Photo: Sister Circle TV, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Queen Latifah is one of the most talented female emcees of all time. Although her career in the film industry has been nothing short of magnificent, we cannot forget that she is the god-mother of hip-hop. Her career in film cannot overshadow the legacy that she left in hip hop. At one point in her show, Whoopi Goldberg praised her for rapping without using explicit words which were associated with hip-hop. Her talents were brought to the limelight by Mark Howard James who saw her perform with Eddie Stockley in a group named, Quiet Storm.
Their first demo tape, “Wrath of My Madness” was sent to Dante Ross of Tommy Boy Records who was quite impressed with it. The tape went on air within 12 hours and she got signed by Tommy Boy Records. Queen Latifah’s raps are about issues surrounding the black woman, which has resulted in her being branded as a “feminist rapper.” Her songs have covered female issues such as domestic abuse, harassment on the streets, and relationship issues.
Over the course of her career, she has won numerous accolades such as multiple Grammy Awards, NAACP Image Awards, as well as a host of other film awards and recognitions. Queen Latifah became the first rapper to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1997. Queen Latifah is a true female hip-hop legend. Here are her top 10 songs of all time.
# 10 – Go Head
At number 10 in our list of the top 10 Queen Latifah songs is a song that sampled a Chaoui song and was produced by Timbaland. The video of the song was filmed at a raceway park in New Jersey. The Timbaland beats are insane, and Queen Latifah brings her top tier rapping skills to this track.
# 9 – It’s Alright
If you have watched the film, “Nothing To Lose,” then you probably recognise this song from the movie’s soundtracks. “Its Alright” is one of the few Queen Latifah’s singles where she features only her singing, without rapping. This song proves that Queen Latifah is not only good at rapping, but she has got some amazing vocals.
# 8 – Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)
Queen Latifah’s 1998 album, Order in Court has some bangers and it is one of her most underrated albums in my opinion. The song was recorded in New York City and features New Jersey Rapper Apache. The song has two music videos with one video showing Queen Latifah and Tommy Davidson playing a video game after which Queen Latifah loses the game. The second video of the song introduces the next song in our list after Queen Latifah tells her counterpart after losing the game, that she will find him in “Paper.”
# 7 – Paper
Although I don’t like the sample of this song, I have always admired Queen Latifah’s magical vocals. “Paper,” is the first song that Queen Latifah released that does not showcase her rapping skills. The song was released on 5th May 1998 and is written by Paco Michael, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.
# 6 – Court Is In Session
“Court Is In Session” is the second track from Queen Latifah’s 1998 album, Order In The Court. In the track, Queen Latifah starts off with some cool opening bars, saying, “Court is in session, I’m the judge, jury and the prosecution….” Queen Latifah’s flow and incredible rapping skills in the song compliment the beat of this song which make it a must listen if you haven’t.
# 5 – Black Hand Side
Queen Latifah’s album, Black Reign, was a classic and no wonder it appears so much on this list. At her peak, Queen Latifah was one of the few female artists who you could listen to and feel that her message could resonate well with everyone. The song samples, “Hello It’s Me” by The Isley Brothers and the lyrics were written by Queen Latifah and S.I.D.
# 4 – Dance For Me
Queen Latifah was so talented that at times, it seemed like she could do it all. The number four song in our list of her best songs is the song, “Dance For Me.” The song comes from her classic debut studio album, All Hail The Queen which was released in 1989. The track peaked at position 14 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-hop songs.
# 3 – Just Another Day
“Just Another Day” will definitely give you a strong sense of nostalgia even if you weren’t born in the 90’s. The song comes from her album, Black Reign and it’s about how a normal day in Queen Latifah’s neighbourhood looks like. In the song, she takes pride in her neighbourhood despite the crime, presence of police, and danger that always lurks. The song is featured as a soundtrack in HBO’s Documentary Gang War: Bangin’ in Little Rock. The track peaked at position 54 on Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for more than 10 weeks.
# 2 – Ladies First
“Ladies First” is one of Queen Latifah’s most significant songs since its message showed the White Americans a very different perspective about Black women. The song features another incredible female rapper by the name Monie Love who complimented Queen Latifah’s amazing verses. Queen Latifah’s flow during the intro is one of the best that female rap has ever produced. “Ladies First,” which is the seventh single from her debut studio album, All Hail The Queen, was ranked 35 on VH1’s list of 100 Greatest Hip Hop songs.
# 1 0 – U.N.I.T.Y.
The number one song in our list of the greatest songs from this celebrated hip hop female icon comes from her album, Black Reign. The 1993 hit song was released at a time when hip-hop was more of a lifestyle than a music genre. What caught the attention of news outlets, parental groups and political leaders is the lyrics to the song. Due to its message, the song was often played across many radio stations uncensored. U.N.I.T.Y. is the biggest and most successful Queen Latifah hit of all time. The track peaked at position seven in the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and won Queen Latifah the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1995.
Top 10 Queen Latifah Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
