Long before the Queen conquered Hollywood, Queen Latifah reigned over hip hop and R&B airwaves with intrepid rhymes and soulful crooning that shattered expectations for women MCs. While the road from her hardscrabble Newark roots to Tinseltown success shone bright with Grammys and Oscar nods, Latifah never relinquished the mic that empowered a marginalized community. Through entrepreneurial triumphs, activism, and philanthropic largesse, Dana Owens has nobly lived up to the moniker of hip hop royalty for 30 triumphant years.
The Fire of Newark Forged a Feminist Voice
Born in 1970, Dana Owens spent her formative years in Newark, New Jersey‘s notorious South Ward neighborhood, beset by poverty and crime from an early age. In a 2018 interview, she reflected on witnessing domestic abuse against her mother as motivation to protect herself on dangerous city streets. Surrounded by drugs, guns, and few positive role models in the community, young Dana found solace through artistic expression, displaying early talents in both music and visual art. While acting as a roadie and human beatbox for local groups, she jumped at the chance to rap herself when invited onstage during a city hall concert in 1987.
Adopting the stage name Queen Latifah, referencing an Arabic word for "delicate" and "sensitive", the 17-year-old wasted no time establishing herself as a singular new voice within the ascendant East Coast hip hop scene. Latifah rejected misogynistic, materialistic lyrical tropes of the time to instead tackle issues of racism, domestic abuse, intergenerational poverty and female objectification over brash, funky early beats. From the outset, fans and critics praised her sharp cultural analysis and adept flow for the maturity and confidence far beyond her years.
"Ladies First" Dethrones Dismissive Attitudes of Women in Hip Hop
On her hit 1989 debut All Hail the Queen, Latifah firmly planted her flag as a visionary feminist voice in the testosterone-fueled realm of hardcore rap. The album introduced the first bonafide "queen" of hip hop, responding to derogatory male attitudes while proudly embracing both her femininity and "roughneck" aggression.
The record‘s biggest single "Ladies First" embodied these themes through its collaboration with fellow British femcee Monie Love. Backed by the urgent Afrocentric production, Latifah asserts that "a woman can bear you, break you, take you, she‘s the reason why we can multiply" over call-and-response verses with Love. The track‘s empowering message proclaimed women could excel both as mothers and MCs, becoming an enduring hip hop anthem redefining perceptions of black women in the genre.
All Hail the Queen ultimately achieved gold certification from the RIAA while ranking as one of the 500 greatest albums in Rolling Stone history decades later. On the heels of the project‘s success, Latifah ignited her career in film and television as well with appearances on sitcoms Hangin‘ with Mr. Cooper and Living Single. However, she waited only two more years to reassert her rap supremacy.
Dominating Success in Multiple Genres by the Mid-90s
In 1993, Latifah unleashed her masterwork Black Reign to both commercial success and tremendous critical acclaim. Hit singles "Just Another Day" and the landmark feminist track "U.N.I.T.Y." earned Latifah her first Grammy win amidst four total nominations that year. The album peaked at #6 on Billboard‘s Top R&B/Hip Hop chart while also ranking among the 500 greatest albums ever by Rolling Stone similar to her debut. Beyond immortal hip hop cuts, Black Reign also previewed Latifah‘s future singing voice through the soulful R&B number "Just Another Day".
Meanwhile on the silver screen, supporting roles in dramas Jungle Fever (1991) and House Party 2 (1992) showcased a charismatic, natural acting ability in Latifah. These initial career crossovers soon gave way to a lead part on popular sitcom Living Single from 1993 to 1998. As Khadijah James, a level-headed magazine publisher, Latifah drew rave reviews for her comedic flair and ranked among the Top 10 performers in Black sitcoms through several TV Guide fan polls.
Nevertheless, hip hop still coursed through Latifah’s veins and she returned just two years later with her third LP Order in the Court (1998). Hit single “Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)” drove the album to similar commercial success as her first two, buoyed by her unrelenting rapport with audiences. By the late 1990s, critics agreed the Queen had thoroughly conquered both the competitive worlds of rap along with broadcast stardom – and yet had still barely unleashed her full artistic arsenal at only 28 years old.
Cinematic Domination in the Aughts from Serious Drama to Blockbuster Musicals
As audiences had already witnessed her dexterity with both comedic and dramatic chops, Latifah set her sights on Hollywood stardom by the early 2000s. She first wowed critics with her turn as a lesbian bank robber in the indie crime drama Set It Off (1996) opposite Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox. Despite the film receiving mixed reviews, critics roundly praised Latifah‘s emotional portrayal for depth and sensitivity regarding LGBT issues.
She continued impressing in acclaimed supporting roles like Living Out Loud (1998) before Chicago (2002) would make Latifah a bonafide film star. As corrupt prison matron Mama Morton, she stole several scenes with musical numbers "When You‘re Good to Mama" and "Class". Her spectacular singing and dancing displays stunned audiences familiar with only Latifah’s spoken word delivery. She received rave reviews along with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 2003 Academy Awards.
Now a household name even with non-hip hop crowds, Latifah embarked on several high profile film projects over the next several years. She starred opposite Steve Martin in the major hit Bringing Down the House (2003) along with notable roles in Taxi (2004), Beauty Shop (2005) and Hairspray (2007). By the close of the 2000 decade, Queen Latifah had officially conquered Hollywood after 15 years grinding from Newark stages and music studios to the upper echelon of entertainment elite.
Leveraging Wealth into Property Empires and Decadent Lifestyle
A bonafide multimedia superstar entering her 40s, Latifah rewarded her relentless drive with purchases of magnificent Los Angeles real estate over the past decade. After selling her Hollywood Hills mansion in 2016, she purchased a sprawling Beverly Hills estate for $14 million – the highest price ever in the elite neighborhood at that time. The immense 7 bedroom, 12 bathroom property spans two acres near Beverly Hills Hotel once owned by legendary producer Mike Medavoy. In addition to lavish living spaces, the property contains a movie theater, gym, hair salon, over 200-foot swimming pool, and basketball court among countless other high-end amenities.
Even while enjoying the fruits of Hollywood extravagance, savvy property moves have further swelled Latifah’s portfolio and net worth. She previously owned $3 million worth across two separate New Jersey mansions, including a custom-built 9 acre, 6200 square foot French country manor purchased in Colts Neck during 2002. After Latifah sold that residence for $2 million back in 2010, the stylish estate featured 6 bedrooms across three levels including a wine cellar, pool house and tennis court on sprawling grounds.
And Latifah unsurprisingly travels between her coastal mansions in properly decadent fashion. For her 40th birthday in 2010, she gifted herself a $350,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe to complement the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes S-class vehicles also in her fleet. As the pinnacle of smooth British luxury, Latifah‘s custom-built Phantom Drophead conveys her blend of style, confidence and sophistication at the wheel.
The Queen Continues Uplifting as Role Model for New Generation
Even amidst the grandeur of luxury estates and Rolls-Royce dropheads, Queen Latifah never relinquishes her lifelong duty as pioneering role model. As her visionary artistry inspired aspiring female MCs for decades, Latifah extends her mentorship through television production oversight and selfless charity work nowadays.
The hit musical series Star she executive produces recently finished its third season on Fox. Co-created by longtime business partner Shakim Compere, Star follows an aspiring young girl group through the exhilaration and grit of stardom. Through her company Flavor Unit Entertainment, Latifah strives to open doors for marginalized voices in film/TV often starved for representation behind the scenes. Additionally, Latifah continues acting across mediums, set to co-lead the Netflix thriller End of the Road later in 2022.
Her influence also shines away from studio lots through tremendous personal and foundation-based philanthropic efforts. Through investing over $10 million of her estimated $70 million net worth, Latifah has funded scholarships, women’s shelters and youth arts programs. Deeply committed towards researching breast cancer following her mother’s death to the disease in 2018, Latifah also directs significant contributions towards enhanced testing and treatment options for low income patients. From medical researchers to aspiring actresses, Queen Latifah selflessly propels multiple generations to realize their highest ambitions.
Closing Thoughts
As hip hop royalty turned leading Hollywood actress and impresario, Dana Owens summoned incredible resolve rising from hardship as an inner-city teenager to beloved American icon. Where many child stars stumble without strong guidance, Latifahʼs transcendent artistry uplifted entire marginalized communities while forging her own inspiring blueprint across artistic mediums. Approaching age 50, the Queen appears to only grow more emboldened regarding levying her fame into future female empowerment through further film and philanthropic projects. Indeed, those unfamiliar seeing tiaras with baggy jerseys and high top fades got educated quickly that this Queen brilliantly Scored one for the ladies.