Latifah was born and raised in the public housing projects of Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of Rita, a schoolteacher who worked at Irvington High School, and Lancelot Owens, a policeman. Her parents divorced when Latifah was ten. Latifah performed the number "Home" from the musical The Wiz in a high school play. Her stage name, Latifah (لطيفة), meaning "kind" in Arabic, was given to her when she was eight by her cousin. Latifah was raised in the Baptist church, and, while in high school, was a power forward on her basketball team.
She started her career beatboxing for the rap group Ladies Fresh. Latifah was one of the members of the original version of the Flavor Unit MC's, which, at that time, was a crew of MC's grouped around producer DJ Mark The 45 King. In 1988, DJ Mark the 45 King heard a demo version of Latifah's single Princess of the Posse and gave the demo to Fab 5 Freddy, who was the host of Yo! MTV Raps. The recording captured the attention of Tommy Boy Music employee Dante Ross, who immediately signed Latifah, and in 1988 issued her first single, Wrath of My Madness. The track met with a positive response and afforded her the opportunity to launch a European tour, and to perform at the Harlem's famed Apollo Theater. The next year Latifah released her first album, All Hail the Queen, which went on to sell more than 1 million copies.
As she began to earn money, Latifah displayed an interest in investment, putting money into a delicatessen and a video store on the ground floor of the apartment in which she was living. She came to realize that she had a knack for business, and realized that there was an opening for her in record production. In 1991, Latifah organized and became chief executive officer of the Flavor Unit Records and Management Company, headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey. In the same year she was released her sophomore album, called Nature of a Sista'. It was the final album on Tommy Boy Records. By late 1993, the company had signed 17 rap groups, including the very successful Naughty by Nature. In 1993, Latifah recorded a jazz- and reggae-influenced album titled Black Reign. While the album sold more than 500,000 copies, the single U.N.I.T.Y. earned Latifah her first Grammy Award in 1995. In 1998, Co Produced by Ro Smith now CEO of Def Ro Inc. she released her fourth hip hop album Order in the Court. After Order in the Court, Latifah shifted primarily to sung lyrics in soul music and jazz standards, which she had used sparingly in her previous hip hop-oriented records.
In 2004, she released the soul/jazz standards The Dana Owens Album. On July 11, 2007, Latifah sang at the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as the headlining act in a live jazz concert. Before a crowd of more than 12,400, she was backed by a 10-piece live orchestra and three backup vocalists, The Queen Latifah Orchestra. Latifah performed new arrangements of standards including California Dreaming, first made popular by '60s icons The Mamas & the Papas. In 2007, Latifah released an album entitled Trav'lin' Light. Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Joe Sample, George Duke, Christian McBride, and Stevie Wonder made guest appearances. It was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" category. On September 12, 2008, Rolling Stone reported that Queen Latifah is working on a new album that is due in sometime in 2009; this album will be, at least partially, produced by Dr. Dre. She will also work with Missy Elliott.
Acting Success
In the 1990s, Latifah branched out into acting. She made her big screen debut in Spike Lee's interracial romance drama Jungle Fever (1991). The following year, Latifah appeared in the crime thriller Juice with Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur. She soon landed a leading role on the small screen, appearing in the sitcom Living Single from 1993 to '98. The comedy, which also starred Kim Coles, Kim Fields and Erika Alexander, proved to be a ground-breaking show. It remains one of the few sitcoms to focus on a group of African-American women.
A talented performer, Latifah continued to tackle both comedic and dramatic parts. She co-starred in 1996's Set It Off with Jada Pinkett Smith, Kimberly Elise and Vivica A. Fox, playing as a lesbian bank robber. Two years later, Latifah teamed up with Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito for the comedy Living Out Loud (1998). She also appeared with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie[[i]i] in The Bone Collector (1999).
Perhaps Latifah's most acclaimed film role to date came in the 2002 hit musical Chicago, starring Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger. Her portrayal of prison matron Mama Morton gave her a chance to show off both her singing talents and acting skills. For her work in the film, Latifah earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress. She lost to Chicago co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Latifah went on to receive strong reviews for 2003's romantic comedy Bringing Down the House co-starring with Steve Martin. The following year, she experienced some disappointment with Taxi, which co-starred Jimmy Fallon. The comedy proved to be a critical and commercial dud. She fared better with Beauty Shop (2005) and her voice-over work in the hit animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006).
In 2007, Queen Latifah again delighted movie-goers with her musical talents. She appeared as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray with John Travolta. Her crime caper Mad Money (2008) with Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes received much colder reception. Returning to drama, Latifah gave a strong performance in The Secret Life of Bees (2008).
On the small screen, Latifah has made a number of guest television appearances over the years, including on the shows 30 Rock and Single Ladies. She also co-starred in the 2012 TV remake of Steel Magnolias with Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad and Jill Scott. Latifah branched out in a new direction the following year. She will enter the daytime television market with a new talk show. The Queen Latifah Show will debut in the fall of 2013. The program promises to be a mix of interviews and comedic and musical performances, according to BET.com.
In addition to acting, Queen Latifah serves as a spokesperson for CoverGirl cosmetics. She even has her own line with the company: The Queen Collection.
Class
Queen Latifah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And pure ethics
And nice manners?
Why is it everyone now so a pain in the ass?
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Whatever happened to, "Please, may I?"
And, "How charming?"
Now, every son of a bitch is a snake in the grass
Whatever happened to class?
Class!
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
To open up the doors
There ain't no ladies now,
There's only pigs and whores
And even kids'll knock ya down
So's they can pass
Nobody's got no class!
Whatever happened to old values?
And fine morals?
And good breeding?
Now, no one even says "oops" when they're
Passing their gas
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
That's fit for any use
And any girl'd touch your privates
For a deuce
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
Nobody's got no class!
All you read about today is rape and theft
Jesus Christ, ain't there no decency left?
Nobody's got no class!
Every guy is a snot!
Every girl is a twat!
Holy shit
Holy shit
What a shame
What a shame
What became of class?
The lyrics to Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s song “Class” bemoan the loss of basic social decorum and manners in contemporary society. The song expresses a nostalgic longing for a time when values like fairness, kindness, elegance, and decency were widely observed, contrasting these values with the rudeness, vulgarity, and coarseness that seem to prevail today. The lyrics point to a range of examples, such as the absence of “please” and “thank you” from everyday vernacular or the lack of any consideration for others in private and public actions. The song suggests that the modern world is marked by a pervasive absence of class, where everyone is acting like a “snake in the grass” and even kids don’t have any manners. The song’s repeated refrain “Whatever happened to class” is a lament for a society that has seemingly lost all sense of dignity and respectability.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatever happened to fair dealing?
What occurred to the principles of honesty and integrity?
And pure ethics
And morals that are not influenced by selfish motives?
And nice manners?
And polite behaviors that show respect to others?
Why is it everyone now so a pain in the ass?
Why has everyone become so bothersome and unpleasant to deal with?
Class
The characteristic of displaying elegance and sophistication
Whatever happened to, "Please, may I?"
What happened to saying "please" and "thank you" as part of basic etiquette?
And, "Yes, thank you?"
And expressing gratitude when something is given or done for you?
And, "How charming?"
And acknowledging and appreciating pleasant qualities in others?
Now, every son of a bitch is a snake in the grass
Today, everyone can be deceitful and untrustworthy
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
There are no men who exhibit good manners and civility
To open up the doors
To show polite gestures such as holding doors open for ladies
There ain't no ladies now,
Females who behave with sophistication and grace are few and far between now
There's only pigs and whores
Most people today are only concerned about themselves and their own pleasure, with no regard for others
And even kids'll knock ya down
Even children can be disrespectful and aggressive toward others
So's they can pass
Just to get ahead or feel more powerful than others
Nobody's got no class!
Nobody exhibits manners or sophistication anymore!
Whatever happened to old values?
What occurred to moral and ethical principles that used to be common sense?
And fine morals?
And behaving according to high moral standards and self-discipline?
And good breeding?
And the practice of raising children to have manners, grace, and intelligence?
Now, no one even says "oops" when they're Passing their gas
People nowadays don't even apologize for impolite actions anymore
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
There are no men who exhibit good manners and civility
That's fit for any use
That can be relied on to behave appropriately and respectfully in any situation
And any girl'd touch your privates For a deuce
Women nowadays are willing to act promiscuously for very little incentive or reward
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
Even children are willing to be rude and disrespectful to adults
Nobody's got no class!
Nobody exhibits manners or sophistication anymore!
All you read about today is rape and theft
The news is filled with stories of sexual violence and larceny
Jesus Christ, ain't there no decency left?
Is it possible that basic human decency has vanished completely?
Every guy is a snot!
Every man acts selfishly and arrogantly!
Every girl is a twat!
Every woman is promiscuous and disrespectful!
Holy shit
An expression of shock and disappointment
What a shame
Such a disappointment and disgrace
What became of class?
What happened to the elegance and sophistication displayed in the past?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED EBB, JOHN KANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Black-Swan-007
The directors cut this from the movie because it wasn't part or "Roxie's imagination" but neither was Mr. Cellophane. Like, there was no reason not to have this song in the movie. Mama and Velma's voices blend so beautifully.
@Dee-zy5gh
Big difference. Mr Cellophane told us much about Amos' character, this tells us nothing new about the two characters. Screenwriting rules: Any scene should either drive plot forward or contribute to character building. This song didn't make the cut. No good director would let it stay. Broadway is different, that's about the music and entertainment and how well voices blend.
@Black-Swan-007
@@Dee-zy5gh Nah, that's bs. It's an adaptation of a broadway show and should remain accurate to the source material. That's my biggest gripe with movie adaptations of Broadway.
It's still a banger of a movie but they should have kept the song in.
@TheNightEyes
Mr. Cellophane starts in the film with Roxie looking at Amos after intentionally ignoring him. It's a song about her imagining what a loser he is, so it fits perfectly with Rob Marshall's intention.
@Black-Swan-007
@@TheNightEyes It starts in Billy's office. Where Roxie has never been.
@ralexande
«мистер целлофан» был частью воображения рокси 👿👿👿👿👿👿👿
@thegreatestman851
They blend together beautifully with their voices and their singing. I love how this scene unfolds.
@thejoker5282
A corrupt prison warden and a murderess guilty of double-homicide judge others for not having class.
I can appreciate the irony in that.
@thegreatestman851
I really didn’t think Mama was corrupted she was as like all matrons and wardens are. One hand washes the other like she said. In my humble opinion. Just my opinion.
@rlacksgh9673
Guilty? But she did no crime!