Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, is an American singer, actress, and rapper, that got her start in 1989 as a recording artist for Tommy Boy Records. Best known for her roles in ‘Chicago,’ ‘Taxi,’ and ‘Hairspray,’ has her long career earned her a notable net worth?
Queen Latifah has a net worth of USD $70 million and is considered to be one of hip-hop’s pioneering feminists. She began her career in 1989 with her first rap album, called ‘All Hail the Queen,’ and it has only been up from there.
Continue reading to find out how this film star and musical icon went from being Dana Owens from New Jersey to Queen Latifah, the world-famous movie star.
How Did Queen Latifah Make Her Money?
Dana Owens grew up in Newark New Jersey and discovered the word “Latifah” when at the tender age of 8 years old. With a meaning so lovely as ‘delicate and very kind,’ this word stuck with her for another 10 years before she released her first single titled “Wrath of My Madness” under her stage name.
With the release of her first studio album, ‘All Hail the Queen,’ Queen Latifah was officially a recording artist. This album went on to receive a Candace Award in 1992, and the songs on her album were to bring awareness to the struggles black women face such as relationship problems, violence, and abuse.
How Did Queen Latifah Lose Weight?
Where Did Queen Latifah Grow Up?
Why Is Queen Latifah Famous?
Queen Latifah went on to release another three rap albums in 1991, 1993, and 1998 but in 2004 she switched her genre to a soul/jazz feel and released two albums in this style. 2009 marked her return to rap with her latest album release “Persona” which ranked third on the R&B charts in the United States.
Besides having an extremely successful music career with over two million records sold worldwide, Queen Latifah has been a prominent actress since 1991, having a two-episode role in ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ and starring in the musical film ‘Chicago.’ This role earned her a nomination for best-supporting actress.
Queen Latifah has achieved mainstream success and has gone on to be the first female hip-hop artist to be nominated for an Oscar and the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is a six-time Grammy-nominated recording artist and has taken home two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, two NAACP Image Awards, and the BET Lifetime Achievement Award.
Queen Latifah’s Other Ventures
Apart from her mega success behind the microphone and camera, Queen Latifah is also a spokesperson for various recognizable brands like CoverGirl, Jenny Craig, and Pizza Hut. She joins the long list of celebs who have their own make-up line and has even released her own fragrance.
Queen Latifah has also penned books titled “Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman”, “Put on Your Own Crown: Ten Life-Changing Lessons on the Path to Queendom”, and even a children’s book for ages 3 to 8 years old titled “Queen of the Scene”.
With such a strong will to keep going, it is no wonder Queen Latifah has made a more than comfortable life for herself. Keeping her original message at heart, Latifah designed her makeup line with CoverGirl specifically to cater to women of color.
Does Queen Latifah Use Her Money For Good?
One thing for sure is that Queen Latifah gives back. She has been known to support over 15 different charities, namely, the ‘46664’ foundation of Nelson Mandela, ‘Keep a Child Alive,’ and ‘Save the Music Foundation’ to name a few.
Having such a high net worth allows Queen Latifah to support causes that are close to her heart. She has partnered with Procter & Gamble and Tribeca Studios to form a program called The Queen Collective that has the main focus of accelerating gender and racial equality in the film industry, mainly those behind the lens.
This Collective wants to help see a time when women from every culture are able to see their dream of becoming a director become reality, and seek to fulfill this mission by providing mentorship, distribution opportunities, and production support.
Latifah and Gabrielle Union helped communities of color by teaming up with the American Lung Association to raise funds for #Act4Impact, a Covid-19 Initiative. With appearances from doctors and scientists to assist with the understanding of the then brand new pandemic.
