Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens, known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, actress, model, television producer, record producer, comedian, and talk show host. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album All Hail the Queen the same year, featuring the hit single "Ladies First". Her second album, Nature of a Sista, was her final album with Tommy Boy Records...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth18 March 1970
CityNewark, NJ
CountryUnited States of America
I did Jay Leno with Mike the Situation, and he just - he lives, like, ten minutes from me in Jersey. He's like, 'If you ever get a flat, call me. I'll come fix your tire.' That's how we do. That's neighborly, you know?
A lot of people are crazy, cruel and negative. They got a little too much time on their hands to discuss everybody else. I have a limited amount of energy to blow in a day. I'd rather read something that I like or watch a program I enjoy or ride my damn motorcycle or throw back a couple of shots of tequila with my friends.
As a rapper, you sort of act in music videos and in the persona you adopt onstage. You kinda have to put yourself out there and be courageous even to be a rapper. So, to step into acting was not that difficult a transition to make.
Yeah, I'm from Jersey; it's almost like I was automatically born a Nets fan.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm way more of a joker than I am a serious person.
I have to be realistic about what I can and can't do. So whatever I do has to really be worth it. I like to master the things I do.
To me, hip hop will never be right until female rappers have a stronger voice in it.
I'm as involved as I can be. Whenever I'm asked to do something, I always tend to show up.
We had a blast. I can't even remember having this much fun making a movie. It was challenging, of course, but it was wonderful.
I lost relatives to AIDS. A couple of my closest cousins, favorite cousins. I lost friends to AIDS, high school friends who never even made it to their 21st birthdays in the '80s. When it's that close to you, you can't - you know, you can't really deny it, and you can't run from it.
I know a lot of people who really aren't beautiful because their attitudes are very nasty... Whether I make the 50 most beautiful list or not, I'm always going to feel like I'm number one most beautiful to myself... I get that from my mom, and my daddy and my friends who raised me.
I clean up really well. I can get dolled up.
I remember praying for peace all the time as a kid.
There's the part of my life that the public and I share together. And there's the part that's mine to keep for myself. And that's mine. For me.