is a game-changing artist in every sense of the word. She exploded on the scene with her bold declaration that hip-hop put “Ladies First.” She followed that up by moving into TV with the classic comedy sitcom “Living Single,” then transitioned into an extremely successful movie career.
With all her accomplishments, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood turned her life into a film. And the independent, enterprising artist is taking matters into her own hands. According to , “The Equalizer” star’s Flavor Unit Entertainment is partnering with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins Entertainment “to produce a slate of [hip-hop] biopics about iconic artists,” beginning by telling her own story.
We imagine the film will follow Latifah’s rise to stardom and the many obstacles she’s encountered along the way. Below, we have suggestions for a few key things we’d like to see take center stage in the film. Portraying the legendary entertainer is a big responsibility, but we do have an idea for one possible candidate.
Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph can do both comedy and drama, plus she shares that special confidence that has made Queen Latifah a star. If the producers want to get this rundown of hip-hop biopics off to a solid start and establish them as serious films, casting “The Holdovers” actress seems the best choice. Queen Latifah has always been protective of her personal life, and we totally understand.
But biopics that only focus on the subject’s career and leave out the real person behind the artist don’t captivate audiences. We know Queen Latifah the groundbreaking rapper/actress. This movie should be a chance for us to see Dana Owens, the woman whose personal experiences shaped her powerful artistry.
Queen Latifah wasn’t the first female rapper to break the glass ceiling, but she was one of the earliest to achieve mainstream crossover success. Her video for “Ladies First” was in regular rotation on MTV at a time when rap videos didn’t get a lot of airplay outside of “Yo! MTV Raps.” This is the hit that launched her career, so we expect it to be treated as a crucial moment in her life.
“Living Single” is one of the most influential sitcoms of the last 30 years. It changed the TV landscape forever, celebrating the power of Black sisterhood and showcasing the wide spectrum of people in our community. As successful as it was, the comedy was also plagued by rumors of behind-the-scenes drama.
It would be fascinating to finally see what really happened on the popular series. Of course, “Living Single” was just the start of Queen Latifah’s acting career. She went on to star in hits like “Bringing Down the House;” “Beauty Shop;” “Last Holiday;” and “Chicago,” which she received an Oscar nomination for.
We know it wasn’t easy for a plus sized Black-woman to become a movie star, which means there’s definitely some interesting — and probably devastating — stories behind the “Girls Trip” star’s rise to fame..
