Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth. Subsequently, she has earned a hefty net worth from her many pursuits an estimated $70 million. "I'm not dependent on the world telling me who I am," said the actress. She was gentle, but strong, sweet, but sassy, worldy but pragmatic, a woman of great faith and certainly the love of my life.". ", She continued, "I want to thank BET for creating an outlet for beautiful blackness to thrive, to shine. That entire second verse of that song was written about my cousin who was in an abusive relationship with her husband." It is with a heavy heart that I share the news my mother, "I said, 'We are what women look like, we're not going to lose weight for whoever's idea of what we're supposed to look like.'". "That screwed me up for real. Although Latifah and Winki remained close to their father, it was Rita who shouldered the responsibility for raising them. He was able to work through that stuff.". Sadly, she witnessed her cousin being abused for years by her cousin's partner. When Latifah embarked on an acting career, she was told to lose weight for roles due to Hollywood's arguably unrealistic body standards. "Losing my brother, that was a devastating time for me," she revealed. Dreams become reality when we put our minds to it. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Queen Latifahs role as a lesbian bank robber named Cleo in Set It Off was seen as a risk, believe it or not. The 15-minute tribute at L.A.s Crypto.com Arena included performances from pioneers LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot, Run DMC, and more. Queen Latifah and her father, Lancelot Owens, Sr. Paras Griffin/Getty. It was also during this time that her friend and would-be collaborator, Tupac Shakur, was murdered. Life is worth it. ", She continued, "I've watched my mom say the right things to students to change their outlook and change their direction, you know? "I don't know if I ever recovered completely. Stay up to date with what you want to know. She was inducted into the 2011 New Jersey Hall of Fame for her contributions to Arts and Entertainment. Throughout it all, though, the rap pioneer has remained humble. Her battle is now over. Arrested for carrying a loaded handgun and marijuana on February 3, 1996. Latifah called him "an angel" and shared that others' prayers had helped her through the loss. On Feb. 5, fans gathered to watch a historic celebration take center stage at the Grammy Awards. "Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth.". "As I was getting out of the car I heard a gunshot, but I didn't panic because we weren't resisting or anything, Latifah recounted, per APNews. Per People, Millan denies that his dog killed Latifah's pet, branding the accusation "a blatant lie. Vietnam did a few things to his life. I am heartbroken but know she is at peace, she said. Official Sites. "It's about women feeling good about themselves from the inside out. ", she wrote in a Tweet that seems especially chilling in light of the accusations. Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2005 Razzie Award nominating ballot. Had not done any musical theater since high school prior to her role as Matron "Mama" Morton in. ", juggle domestic duties whilst working two jobs, common with survivors of child sexual abuse, historically faced discrimination and ignorance. "That was terrifying because now we had to figure out, 'what does it mean to have this autoimmune disease?' Latifah took to Instagram to express her heartache regarding her sadly and prematurely departed friend. "Money was tight, and I experimented with stuff that could have taken me right down into the gutter if I'd continued with it." Additionally, Latifah has acknowledged that, despite her fame and fortune, she is subjected to prevalent racism. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Throughout the years, the rapper-turned-actor has endured numerous tragic events. Queen Latifah Credits Her Parents for Raising Her Without Under her birth name, Dana Owens, Queen Latifah and her longtime personal trainer. A role model who takes the responsibility to heart, Latifah has carefully constructed a fine career for herself-one that is constantly moving upward. Someone will give them a billion dollars., just acquired by Scooter Brauns HYBE America for $300 million, 'Mandalorian' star Pedro Pascal, creators on new Grogu revelations and 'Last of Us' comparisons, Saved by the bell: Contestant ordered to keep mask on, in historic 'Masked Singer' first, Chris Pine admits 'it does look' like Harry Styles spit on him but this is what actually happened, Rebel Wilson 'collapsed' after Ramona Agruma proposal: 'I was so overwhelmed', Amy Grant recalls being 'so scared' to return to touring following serious bike accident. Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey. Hopefully, its mountains will be higher than its valleys are deep. On reflection, Latifah told the outlet that she now realized why her dad remained silent upon hearing the news. When we couldn't get played on the radio and other places; we couldn't get our videos played. ", During Williams' appearance on "The Queen Latifah Show," the host revealed that the pair had been friends since she was 16. Who are the athletes that plays handball? Irv Gotti recently gave high praise to Birdman and his legacy. As Consequence highlights, her 1993 single "U.N.I.T.Y." Queen (2004), River Queen (2005), The Queen of the Damned (2002), In 1989 at age 19, Latifah released her debut album All Hail the Queen, featuring the hit single "Ladies First". Initially, she was frightened when her mom received the latter diagnosis. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Lancelot Owens Sr worked as a cop, a police tactical officer. "I'm gonna get off this stage, but I thank you so much for all of you, the fans for supporting every crazy-ass thing I've done through the years. Her mother, Rita Owens, was a teacher and her father, Lancelot Owens Sr., was a policeman. Black is beautiful. "I learned so much from my mom about being strong, and even though she's not with me, I carry that strength with me every day," she mused. As a result of her grief, Queen Latifah found herself in the midst of a mental health crisis. She won a Grammy Award in 1994 for Best Solo Rap Performance for "U.N.I.T.Y.". If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 18007997233. (no children). Noted for her work in music, film and television, Latifah has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, As Queen Latifah recounted on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," both she and her brother were bullied at school. Opening up about her troubled past to Larry King onCNN, she explained that her second arrest spurred her to re-evaluate her life. "But it is.". '", "I was supposed to be with him that day on the motorcycle but one of my friends had to move, so we were moving all day," the Grammy Award-winning star continued (via Hot New Hip Hop). "It was reckless driving," she stated. Baby and his brother Slimfounded Cash Money in 1992. "Every day I would be faded, like a painting that's just not vibrant, whose edges are dull," she told Good Housekeeping. Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors," Volume 264, pages 284-285. The Baltimore Sun highlighted Latifah's heroism, as she had hailed a cab and rushed Sean to the hospital, despite her trauma. I can't take on the pressure of being perfect. "I did it a couple times to see if I could," she admitted to The New York Times. She confessed that she had "never been the same since.". On Sunday, the rapper and actress was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the 2021 BET Awards, an embodiment of the show's theme, "Year of the Black Woman." A photo of Princess Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, the daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, appears to show that she is alive, according to Sky News.. provided any voicework for the character. Her name means "delicate and sensitive" in Arabic, but she has often been anything but in her rhymes and the messages she sends out through them. The video for her hit single "U.N.I.T.Y." If I go outside and try to hail a cab and he passes me for the white woman standing right there, that racism is still alive and kicking. I'd like to have and adopt [children]. But, in 1995, things took a devastating turn when Latifah and her friends were the victims of a traumatic carjacking. Lancelot Owens Sr is the father of famous rapper, actress, and singer Dana Elaine Owens who was known professionally as Queen Latifah. Subsequently, witnessing the pitfalls of poverty firsthand instilled Latifah with a strong sense of justice for the poor. The actress confirmed her mother's death in a statement to PEOPLE at the time, saying, "It is with a heavy heart that I share the news my mother, Rita Owens passed away today. Or I disappoint myself. The star felt how close she and Lancelot had been; she "lost the strength in [her] hands" while grieving her brother. Eboni, my love. Sometimes it just takes a couple more to give them food for thought and they make the decision and then they make it happen. IE 11 is not supported. Latifah went on to praise Shakim Compere, her business partner in Flavor Unit Entertainment. I don't think I'm alienating friends or losing friends. )'s Julie Moran in conversation about her movie The Tiger Rising, which follows the story of a young boy who discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home. Is one of 27 actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in a musical; hers being, As a fledgling rapper in 1987, she was first introduced by 16-year-old. "Shakim, I thank you right now for keeping your promise to my mother to always protect me. "I am heartbroken but know she is at peace. The record label brought forth icons who playeda significant role in impacting the culture for three decades and counting, including Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj. Thank you for always protecting me and loving me. Paras Griffin/Getty Queen Latifah and her father, Lancelot Owens, Sr. She continued, "I want to thank BET for creating an outlet for beautiful blackness to thrive, to shine. If anything it angered me and disheartened me, but it really angered me," she revealed. I figured if I wasn't the best rapper, then I shouldn't completely rely on rap. Peace Happy Pride! 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Get the Kleenex ready, because the Queen of Rap has had anything but a royal road to success. In particular, Latifah has opened up about sexism within the hip-hop industry, telling Us Weekly (viaMary Ellen Mark), "Rappers thought they couldn't sell a record unless they cursed 2,000 times, shooting up this many people, beating my girl.". Things will flicker.". Celebrate. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. Latifah, whose mother died in 2018 at 69, said her performance was a way to honor her mother, a former schoolteacher. Honestly, Queen Latifah is very much alive and healthy. Dana Elaine Owens has won numerous lifetime achievements and Grammy awards. She is a well-respected person, very influential, and a mentor to millions of people worldwide. She has many endorsements and is a celebrity spoke person for Pizza Hut and CoverGirl Cosmetics. She explained that the abuser was known to the family. According to MyHeritage, he was 22 at the time and was following in the footsteps of their Im confused about 50yrs of hip hopwhere they salute legendary artists which is well respeked [sic],the 54-year-old mogul wrote,elaborating on how label heads pushed hip-hop intothe forefront of music and should be honored just as much as artists. But it wasn't solely her family she wanted to help once she made it big. Rodriguez was found guilty and sentenced to 18 years for the violent crime he committed with Rashien Fortune, who shot Sean Moon. as well as other partner offers and accept our. As ABC News highlights, Latifah's music had always been pivotal in challenging misogyny and standing up for Black lives. Owens witnessed both sides of black urban life in the USA while growing up. "He's a man of action," she said. But I realized that as with most things in life, its all about attitude and gratitude.. He's hit! ", "Thank you so much, everyone. When asked how she recovered from the tragic loss, Queen Latifah gave credit to fellow '90s rap icon Heavy D. "God bless him, it was Heavy D Heav had lost a brother," she told WEtv (viaOk!). However, things allegedly took a tragic turn when one of her dogs was apparently "attacked and killed" by the canine expert's pit bull. Everyone was magnetized by him. As my mom says, You cant change the past but you can change your future. Despite this, she was able to make a name for herself in the biz and subsequently earned praise from male detractors. The guy coming in the room to clean up the floor in the bathroom, by the time she finished out the conversation with him, he was walking taller, feeling more proud and he felt a different sense of hope in his life, she said. In 1992, her brother Lancelot Owens Jr. was killed in a motorcycle accident. "The last four or five years of my life have been the hardest, after my brother died," she told Us Weekly in 1998 (via Mary Ellen Mark). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2008. As she told The New York Times in an earlier interview, "Any person who can take two kids basically without any support from their father and put them through Catholic school, because she felt they deserved a better education, is doing all right.". You can't replace a person, especially someone with a big presence like my brother. "Dana never took no mess always strong-minded, strong-willed, and she could pack a punch," he joked. In a deep depression, she turned to alcohol, though this outlet provided little relief. With Rashien fortune, who shot Sean Moon a traumatic carjacking angered,... Admitted to the New York times of famous rapper, actress, and singer Dana Elaine Owens has won lifetime! Gathered to watch a historic celebration take center stage at the Grammy Awards written about cousin... Mother died in 2018 at 69, said her Performance was a devastating turn when Latifah her. 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