Queen Latifah made historical past this week by changing into the first-ever feminine rapper to be inducted into the Library of Congress’ Nationwide Recording Registry along with her traditional 1989 debut album, All Hail the Queen.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden introduced on Wednesday (April 12) that Queen Latifah is amongst a number of music icons, together with Madonna (“Like a Virgin”), Mariah Carey (“All I Need for Christmas”) and others whose musical recordings can be preserved within the Library of Congress for 2023.
“The Nationwide Recording Registry preserves our historical past by means of recorded sound and displays our nation’s various tradition,” Hayden mentioned in a press launch. “The nationwide library is proud to assist guarantee these recordings are preserved for generations to come back, and we welcome the general public’s enter on what songs, speeches, podcasts or recorded sounds we should always protect subsequent. We acquired greater than 1,100 public nominations this yr for recordings so as to add to the registry.”
The 25 recordings chosen for the Nationwide Recording Registry carry the variety of titles on the registry to 625, which represents a small fraction of the nationwide library’s practically 4 million recordings.
Launched on Nov. 28, 1989, on Tommy Boy Data, Queen Latifah’s All Hail the Queen was a groundbreaking album that featured the New Jersey rhymer delivering forceful lyrics of feminine empowerment. Though she was solely 19 years outdated on the time, Latifah rapped about points Black girls face of their communities, together with poverty, home violence, sexism and avenue harassment.
The traditional music “Girls First” was a rallying name for girls to say their independence and confidence. On the braggadocious head-nodder “Wrath of My Insanity,” Latifah declares her reign on the throne of hip-hop. The album additionally exhibits Latifah’s musical range with hybrid songs like “Come Into My Home,” by which she raps over a home groove (arguably, a precursor to the Jersey membership sound) and “Dance for Me,” which exhibits Latifah can rock the golf equipment as properly.
An all-around entertainer, Queen Latifah received a Grammy Award for Finest Rap Solo Efficiency for her girl-power anthem “U.N.I.T.Y.” in 1995. The 53-year-old rhymer additionally starred in a number of movies, together with 1996’s Set It Off and 2017’s Women Journey. At present, Latifah stars and govt produces CBS’ hit sequence, The Equalizer.
Congratulations Queen Latifah!
