Queen Latifah Biography (3)
The big screen is keeping Latifah extremely busy this year. Latifah could most recently be seen in Fox Searchlight' s romantic comedy hit Brown Sugar in which she co-starred with Taye Diggs and Sanaa Latham. After she wrapped the Brown Sugar and Chicago, Latifah moved on to Disney' s comedy Bringing Down the House, which she not only stars in, but also acts as executive producer. The story focuses on the average man played by Steve Martin who falls in love with a convict over the internet (Latifah).
Of course, Latifah could not ignore the small screen either. She will also be seen in a film for CBS entitled Talking to Heaven in which she stars opposite Ted Danson. Queen Latifah is also one of music' s most well respected rappers. From her ground breaking 1989 debut All Hail the Queen, which set the visual and contextual standard for female rappers, to her bold foray into R&B, Latifah continues to define what a woman in the music industry should be. She has earned three Grammy nominations as well as a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rap Performance in 1994. On Christmas day, Latifah will once again return to the music scene with a brand new album demonstrating both her rapping and singing talents. This highly anticipated album will include collaborations with a slew of new artists off of her Flavor Unit label including Cole, Gotti and Picasso.
And then there' s Flavor Unit Entertainment, a company owned and operated by Queen Latifah and her partner Sha-Kim Compere. The company is based in New Jersey and manages some of the biggest names in music.
For two years, Queen Latifah hosted a one-hour syndicated talk show appropriately entitled Queen Latifah. This exciting daily strip offered a mix of celebrities and entertainment, as well as real people and relatable issues. It was honest, real, frank, positive and fun, with a passion and a point of view all of its own -- focusing on resolutions as opposed to problems.
That was not Queen Latifah' s first experience with television. Her first series Living Single was a huge success and is currently in syndication. From the small screen Latifah made a leap to film and her acting skills have earned her the status of leading lady.
Since her screen debut in Spike Lee' s 1992 film Jungle Fever, her film career has taken off. She starred in Set It Off, which earned her a nomination for a Spirit Award in the Best Actress category and co-starred with Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito in the critically acclaimed Living Out Loud. In 1999, she was seen in Universal' s The Bone Collector, directed by Philip Noyce and starring Denzel Washington.
In addition to music, film and television, Queen Latifah has also written a book on self-esteem entitled Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman. Queen Latifah is diligent in her pursuit of excellence, as evidenced by the awards she has received for her work in film and music. Her sincere concern for others is revealed by the generous amount of time and money that she donates to worthwhile charitable organizations. Every year Queen Latifah serves as co-chairman for the Lancelot H. Owens Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Established by her mother, Rita Owens, to perpetuate the memory of a loving son and brother, the foundations provides scholarships to students who excel scholastically, but are limited in financial resources.
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