Backspin: Queen Latifah — All Hail the Queen (1989)
Queen Latifah assumed her throne with an album that embodied the Golden Era. (86/100)
It seems counter intuitive that one of the most enduring superstars to emerge from hip-hop’s Golden Era would have one of its most overlooked albums. Yet, that’s precisely the paradox of Queen Latifah’s rap career. Hip-hop was the catapult that propelled her into the stratosphere of popular entertainment, but unlike her fellow (male) rappers turned cultural icons, her hip-hop bonafides have largely gotten lost in the shadows of her mass market accomplishments.
It’s perplexing (less so if you’re familiar with Tommy Boy Records’ general malfeasance in the handling of its legacy catalog), because Queen Latifah’s resounding debut cut through 1989’s crowded field, immediately positioning the Newark, NJ mic commander as one of the culture’s most respected figures. More than three decades later, All Hail the Queen remains as invigorating a listen as the day it dropped, thanks in part to the assuredly eclectic production, but mostly to Latifah herself. Her formidable mic skills consistently impress, but it’s her essence — by turns commanding, accessible, and charismatic, but always reassuringly at ease with herself — that truly captivates.
