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Queen LatifahAmerican rapper, model and actress
Date of Birth: 18.03.1970
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah is an American rapper, model, and actress. Her work in music, film, and television has earned her a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, multiple Grammy nominations, an Emmy, and an Academy Award nomination.
Early Life
Queen Latifah was born on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey. Her mother, Rita, was a teacher at Irvington High School, and her father, Lancelot Owens, was a police officer. Her parents divorced when she was ten years old. In school, Latifah participated in various plays and musicals. Her stage name, Latifah, meaning "delicate" and "sensitive" in Arabic, was given to her by her cousin when she was just eight years old.
Music Career
Latifah began her career as a rapper in the group "Ladies Fresh." She was also a member of the MC group "The Flavor Unit," whose producer at the time was DJ Mark the 45 King. In 1988, he heard a demo version of Latifah's single "Princess of the Posse" and introduced her to Fab Five Freddy, the owner of "Yo! MTV Raps." Freddy helped the young artist sign a contract with Tommy Boy Records, which released her first album, "All Hail the Queen," in 1989. The album brought the 19-year-old artist tremendous success and earned her a Grammy. She went on to release four more albums, including "Order in the Court" in 1998.
Acting Career
Queen Latifah has also made a name for herself as an actress. She has been appearing in films and on television since 1991, starring in numerous TV series. Her first major role in a film was in "Jungle Fever" (1991). Latifah received an Oscar nomination for her role in the musical "Chicago" (2002). Some of her notable works as an actress include the sci-fi film "Sphere" (1998, directed by Barry Levinson), the American remake of the French film "Taxi" - "Taxi" (2004), the comedy "Stranger than Fiction" (2006, directed by Marc Forster), and the film "Beauty Shop" (2005). Queen Latifah is also a composer, producer, and screenwriter for several films in which she has appeared. She continues to have successful performances on stage.
Recent Work
On July 11, 2007, Queen Latifah performed at the famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles at a live jazz concert. She was accompanied by a live orchestra and presented a new arrangement of "California Dreaming," which made "The Mamas & the Papas" popular in the 1960s. Later that year, Latifah released the album "Trav'lin' Light," which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In 2009, she collaborated with "The Jubilation Choir" on a track for the album "Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration," covering the song by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, which was popular in 1969. A new hip-hop album from Queen Latifah is expected to be released in 2009.
