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Queen Latifah

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Queen Latifah is a famous American artist who does many things.

Queen Latifah 1
Queen Latifah 1

She is a rapper, a singer, and an actress. She was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970. She grew up in Newark and East Orange, New Jersey. Her parents were a teacher and a police officer. When she was eight, she found her stage name in a book. Latifah is an Arabic word that means "delicate" and "very kind." She was also a tall power forward on her high school basketball team.

Her music career began with rap and hip-hop.

QueenLatifah2009WATF 2
QueenLatifah2009WATF 2

At age 19, she released her first album, All Hail the Queen. She was a member of a group called Native Tongues. Her third album, Black Reign, was very important. It was the first album by a solo female rapper to be certified gold. This album included the song "U.N.I.T.Y." which won a Grammy Award. That song helped people learn about violence against women and how Black women are treated. She also performed at the Super Bowl XXXII halftime show.

Later, she changed her music style to focus on singing. She began to perform soul music and jazz standards.

Super Bowl 44 Queen Latifah God Bless America (4344821074) (cropped)
Super Bowl 44 Queen Latifah God Bless America (4344821074) (cropped)

In 2004, she released The Dana Owens Album. In 2007, she sang at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. She performed for more than 12,400 people there. She used a 10-piece live orchestra for her show. She even sang new versions of songs like "California Dreaming." She can sing in a wide range using her contralto voice.

Queen Latifah is also a very successful actress. She starred in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to 1998.

She played a role in the movie Chicago that earned an Academy Award nomination. She has been in many other movies like Bringing Down the House and Hairspray. She even provided the voice for a mammoth named Ellie in the Ice Age films. She also hosted her own talk show, The Queen Latifah Show, for several years. She even played a blues singer named Bessie Smith in a movie about her life.

She has received many big honors for her hard work. She has won a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe. In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has also won three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Her work connects many different kinds of art together. She moves easily between rapping, singing, acting, and hosting. People all over the world know her for her many talents.

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File:Queen Latifah 1.jpg
Queen Latifah 1.jpg
File:QueenLatifah2009WATF 2.jpg
QueenLatifah2009WATF 2.jpg
File:Super Bowl 44 Queen Latifah God Bless America (4344821074) (cropped).jpg
Super Bowl 44 Queen Latifah God Bless...
File:Queen Latifah at Kennedy Center Honors Dinner (53374125172).jpg
Queen Latifah at Kennedy Center Honors...
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