Queen Latifah

Dana Elaine Owens, better called Queen Latifah in the United States is a performer and actress. In music, film and television, Queen Latifah is the recipient of two Screen Actors Guild Awards (two Image Awards), a Grammy Award as well as six more Grammy nominations, and nods to the Emmy Award. Queen Latifah was born and raised in Newark New Jersey the daughter of Rita teacher who taught for Irvington High School and Lancelot Owens, Jr. as a police officer. Her parents divorced in the year Latifah was ten years old. Latifah was raised within the Baptist faith and attended Catholic school at Newark New Jersey. Latifah refers to an Arabic word which means "delicate and gentle". Her cousin granted it to her at the age of eight. Latifah has always been tall and tall. Standing 5'10" and was the center forward on her high school basketball team. She performed the hit song home from The Wiz at a high-school play. Latifah began beatboxing with the ladies fresh rap group. Latifah became a member of the Flavor Unit's original group, made up of a variety of MCs, as well as DJ Mark 45 King. Mark James aka DJ Mark the 45 King recorded a demo recording of Queen Latifah's song Princess of the Posse. He handed the recording over to Yo! MTV Raps Freddy. Dante Ross, an employee of Tommy Boy Music who heard the song and made a deal with Latifah in 1988 for the release of her first track Wrath of My Madness.