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.
The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
Queen Latifah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the one you can't breathe without remember
Why you wanna make me cry like this?
Why is you wanna make me cry?
Why me?
Your love is like a chunk of gold
Hard to gain, hard to hold
Like a rose that's soft to touch
Well then why...
Must the same love that made me laugh, make me cry?
Well now you think of love as sitting on a mountain
Think about it being a great big rock
Won't you think before you started to roll it down
Because once you start it, you can't make it stop
I've given all I have to give
And if you don't want me, baby
I don't want to live
Well then why...
Oh, why
Must the same love that made me laugh, gon make me cry?
Why you wanna make me cry? [5x]
Why you wanna make me lay in my pillow
I'm just cryin' like a weeping willow
Tell me why, oh, why, oh, why
Why you wanna go home and make your lady cry
You use to be so soft and sweet to me
And now you act so wrong and mean to me
Now you get so wrong and mean to me
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Oh, why you wanna mess my pillow
You got me cryin' like a weeping willow
Wanna make me cry
Oh, why, oh, why
Why why why why
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Ooh, why
Queen Latifah’s song “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” explores the confusing nature of a love that ends in tears. The song starts off with the singer questioning her lover’s actions, wondering why they would want to make her cry. She describes their love as a “chunk of gold,” something that is hard to gain and even harder to hold. The metaphor of a rose that is soft to the touch and love that has gone but still hurts is used to describe how love can be both beautiful and painful.
Later on in the song, Queen Latifah describes how love can be like a mountain, something that is hard to climb but worth the effort. However, if you roll a great big rock down a mountain, it can’t be stopped. It’s clear that the singer has given everything she has to this relationship and if her lover doesn’t want her anymore, she doesn’t want to live. The chorus of the song asks why the same love that made her laugh has to turn around and make her cry.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet reflection on the ups and downs of love. The pain of a relationship ending can be just as intense as the joy of falling in love, and the singer is left wondering why love has to be so complicated.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on now, I'm the one you love
I am the love of your life
I'm the one you can't breathe without remember
You cannot live without me
Why you wanna make me cry like this?
What could I have done to make you treat me so cruelly?
Why is you wanna make me cry?
Why have you made me so unhappy?
Why me?
Why am I the one you're hurting?
Your love is like a chunk of gold
Your affection is invaluable
Hard to gain, hard to hold
It's hard to win and maintain your love
Like a rose that's soft to touch
Your love appears gentle
Love has gone and it hurts so much
However, our love is gone and it's painful
Well then why...
Why...
Must the same love that made me laugh, make me cry?
Why did the same love that brought me joy also bring me misery?
Well now you think of love as sitting on a mountain
You think love as something that's huge and grandeur
Think about it being a great big rock
Think of love as a massive obstacle
Won't you think before you started to roll it down
Before causing destruction, contemplate on the consequences of your actions
Because once you start it, you can't make it stop
Once you begin something, you cannot undo it.
I've given all I have to give
I have given everything to you
And if you don't want me, baby
But if you don't desire me
I don't want to live
Then, there's no reason for me to live either
Oh, why
Oh, why
Why you wanna make me cry?
You're not happy to see me cry
[5x]
Why you wanna make me lay in my pillow
Why have you made me stay up all night sobbing?
I'm just cryin' like a weeping willow
I'm crying uncontrollably
Tell me why, oh, why, oh, why
Please tell me, why, oh why?
Why you wanna go home and make your lady cry
Why would you want to come home and upset me?
You use to be so soft and sweet to me
You were once so gentle and kind to me
And now you act so wrong and mean to me
But now you behave in a terrible manner
Now you get so wrong and mean to me
You're being hostile and cruel
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh why?
Oh, why you wanna mess my pillow
Why would you make my pillow wet with tears?
You got me cryin' like a weeping willow
You have caused me to weep like a tree
Wanna make me cry
You are intentionally causing my sadness
Why why why why
Why why why why
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh why?
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh why?
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh why?
Why, oh, why, oh, why
Why, oh why?
Ooh, why
Ooh, why
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind