Queen Latifah

Hip-hop trailblazer and beloved actor-entertainer Queen Latifah is a bastion of contemporary culture. She was born Dana Elaine Owens in 1970 and raised in East Orange, New Jersey. A fan of hip-hop since its inception, Latifah began to take the craft seriously in high school, rapping in locker rooms and eventually forming an all-female rap group, Ladies Fresh. Her debut album, 1989’s All Hail the Queen, kicked off her goal of calling out the industry and calling in the Black community, as evinced by the funky and unflinching “Ladies First,” featuring British MC Monie Love. Queen Latifah released Black Reign in 1993, a lyrical exhibition that was highlighted by the women’s empowerment anthem “U.N.I.T.Y.” The following year, she appeared on the star-studded remix to Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down” alongside fellow hip-hop pioneer MC Lyte and Ice Cube protégée Yo-Yo. Queen Latifah’s love for music meets her passion for theater on fiery songs like “Satisfied” by Sia featuring Miguel, from 2016’s The Hamilton Mixtape.