Queen Latifah

* Reviews *

This book is part of the African-American Heroes series. It is an exciting and interesting story about the life of Queen Latifah. The book details Queen Latifahs life from early childhood to her recent movie role in Hairspray. Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, had a difficult childhood. She renamed herself Latifah, which means kind in Arabic, when she was eight. When her parents divorced, she moved to a rough neighborhood in a housing project, but she did not allow circumstances to bring her down. She sang in church, made good grades in school, played basketball, and acted in plays. She loved singing more than anything else she did, and when rapping became popular, she and two friends formed a group called Ladies Fresh. In 1987, a friend gave Latifah $700 to make a demo recording, and in 1988, she was signed by Tommy Boy Records. At that time, she added Queen to her name because she felt she needed a strong, proud name. She found success as a singer and an actor. She has won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the movie, Chicago. This is an inspirational and educational read that is a must-have for any classroom, home or library., Children's Literature