year
- Award
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
- Award
- BET Award for Best Actor & Actress
- Award
- Candace Award
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Award
- Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress – Comedy
- Award
- Women Film Critics Circle Awards
- Award
- New Jersey Hall of Fame
Groups
- Native Tonguescurrent
- The Flavor Unitcurrent
- The Flavor Unit MCscurrent
- We Are Family Collectivecurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Dana Elaine Owens, Dana Owens, Queen Latifa
Dana Elaine Owens, known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper and actress. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Actor Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Latifah was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026 through the musical influence category.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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