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.
Rough...
Queen Latifah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Latifah) - Yes Baby
(Heavy D) - Strictly on the Latifah tip
(Latifah) Yo, This is queen Latifah in the house
I got my boy Heavy D, My Boy Treach and my Boy KRS-One in the house to rip some shit with me right quick
TREACH
The quicker committee gettin witty for many cause the war ain't one
This the city where I'm From, I'll glue ya titties to ya tongue
Smokin' Shit with mad misfits
The 1 man, 1 mold, Murder 1
Murder gold, 1 hard headache to hold
Word to god It's good as Gold
If it Ain't rough, it ain't ashy & Brick Thick
And If It ain't nasty, Naughty's pissin on your picnic
Rough is the place, the space, knuckle which way you think
Here to put a fat black nose on the Black Sphnix
I don't shoot to get pimples order your Christmas
I shot ST Nick
There's stuff for the kids I ain't get
No One under 17 Admitted, So I Came 18 deep
You can raid but you can't fade me
If It ain't rough, it ain't rugged
And If You Can't hear it, you can't dub it. COME ON
CHORUS (X2)
If It ain't rough, I could do without it
If It ain't rough, Just throw it to the curb
If It ain't rough, He could do without it
If It ain't rough, It's working my nerves
HOOK BY HEAVY D
Tell me how you like it - Rough, Tell me how you need it - Rough, Tell me how you keep it - Rough, Tell me how you want it - Rough
HEAVY D
Tuck Away your entire stuff, I'm comin' tough, rugged and rough, from a blunt, take puff UHHH
Never joke with a tech nine hard than a sex mob
Next time, flex when it's my time
I'll take a chump or a champ a clamp or a zamp so now the rolly polly holly molly
I'm magnificent
Skip to my lou, gather up your crew, Let the heavysetters Show you what a N.... could really do today
We all know about body bags, but seems everybody brags about being tough, catch a body tag
Knowin well, they just cream puffs talkin tough cause they've stuff, It's a bluff, They ain't tough they ain't nothin'
CHORUS
If It ain't rough, I could do without it
If It ain't rough, Just kick it to the curb
If It ain't rough, He could do without it
If It ain't rough, It's working my nerves
If It ain't rough, Now I could do without it
If It ain't rough, Just kick it to the curb
If It ain't rough, He could do without it
If It ain't rough, you know It's working my nerves
KRS ONE
Follow me now massive! Follow me now massive! Follow me crew follow me crew
KRS one in the party just a gwan wanna (LAITFAH) "ease off"
Here we go, Yo, You Know the flow, I get high & Low
You Know, Why you wanna flow with the pro, Oh, no no no no no no no
Breakin' rappers in half by the ass is my only task
Gold & Platinum Plaques will pass, only tlaent will last
I come to the party prepared to kick Ass
You come to the party well prepared then get scared.
You're through and need stitching up, You and your crew start bitching up
(Line sampled on "Ova Confident" By Nine) Where you gonna live around where I'm not stompin' It? I really believe you're a wee bit ova confident
On MTV, You wanna down rate me quick, yeah I'm a hypocrite
When You in my face, you in my dick
Consequently your lyrics go flip, get a grip,
You Straight on some sucka shit
CHORUS
If It ain't rough, I could do without it
If It ain't rough, so kick it to the curb
If It ain't rough, you know people could do without it
If It ain't rough, It's working my nerves
If It ain't rough, I could do without it
If It ain't rough, so kick it to the curb
If It ain't rough, you know people do without it
If It ain't rough, you know It's working my god damn nerves
LATIFAH
Here comes the queen, I'll make a woman on the track get attracted like a fiend to the beat so I rap
You're looking for a friend to the end, good, that me
But if you're looking for a Gangsta bitch, That's exactly what you're gonna see
Ain't no way, Ain't no say, This ain't your lucky day
So go pray, Now you pay cause I don't FUCKIN play
Matter fact, I think Ice-T, he put it just right
"You diss me on record, see me fight"
Just throw up the joints and get to the point
And cut all the talk, the BS can walk
You test my skills, you get put to death
I'm sick of all the huff puff blow your house down BULL-
SHIT I heard last week
You get ya ass beat
So Watch the way you approach the Queen
If it ain't rough I'll send that ass to the guillotines
The song "Rough" by Queen Latifah is a rap song that features Heavy D, Treach, and KRS-One. Queen Latifah starts off the song by announcing that she's going to be spitting some bars with her friends. The song is about being tough and rugged and the lyrics are peppered with tough talk and even a little bit of trash talk. The chorus repeats the phrase 'If it ain't rough, I could do without it', which is a testament to the overall theme of the song.
Treach, who is perhaps best known for his work with Naughty by Nature, raps about his city and how he will "glue ya titties to ya tongue". He also says "if it ain't rough, it ain't nasty", which is a clear indication of the song's theme. Heavy D follows Treach with a bar that goes "Tell me how you like it - Rough, Tell me how you need it - Rough, Tell me how you keep it - Rough, Tell me how you want it - Rough". This is his way of emphasizing the theme of the song.
KRS-One's rap towards the end of the song is a clear indication that he's not a fan of those who talk tough but can't back it up. Queen Latifah's lyrics towards the end of the song reiterates the same idea but also throws a bit of shade at anyone who might try to diss her on record. The song is a classic representation of 90s hip hop and the tough talk that was prevalent in that era.
Line by Line Meaning
This One goes out to the rough And Rugged muthafuckas out there
Dedicated to the tough and resilient individuals
Yo, This is queen Latifah in the house
Introducing herself as Queen Latifah in the music
The quicker committee gettin witty for many cause the war ain’t one
People are getting smarter and more clever to face different situations because they are not at war
It’s on like this with The Black Bleep the blip
The situation will be hard with the black people
Smokin’ Shit with mad misfits
Smoking marijuana with people who don't fit in with society
And If It ain’t nasty, Naughty’s pissin on your picnic
If the situation is not nasty enough, people will make it unpleasant
If It ain’t rough, it ain’t ashy & Brick Thick
If it's not rough, it's not compelling or intense
No One under 17 Admitted, So I Came 18 deep
People older than 17 years were allowed in the party, and she came with 18 people
You can raid but you can’t fade me
People can look for her, but they can't make her go away or defeat her
If It ain’t rough, it ain’t rugged
If it's not rough or challenging, it's not inspiring or thrilling
Tell me how you like it - Rough, Tell me how you need it - Rough, Tell me how you keep it - Rough, Tell me how you want it - Rough
Asking how rough they like their situation
Never joke with a tech nine hard than a sex mob
Don't mess with a tech nine gun because it's more powerful than a group of people
We all know about body bags, but seems everybody brags about being tough, catch a body tag
People talk about body bags, but they don't live up to their talking and end up being a victim themselves
I come to the party prepared to kick Ass
I am ready to fight at the party if necessary
You come to the party well prepared then get scared.
You prepare to party, but then you get nervous and scared of the situation
If It ain’t rough, Now I could do without it
If it's not a challenging or intense situation, she doesn't need it
KRS one in the party just a gwan wanna (LAITFAH) “ease off”
KRS-One is in the party, and she tells him to relax
Gold & Platinum Plaques will pass, only talent will last
Gold and platinum awards will not last, only true talent will be recognized
Matter fact, I think Ice-T, he put it just right
Ice-T said something that was just right
You test my skills, you get put to death
If someone tests her abilities, they will be defeated
I’m sick of all the huff puff blow your house down BULL- SHIT I heard last week
She is tired of hearing all the bragging and lies from people
If it ain’t rough, I’ll send that ass to the guillotines
If it's not a challenging or intense situation, she will get rid of it
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.