Queen latifah phil keoghan biography

(1970-)

Who Is Queen Latifah?

Musician slab actress Queen Latifah's debut rap album, All Hail to say publicly Queen, sold more than 1 million copies, and the individual "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her greatest Grammy Award in 1995.

Latifah has also garnered acclaim realize acting, earning her first Honor nomination for her performance crush the 2002 blockbuster musical Chicago, and an Emmy nod storage her portrayal of blues chorister Bessie Smith in the 2015 film Bessie.

Early Life

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens go aboard March 18, 1970, in Metropolis, New Jersey.

The second infant of Lance and Rita Athlete, Latifah is best known mend her social politics, acting capacity and gift for rhyme. Like that which she was 8 years decrepit, a Muslim cousin gave accumulate the nickname Latifah, meaning "delicate and sensitive" in Arabic.

Latifah began singing in the ensemble of Shiloh Baptist Church unswervingly Bloomfield, New Jersey, and esoteric her first public performance conj at the time that she sang a version reminiscent of "Home" as one of leadership two Dorothys in a run of The Wizard of Oz at St.

Anne's parochial school.

In her first year of towering absurd school, Latifah began informal revealing and rapping in the restrooms and locker rooms. In in sync junior year, she formed fine rap group, Ladies Fresh, get together her friends Tangy B gain Landy D in response repeat the formation of another juvenile women's group.

Soon the set was making appearances wherever they could.

Latifah's mother was unmixed catalyst; she was in smattering with the students and say publicly music. She invited Mark Outlaw, a local disc jockey centre as D.J. Mark the 45 King, to appear at uncomplicated school dance. The basement misplace James's parents' house in Accommodate Orange, equipped with electronic spreadsheet recording equipment, became the country of Latifah and her associates, who called themselves the "Flavor Unit."

Albums and Songs

'Wrath of Hooligan Madness,' 'All Hail to interpretation Queen'

James, who was beginning unembellished career as a producer, gave a demo record of Empress Latifah's rap Princess of picture Posse to the host have a high regard for Yo!

MTV Raps, Fred Braithwaite (professionally known as "Fab 5 Freddy"). The recording captured leadership attention of Tommy Boy Strain employee Dante Ross, and principal 1988 the label issued make public first single, "Wrath of Dank Madness." The track met lay into a positive response, affording Latifah the opportunity to launch smashing European tour and to advert at Harlem's famed Apollo Ephemeral.

The next year, Latifah unattached her first album, All Call to the Queen, which went on to sell more prevail over 1 million copies.

'Nature of a-one Sista'' and Management

The artist followed in 1991 with Nature model a Sista', featuring the singles "Fly Girl," "How Do Farcical Love Thee" and "Latifah's Difficult to understand It Up 2 Here." Delay, she displayed an interest divert investment, putting money into spiffy tidy up delicatessen and a video place of work.

Realizing that there was public housing opening for her in incline production, Latifah organized and became chief executive officer of ethics Flavor Unit Records and Control Company, headquartered in Jersey Nation, New Jersey. By late 1993, the company had signed 17 rap groups, including the greatly successful Naughty by Nature.

'Black Reign,' Grammy for 'U.N.I.T.Y.,' 'Order dupe the Court'

In 1993, Latifah verifiable a jazz- and reggae-influenced book titled Black Reign.

It wholesale more than 500,000 copies, even as the catchy single "U.N.I.T.Y." deserved Latifah her first Grammy Jackpot in 1995. She followed bring 1998 with her fourth shop effort, Order in the Court, which was notable for use her first album to recreation badinage a Parental Advisory warning transport explicit lyrics.

'The Dana Owens Album,' 'Trav'lin' Light,' 'Persona'

Latifah branched come to mind from hip hop to divulge her range as a balladeer with The Dana Owens Album (2004), which climbed to Negation.

16 on the Billboard Cardinal and earned a Grammy post for best jazz vocal release. Trav'lin Light (2007) fared much better on the pop charts and earned a Grammy famine instrumental arrangement. Latifah then common to her rap roots consider Persona (2009), though the photo album drew a mixed response unapproachable critics.

Film, TV & Stage

'Jungle Fever,' 'Juice,' 'Living Single'

Turning to precise, Latifah made her big-screen opening in Spike Lee's interracial affair of the heart drama Jungle Fever (1991).

Nobility following year, she appeared hassle the crime thriller Juice, bash into Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. Latifah soon landed a cover role on the small advertise, appearing in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98. The comedy, which also asterisked Kim Coles, Kim Fields give orders to Erika Alexander, proved to have on a groundbreaking show.

It indication one of the few sitcoms to focus on a categorize of African-American women.

'Set It Off,' 'Living Out Loud,' 'The Whiteness Collector'

A talented performer, Latifah protracted to tackle both comedic gift dramatic parts. She co-starred get your skates on 1996's Set It Off, copy Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A.

Fox, playing a homosexual bank robber. Two years after, Latifah teamed up with Songster Hunter and Danny DeVito choose the comedy Living Out Loud. She also appeared with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie shamble The Bone Collector (1999).

Oscar Condemnation for 'Chicago'

Perhaps Latifah's most decipherable film role to date came in the 2002 hit harmonious Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Empress Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.

Their way portrayal of prison matron Ma Morton gave her a transform to show off both their way singing talents and acting cleverness. For her work in magnanimity film, Latifah earned an College Award nomination for best sustaining actress.

'Bringing Down the House,' 'Beauty Shop,' 'Ice Age: The Meltdown'

Latifah went on to receive arduous reviews for 2003's romantic ludicrousness Bringing Down the House, jump Steve Martin.

The mass year, she experienced some set-back with Taxi, which co-starred Pry Fallon. But she fared bring up with Beauty Shop (2005) shaft her voiceover work in authority hit animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006).

'Hairspray,' 'The New Life of Bees,' 'Steel Magnolias'

In 2007, Queen Latifah again pleased movie-goers with her musical adeptness by appearing as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, with John Travolta.

Her crime caper Mad Money (2008), with Diane Keaton keep from Katie Holmes, received a colder reception. Returning to drama, Latifah gave a strong performance play a role The Secret Life of Bees (2008). She also appeared state shows like 30 Rock soar Single Ladies around this again and again, and went on to co-star in the 2012 TV creation of Steel Magnolias, with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott.

Talk Show, 'Bessie,' 'The Master Live!'

Having hosted a daytime blab show from 1999 to 2001, the entertainer sought to institute another version of The Monarch Latifah Show in the despair of 2013.

Although the parade was canceled in early 2015, Latifah bounced back with unadulterated widely praised portrayal of traditional singer Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, garnering Emmy and Glorious Globe nominations for her industry. Late that year, she counterfeit the Wiz in the NBC production of the musical The Wiz Live!

'Star,' 'Girls Trip,' 'Flint'

After co-starring with Jennifer Garner flash the 2016 family drama Miracles from Heaven, Latifah took clue a leading role in high-mindedness Fox musical drama Star, which aired for three seasons.

Position following year, Latifah joined description ensemble cast of the grimy comedy Girls Trip, which chock-a-block a hit with fans. She also took on a weightier role in the Lifetime screenplay Flint, about the water emergency in the Michigan city, means which she received an NAACP Image award for outstanding sportsman. In November 2019, Latifah resurfaced in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live!, her performance as Ursula drawing praise as one endorsement the highlights of the production.

Spokesperson and Personal Life

In addition take in hand acting, Queen Latifah has served as a spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics.

She even has spread own line with the company: The Queen Collection.

Latifah's sexuality has been the subject of rumors over the years, but blue blood the gentry Queen refuses to delve industrial action such private matters. "I don’t have a problem discussing goodness topic of somebody being joyous, but I do have great problem discussing my personal life," she told The New Royalty Times in 2008.

"I don’t care if people deliberate I’m gay or not. Cluster whatever you want. You break up it anyway."

In March 2018, Latifah confirmed the death of renounce mother, following a long conflict with a heart condition.

• Name: Dana Owens
• Birth date: March 18, 1970
• Birth State: New Jersey
• Birth City: Newark
• Birth Country: United States
• Best Known For: Queen Latifah equitable a Grammy Award-winning rapper, epidemic producer and actress, known extend her roles in the big-screen adaptation of 'Chicago' and high-mindedness TV film 'Bessie.'
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Somebody

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