http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.69089&rws=%2Fqueen-latifah%2Fmusic-videos.rssOne of the first female emcees to really make it big, Queen Latifah opened the door for an entire generation of women in hip-hop. She began her career in East Orange, N.J., beatboxing with a girl group called Ladies Fresh while in high school. Influential producer DJ Mark the 45 King hooked her up with beats for a demo, and in 1989 she dropped her first LP <I>All Hail The Queen</I> containing the hit "Ladies First." Her intelligent lyrics and strong pro-woman philosophies resonated clearly with many listeners, as the industry was even more male-dominated then than it is now. With a knack for diverse delivery, insightful rhymes and catchy production, she would be the premier female rapper for years to come. Latifah's third record, <I>Black Reign</I> (1993), featured the progressively minded hit "U.N.I.T.Y." which eventually won her a Grammy. In addition to her impressive skills on the mic, Queen Latifah is also a successful actress, writer and entrepreneur, with her own management company and label. Her last rap album <I>Order in the Court</I> was released in 1998, though she's since become a household name thanks to her work in hit movies like <i>Bringing Down The House</i> and <i>Chicago</i> (for which she won an Oscar nomination). In 2004, with her career bigger than ever, she showcased her exceptional singing skills on <i>The Dana Owens Album</i>, a collection of jazz and pop standards. - Brolin WinningHitmakersen720Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:51:54 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.69089&rws=%2Fqueen-latifah%2Fmusic-videos.rss One of the first female emcees to really make it big, Queen Latifah opened the door for an entire generation of women in hip-hop. She began her career in East Orange, N.J., beatboxing with a girl group called Ladies Fresh while in high school. Influential producer DJ Mark the 45 King hooked her up with beats for a demo, and in 1989 she dropped her first LP <I>All Hail The Queen</I> containing the hit "Ladies First." Her intelligent lyrics and strong pro-woman philosophies resonated clearly with many listeners, as the industry was even more male-dominated then than it is now. With a knack for diverse delivery, insightful rhymes and catchy production, she would be the premier female rapper for years to come. Latifah's third record, <I>Black Reign</I> (1993), featured the progressively minded hit "U.N.I.T.Y." which eventually won her a Grammy. In addition to her impressive skills on the mic, Queen Latifah is also a successful actress, writer and entrepreneur, with her own management company and label. Her last rap album <I>Order in the Court</I> was released in 1998, though she's since become a household name thanks to her work in hit movies like <i>Bringing Down The House</i> and <i>Chicago</i> (for which she won an Oscar nomination). In 2004, with her career bigger than ever, she showcased her exceptional singing skills on <i>The Dana Owens Album</i>, a collection of jazz and pop standards. - Brolin Winning