Michelle Kaplan

It’s Good to be Queen

Queen Latifah’s first album All Hail the Queen, wasn’t just a title, it was a premonition.

For Dana “Queen Latifah” Owens, the album released when she was just 19, forever branded her as the first woman to make a name for herself in the predominantly male hip-hop world. Latifah burst on the scene, promptly crowning herself. Presumptuous? Maybe, but looking at the scope of her work and overall broad, ranging career, it would make Queen Elizabeth’s life seem… well, boring.

The 37-year-old rapper, songstress, actress, spokes model, talk show host, producer, restaurateur, author, cover girl and record label president (who is about to launch a new clothing line for plus sized clothing for women called Dana O) hasn’t slowed down enough to figure out exactly which hat to wear… maybe that’s why she chose a crown.

Regal as she may be in stature and appearance, her personality exudes confidence, intelligence, and an inner wisdom that strong women naturally possess. She is a Hollywood anomaly, whose plus-sized curvaceous figure doesn’t seem out of place in a sea of swizzle-stick actresses. Although known for her way cooler-than-thou persona, in interviews or walking the red carpet she comes off equally warm and approachable - someone who could be your best friend. That familiarity may be, from her weekly appearances in your living room, as she starred in the hit Fox TV show, Living Single, from 1993-1998.

As far as it is known, Queen Latifah is still living single. As rumors about her sexuality swirl on the gossip pages, she has been very guarded about her privacy in the matter. In a 1999 interview with Ebony Magazine, she said, “There’s still all kinds of speculation about my sexuality, and quite frankly, I’m getting a little tired of it. My ploy to get the media off my track (by releasing the track “Get Off Mine“) didn’t work. It seems that in this country, sexuality is never a non-issue. Rather, it is always the issue … But it’s insulting when someone asks, ‘Are you gay?’ A woman cannot be strong, outspoken, competent at running her own business, handle herself physically, play a very convincing role in a movie, know what she wants - and go for it - with- out being gay? Come on.”

It is believed that her very convincing role as a lesbian in Set it Off in 1996 perpetuated the rumor.

However it is no secret that she wants to be a mom someday as she revealed to comedian Ellen DeGeneres last month on her show; she would like to both give birth and adopt.

While Latifah says she completely understands why Americans would want to go outside the states to adopt because of tough adoption laws, she would still rather adopt an American baby.

“I want to have and adopt…since I was 18, I’ve always wanted a baby…I want to adopt an American baby just because …there’s so many kids here that really need our help, my sister’s a social worker in Newark, NJ, and there’s just so many kids that could use a good home… I just feel like if I do, I’ll probably just help a kid in the hood.”

However, one would have to wonder where she would find the time.
The last few years have been a whirl-wind of successes for the Queen: a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for her portrayal of Mama Morton in Miramax’s 2006 Best Picture Chicago, a Golden Globe nomination, and a SAG Award nomination. She starred in and was executive producer for Disney’s Bringing Down the House.

This year she played Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. As far as movies go, she’s got a lot up and coming including, The Perfect Holiday due out this December, Mad Money with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes coming winter 2008. She is currently filming What Happens in Vegas… with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher scheduled for June 2008.

As if this were not enough, her majesty hasn’t exactly put her musical career on the back burner. This year she received a Grammy nomination for her first vocal album, Queen Latifah - The Dana Owens Album. The platinum-selling album is a collection of classics that she chose to cover. Her new album; Trav’lin Light climbed to number 11 on the Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart in its debut week. The album takes some of her favorite songs from female jazz, soul and blues artists that have inspired her such as Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Etta James, Roberta Flack, Phoebe Snow and Shirley Horn. The Queen stirs in her own vocals with a twist of her personality that makes these classics her very own.

So, although the Queen will be taken it on the road, don’t expect this tour to be trav’lin light. If her performances in Chicago and Hairspray are any indication of what’s to come, she ain’t gonna just rock, she’ll reign.

October 1, 2007

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