“When it came time to be a professional rapper, I wouldn't sign anything without reading it. There was no way I was going to have people make decisions for me or wake up one day and find that I was broke because I never bothered to read a contract.”

American rapper, actress, and singer

Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. She has worked across music, film, and television, and her career has brought her major recognition in each field. She has received a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Actor Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards, and was also nominated for an Academy Award. In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026 through the musical influence category.