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Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah Quotes

Singer-songwriter

Queen Latifah (born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and producer. Rising to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album 'All Hail the Queen,' she became a pioneering figure in hip-hop, known for promoting female empowerment and social justice. Her hit single 'Ladies First' became an anthem for women in the genre. She later achieved critical acclaim in film, earning an Academy Award nomination for her role in 'Chicago' (2002). Latifah has won multiple Grammy Awards and continues to influence music, film, and television. She is celebrated for breaking barriers and advocating for equality.

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All Ifs People Thinking Knows Want Feels Kids I Can Needs Helping

Famous Queen Latifah Quotes

“I was not born a size 2. I'm not skinny, period. I'm not willing to sleep with the director or step on somebody else's neck to get the job.”

Jobs Born Sleep Steps Willing Periods Directors Size Necks Skinny

Author:Queen Latifah

“I'm a sucker for a man who cries. It just gets to me.”

Author:Queen Latifah

“I'm not the type that's going to sit and preach to people if they don't need it just because I've been around the block a few times.”

People Ifs Needs Type Block

Author:Queen Latifah

“I've hosted the Soul Train awards, the American Music Awards... and I had my own talk show. So if I can't host by now, what the hell can I do?”

Ifs I Can Soul Shows My Own Hell Train Awards Host Talk Shows American Music Soul Train

Author:Queen Latifah

“I've never wanted to be put into a box, not musically.”

Author:Queen Latifah

“If you can draw something from my life that helps, more power to you.”

Ifs Helping Draws

Author:Queen Latifah

“If you try to follow everyone else's mold, you'll probably fail at some point because God created us uniquely for a reason.”

Ifs Trying Reason Failing Mold

Author:Queen Latifah

“Most people don't have so much talent that they can become a success all their own. We all need people to help us and lift us up.”

People Needs Helping Talent Lifts

Author:Queen Latifah

“My house borders horse farms, and I can look out my window and see the horses and the new colts. It's really peaceful.”

Looks I Can House Window Horse Peaceful Borders Farms Colts

Author:Queen Latifah

“My mom will make me walk the dogs or take out the trash when I go home.”

Home Walks Dog Mom My Mom Trash Simple Things Big Heads Simple Things In Life

Author:Queen Latifah

“Sometimes I pray when I really feel like I need God to help me with something, and sometimes we just have conversations. We just kick it.”

Needs Feels Sometimes Helping Praying Conversation Kicks Help Me I Pray Need God I Need God

Author:Queen Latifah

“The movie I've seen a million times is 'Steel Magnolias,' directed by Herbert Ross, starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts.”

Millions Fields Steel Julia Magnolias

Author:Queen Latifah

“There are a lot of people who helped make Queen Latifah who she is today. I don't forget, but a lot of people do and get big heads.”

People Bigs Today Forget Queens Simple Things Big Heads Simple Things In Life

Author:Queen Latifah

“To me, hip hop will never be right until female rappers have a stronger voice in it.”

Voice Female Stronger Hip Hop Hips Hops Rapper Female Rapper

Author:Queen Latifah

“To wanna be me is to go through not just the good but the bad. You wanna share my story identically? Man, you gonna take some lumps.”

Men Stories Share Lumps

Author:Queen Latifah

“When I was growing up, there were so many musicals you could watch. I like the fantasy of musicals and I love music.”

Watches Fantasy Growing Up Growing Music Love I Love Music

Author:Queen Latifah

“Yeah, I'm from Jersey; it's almost like I was automatically born a Nets fan.”

Born Fans Yeah Jersey

Author:Queen Latifah

“You do silly things for love sometimes and not-so-smart things for love.”

Sometimes Smart Silly Silly Things

Author:Queen Latifah

“I don't have to really be in the 60s. Every time I hail a cab in New York, and they pass me by and pick up the white person, then I get a dose of it. Or when they don't want to take you to Harlem. I grew up with that.”

Want Persons White New York Grew Grew Up Picks Dose Hail Cab Harlem

Author:Queen Latifah

“A lot of people are crazy, cruel and negative. They got a little too much time on their hands to discuss everybody else. I have a limited amount of energy to blow in a day. I'd rather read something that I like or watch a program I enjoy or ride my damn motorcycle or throw back a couple of shots of tequila with my friends.”

People Littles Hands Energy Enjoy Watches Too Much Crazy Amount Couple Shots My Friends Negative Program Blow Damn Motorcycle Tequila Shots Of Tequila

Author:Queen Latifah

“As a rapper, you sort of act in music videos and in the persona you adopt onstage. You kinda have to put yourself out there and be courageous even to be a rapper. So, to step into acting was not that difficult a transition to make.”

Difficult Acting Steps Video Courageous Transition Rapper Persona Be Courageous Putting Yourself Out There

Author:Queen Latifah

“Award shows, like the Grammys, were tough on us early in hip-hop, not even televising our categories or splitting them up on best male or female or any of that. We had to earn them.”

Shows Tough Female Males Hip Hop Hips Hops Awards Categories Splitting Award Shows

Author:Queen Latifah

“Business is fun. Controlling your own destiny is fun. Creating an idea and turning it into a movie; finding an artist and guiding their career and bringing them to some type of status - there's joy in that.”

Ideas Joy Artist Fun Wealth Careers Destiny Type Findings Creating

Author:Queen Latifah

“Don't you want to know what's real and what's not? I remember when I was a kid, you know, this whole Cold War thing. They had us scared of the Russians. So, it's almost like, what's real and what's not?”

Knows Want War Real Whole Kids Remember Cold Scared Cold War Remember When Eyebrows

Author:Queen Latifah

“Fear can be good when you're walking past an alley at night or when you need to check the locks on your doors before you go to bed, but it's not good when you have a goal and you're fearful of obstacles. We often get trapped by our fears, but anyone who has had success has failed before.”

Inspirational Needs Past Night Fear Goal Doors Walking Bed Obstacles Be Good Checks Fearful Trapped Locks Alleys

Author:Queen Latifah

“Having Black hair is unique in that Black women change up styles a lot. You can walk down one street block in New York City and see 10 different hairstyles that Black women are wearing: straight curls, short cuts, braids - we really run the gamut.”

Different Running Black Walks Cities Cutting Streets Style New York Hair Unique Block New York City Black Women Curls Hairstyles Short Cuts Black Hair Braids

Author:Queen Latifah

“Hip-hop definitely taught me a lot. Having to create your own identity and become known and respected in a male-dominated field - it requires some guts. There are times you have to be strong, and times when you have to stand alone for what you believe in.”

Believe Strong Known Fields Identity Taught Males Hip Hop Hips Guts Hops Stand Alone

Author:Queen Latifah

“I always loved all kinds of music. I would watch musicals a lot as a kid, on TV, watch the Fred Astaire movies. I'd watch 'The Wizard of Oz.' I was a big Jerry Lewis fan, and they'd have these big bands and someone singing - some siren, or some guy singing some gorgeous song. I was always enamored of that style of music.”

Kind Bigs Kids Guy Song Watches Fans Style Tvs Band Singing All Kinds Gorgeous Wizards Jerry Sirens Enamored Siren Song

Author:Queen Latifah

“I am not one to turn down macaroni and cheese, even late at night. I love Italian food. I love pasta... A refrigerator full of water and Gatorade? Honey, that's just not gonna happen.”

Happens Funny Night Turns Water Food Late Italian Honey Cheese Pasta Refrigerators Italian Food Macaroni Macaroni And Cheese Gatorade

Author:Queen Latifah

“I came from a crew, and to me, all the guys I rapped with were better than me, so I was surprised when I was the breakout one. It was definitely a cool thing.”

Guy Crew Cool Things

Author:Queen Latifah

“I did Jay Leno with Mike the Situation, and he just - he lives, like, ten minutes from me in Jersey. He's like, 'If you ever get a flat, call me. I'll come fix your tire.' That's how we do. That's neighborly, you know?”

Ifs Knows Situation Minutes Ten Flats Call Me Tire Mike Jersey

Author:Queen Latifah

“I don't have to take a trip around the world or be on a yacht in the Mediterranean to have happiness. I can find it in the little things, like looking out into my backyard and seeing deer in the fields.”

World Littles I Can Seeing Fields Around The World Little Things Deer Backyards Yacht

Author:Queen Latifah

“I know people who are twice as creative as I am, twice as smart, but they didn't do anything because they feared going into a room and opening their mouths. My parents told me to truly accomplish things in my life, there would be times I would have to stand alone. It may be scary, but that's what it requires.”

People Knows May Would Be Parent Rooms Creative Smart Mouths Scary Accomplish Opening Stand Alone

Author:Queen Latifah

“I lost relatives to AIDS, a couple of my closest cousins. I lost friends to AIDS, high-school friends who never even made it to their 21st birthdays in the '80s. When it's that close to you, you can't really deny it, and you can't run from it.”

Made Running School Lost Couple High School Deny Aids Made It Relative Closest 80s Cousin Hiv Lost Friend School Friends World Aids Day Aids Day 21st Birthday High School Friends

Author:Queen Latifah

“I love Ralph Lauren, just as a designer. I still think he could make some better sizes with his clothes, but I like the idea of his classic American style.”

Thinking Stills Ideas Style Clothes Size Classic Designer Lauren

Author:Queen Latifah

“I love riding, even if it's just my Vespa. You just zip and do your thing. I find there's a different awareness when I ride; it connects me to my senses and to God.”

Ifs Different Awareness Senses Riding Zips

Author:Queen Latifah

“I never pictured myself as just a rapper; I always wanted to act and do whatever else I could do. I always felt like I could do a lot of different things.”

Different Wanted Felt Different Things Rapper

Author:Queen Latifah

“I support many organizations that I feel are doing the right thing, like Alonzo Mourning's foundation, Alicia Keys' foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and other well-established foundations. I kick out a lot of time and money wherever I can.”

Feels Wells I Can Wish Support Keys Organization Foundation Right Thing Kicks Mourning Doing The Right Thing Time And Money Make A Wish

Author:Queen Latifah

“I think as far as the music industry is concerned, it's kind of been the wild, wild West in a way with the Internet, which is not necessarily a bad thing to me.”

Thinking Way Kind Industry Internet Concerned West Bad Things Music Industry Wild West Wild Wild West

Author:Queen Latifah

“I want to have and adopt. I always have, ever since I was 18 I wanted a baby and I wanted to have and adopt because there are a lot of kids. I want to adopt an American baby though, you know what I mean, no offense. Just because there are so many kids here that need our help.”

Knows Want Needs Mean Helping Kids Wanted Baby Offense

Author:Queen Latifah

“I was baptized a Baptist, but I'm just Christian, as far as I'm concerned. I could go in any church, doesn't matter if it's Baptist, Protestant, Episcopal, or Catholic.”

Ifs Matter Christian Church Concerned Catholic Protestants Baptists Baptized

Author:Queen Latifah

“I would like - either as an actor, or producer or even director - to do something sci-fi or action-related. I like sci-fi, always have, 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars' and all that stuff.”

War Action Actors Stars Stuff Directors Producers Related Sci Fi

Author:Queen Latifah

“I'd say, if you want to be an artist, start with your art; start with making great music and it will, hopefully, eventually cut through all of the nonsense that is out there.”

Ifs Want Art Artist Cutting Hopefully Nonsense Great Music

Author:Queen Latifah

“I'm probably proudest of being able to lift a lot of us out of the 'hood. That's the biggest thing, that I've been able to employ a lot of people and give them opportunities.”

People Giving Able Opportunity Lifts Hood

Author:Queen Latifah

“I'm proud of everything I do, but I think I'm the most happy about becoming a rapper. It was my entrance into everything. That helped me get into acting.”

Thinking Acting Proud Becoming Rapper Entrances

Author:Queen Latifah

“I've been giving back since I was a teen, handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving and handing out toys at toys drives for Christmas. It's very important to give back as a youth. It's as simple as helping an old lady across the street or giving up your seat on the bus for someone who is pregnant.”

Giving Important Helping Simple Streets Youth Giving Up Christmas Seats Bus Toys Pregnant Turkeys Giving Back Old Lady

Author:Queen Latifah

“I've loved car racing all my life. I watch NASCAR regularly, and drag racing because we have Raceway Park in New Jersey. I think I got it from my father.”

Thinking Father Watches Car Parks Racing Drag Jersey New Jersey Nascar Car Racing Drag Racing

Author:Queen Latifah

“I've never been the straight rapper that is going to stand in a cipher and battle all day. I started off battle rapping, but to me, making songs became more important than freestyles... I've met many rappers who can freestyle but can't make a record.”

Important Song Records Mets Battle Rap Rapper Freestyle Ciphers

Author:Queen Latifah

“If I ran into a 19-year-old version of myself, I'd just tell her to live, full out. I might also tell her to go ahead and have a few babies and not worry about the timing of it.”

Ifs Years Might Worry Baby Versions Ran Timing

Author:Queen Latifah

“If my brother and I wanted money in our pockets, we had to get jobs - my first was at 15, at Burger King.”

Ifs Way Firsts Wanted Jobs Brother Kings Come Up Income My Brother Pockets Burgers Burger King

Author:Queen Latifah

About the Author

Born: March 18, 1970
Known for: Singer-songwriter
Quotes: 204

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Books & Sources

Put on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to QueendomRelated source material

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