Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970) known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, songwriter, and actress. Her work spans music, film, and television, and she has received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards, as well as a nomination for an Academy Award. In 2006, she became the first hip hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Queen Latifah released her debut album, "All Hail the Queen", in 1989 at the age of 19. The album included the single "Ladies First". Her second album, "Nature of a Sista'", was released in 1991. Her third album, "Black Reign" (1993), became the first album by a solo female rapper to receive gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America and included the single "U.N.I.T.Y.", which addressed themes of gender violence and the portrayal of Black women. The song reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award. Her fourth album, "Order in the Court", was released in 1998. She later released the albums "The Dana Owens Album" (2004), "Trav'lin' Light" (2007), and "Persona" (2009). In television, Queen Latifah starred as Khadijah James on the Fox sitcom "Living Single" from 1993 to 1998. She appeared in a leading role in the film "Set It Off" (1996) and went on to star in a range of films, including "Chicago" (2002), "Bringing Down the House" (2003), "Taxi" (2004), "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" (2005), "Beauty Shop" (2005), "Last Holiday" (2006), "Hairspray" (2007), "Joyful Noise" (2012), "22 Jump Street" (2014), and "Girls Trip" (2017). She has also provided voice work for the "Ice Age" film series since 2006. Her performance as Matron Mama Morton in "Chicago" earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Queen Latifah created and hosted the syndicated daytime program "The Queen Latifah Show", which aired from 1999 to 2001 and again from 2013 to 2015. She received critical recognition for her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO film "Bessie" (2015), which she also co-produced, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie. From 2016 to 2019, she starred as Carlotta Brown in the musical drama series "Star". In 2020, she portrayed Hattie McDaniel in the miniseries "Hollywood". From 2021 through 2025, she starred in the lead role of the CBS action drama series "The Equalizer". Studio albums All Hail the Queen (1989) Nature of a Sista' (1991) Black Reign (1993) Order in the Court (1998) The Dana Owens Album (2004) Trav'lin' Light (2007) Persona (2009)
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