I'm listening to the (12 years old!) track "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here", and my mind is thoroughly boggled that the interceding years have left the Queen as an Oscar nominee, TV star, and pretty much a household name. I'd have figured, as her music career faded, she'd have retreated to her strengths in finding talent, producing records, and carrying guns. But I guess it's one of the strong signs of hip-hop's ascendancy that she's where she is today.
all hail the queen
I'm Anil Dash, and I've been blogging here since 1999, writing about how culture is made. Contact me at anil@dashes.com, at +1 646 833 8659, or at anildash on Twitter or IM. Find out more »
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That is a kickass song, I had forgotten it for years until you just mentioned it...and now I've got "Who You Callin' A B****", and all the Monie Love stuff, and the remix of "Ladies First" in my head...I never thought of her music career fading as much as I thought she had reprioritized after her brother's death. Thanks for the audio memories...
Yes, The Queen is amazing... I just discovered she is vocalizing on Bill Laswell's 1998 "Jazzonia" album as Dana Bryant, the liner notes don't even mention her Queen persona; it's as if she is doing a demo. I listened to the album many times before realizing this... I think it is a foreshadow of sorts. Recommend Jazzonia (ignore the cover design) it's a lovely, seamless hip-hop soul interpretation of some jazz classics of Alan Douglas: a little more