Celebrate. One of the most prominent female hip-hop artists on the scene for over a decade, Queen Latifah has also made tremendous inroads in movies, television, and artist management, with her management company, Flavor Unit, alongside her business partner Shakim Compere. ET on BET. Things will flicker.". If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services. He was married to school teacher Rita Owens, who later died Her brother died in a motorcycle accident in 1992. These are the tragic details about Queen Latifah. Her battle is now over. "I'm not dependent on the world telling me who I am," said the actress. He was just 23. Regarding the latter charge, she told Us Weekly (viaMary Ellen Mark), "Someone like me has got to have protection." Queen (2004), River Queen (2005), The Queen of the Damned (2002), She confessed that she had "never been the same since.". Queen Latifah's decades-long work is getting the recognition it deserves. Get it together, you know. Although Latifah and Winki remained close to their father, it was Rita who shouldered the responsibility for raising them. "This is a great American tragedy," she told the Spokesman-Review. She said she hopes it will educate people about the illness. 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. Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth. Opening up on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, Queen Latifah, born Dana Owens, shares how her parents beloved school teacher Rita Owens, and police tactical officer Lancelot Owens, Sr. raised her and her brother, Lancelot Jr., with equal love and opportunities. She continued, "I want to thank BET for creating an outlet for beautiful blackness to thrive, to 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." ", RELATED: How Queen Latifah Keeps Her Late Mother's Memory Alive: 'She Still Talks to Me'. "Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth.". To make a tragic experience even more painful, Latifah had bought the very bike on which her brother died. She is the daughter of Rita (Bray), a teacher, and Lancelot Owens Sr. She came from a police family-both her father and her older brother were cops-which would later influence her rhyming style and life philosophy. After a brief stint as a Burger King employee, she soon found herself making waves in the hip-hop music scene.After working as the human beatbox alongside Ladies Fresh, she was just 18 years old when she broke through in the late 1980s with a style that picked selectively from jazz, reggae, and soul traditions, from beats produced by D.J. She toldEntertainment Tonightshe had "been judged" for her body, causing her to frequently think about her weight. I was raised by strong Black women. Queen Latifah was extremely close to her mother, Rita. And it just made me think, that's not responsible. Older brother Lance Owens, who was a police officer, died in an accident on the motorcycle Latifah had bought for him as a present. The actress and musician discussed Wednesday her mothers battle with interstitial lung disease, a Williams gushed about their friendship in 2018. According to MyHeritage, he was 22 at the time and was following in the footsteps of their In 2018, she expressed her joy at enrolling her new furbabies in training programs with Millan. "Dana never took no mess always strong-minded, strong-willed, and she could pack a punch," he joked. Latifah called him "an angel" and shared that others' prayers had helped her through the loss. "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. The actress spoke to People (The TV Show! BET Awards 2021: Everything to Know About the Star-Studded Event That Will Honor 'Black Excellence'. I am heartbroken but know she is at peace.". Latifah plays a hospice nurse, Theresa, who helps Bob towards the end of his life. Queen Latifah (born Dana Elaine Owens, on March 18, 1970) is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Latifah made sure that her brother's name was remembered by dedicating her 1993 album"Black Reign" to him, as HipHopDX reported. "Shakim, I thank you right now for keeping your promise to my mother to always protect me. "I wish the message in that song wasn't even relevant today," she lamented. Owens witnessed both sides of black urban life in the USA while growing up. He was just 23. "We had just bought a house because I was missing my family from being on the road so much. Prior to accepting the award, Latifah was honored in a video package by friends including Jada Pinkett Smith and Mary J. Blige before fellow female rappers Rapsody, Monie Love, Lil Kim and MC Lyte paid tribute to Latifah with a medley of "Ladies First" and "U-N-I-T-Y. ", During Williams' appearance on "The Queen Latifah Show," the host revealed that the pair had been friends since she was 16. [on being considered a role model] There's no way I can represent for everyone. Queen Latifah is seen onstage during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour on Jan. 18, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Lifetime file, Queen Latifah talks about documentary Beyond Breathless. 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. Queen Latifah is opening up about her mothers illness and loss. "Every day I would be faded, like a painting that's just not vibrant, whose edges are dull," she told Good Housekeeping. ", she wrote in a Tweet that seems especially chilling in light of the accusations. Irv Gotti recently gave high praise to Birdman and his legacy. My best friends who ride or die with me whether my face is on the dirt or I'm flying in the skies they know me. It also comes with its own unique set of challenges. Played power forward on the Irvington Public High School girls' basketball team and led them to two New Jersey state championships. 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!). Thank you for your kindness, support and respect for our privacy at this time. At VH1's Hip Hop Honors, she elaborated on this. Queen Latifah Credits Her Parents For Raising Her to Be Fearless: They Made Me Aware of My Capabilities. Rebel, my love. Thank you for your kindness, support and respect for our privacy at this time. It rocked me to my core." was a pivotal anthem in addressing domestic violence at a time when such issues were scarcely discussed, particularly within hip-hop. Queen Latifah has said "racism is still alive and kicking" while speaking at VH1's Hip Hop Honours. "It was reckless driving," she stated. I love you for that.". I am not one to turn down macaroni and cheese, even late at night. Who are the athletes that plays handball? Initially, Rita had to juggle domestic duties whilst working two jobs, but she eventually trained as a high school teacher. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey. "Everything to me, when it comes to doing these kinds of films, is a homage to my mom," she said. 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The second child of Lance and Rita Owens, Latifah is best known for her social "I never told anybody; I just buried it as deeply as I could and kept people at an arm's distance. [July 1995]. She wrapped up by telling fans how much she appreciates their support of all aspects of her career, before sending a sweet message to her family. The lawsuit alleges a "history of extreme violence" from Millan's dog. Or I disappoint myself. And what a job she did. In a deep depression, she turned to alcohol, though this outlet provided little relief. "I love her, man," he told Entertainment Weekly, before crediting Latifah with uplifting and encouraging him to pursue his dreams. She was listed as a suggestion in the Worst Actress category for her performances in the films. Nobody is. In 1989 at age 19, Latifah released her debut album All Hail the Queen, featuring the hit single "Ladies First". "Here she was, a victim of a crime in a stressful situation, and she was cool, calm and collected.". 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Had not done any musical theater since high school prior to her role as Matron "Mama" Morton in. "She was the first thing to inspire me. We bought this big ridiculous jacuzzi and he sat in the jacuzzi fully dressed and it was like, 'Yo, this is actually gonna be fun. First woman to host the Independent Spirit Awards. I grew up with that. That really turned me around. 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Latifah explained to the organization that she wanted to make her mother, who had a "defibrillator implanted in her chest," as comfortable as possible, cooking her healthy meals and managing her medication. Earlier this year, the Equalizer star opened up on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast to discuss the ways her parents beloved school teacher Rita Owens, and police tactical officer Lancelot Owens, Sr. raised her to be as strong as she is today, preparing her to become a trailblazer for Black culture. Its estimated that 1 in 5 people over the age of 40 will develop heart failure in their lifetime., She recalled the day that her mother was diagnosed with heart failure in her 40s and spoke about what it was like to be her moms caregiver and advocate-in-chief., Caring for the woman who not only raised me, but made me who I am, is not the type of thing that I take lightly, Latifah said. 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