Queen Latifah made US government history after the Library of Congress voted her music for this year National Recording Registry list. Latifah’s 1989 debut album, All greet the queen, is a project presented among 600 works and titles on the register.
Every year, the cultural preservation agency shares a list of 25 recordings that enter the registry—from songs to keynote speeches and even radio broadcasts. Latifah landed in 21st place among the 2023 inductees.
RELATED: Queen Latifah Accepts BET ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ (Video)
The Library of Congress announcement praises the artist’s impact on hip-hop and rap. It reads in part:
“The release of Queen Latifah’s debut album, All greet the queen, in 1989 cemented the success of her previous singles while also announcing that rap could be female, Afrocentric and incorporating a combination of musical genres. Those genres also include reggae, as well as hip-hop, house and jazz, as she raps on the song. Come Into My House. Furthermore, Queen Latifah sang as well as rapped on the album. Lyrically, the album deals with issues of race, gender, politics and society that are both contemporary and universal.
The statement also emphasizes that Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owenswas just 19 years old when she talked about the impactful project.
Furthermore, the statement asserts that although Queen Latifah is not the first female rapper, she has also had her breakthrough through collaborations, including Monie Love on Ladies First.
“Success of All welcome the queen both the product and the success of Queen Latifah in other areas of the industry,” said LOC.
The music itself speaks for itself – in addition to making it to the National Recording Registry – Queen Latifah has also earned at least seven Grammy nominations. She won an award in 1995 for ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’ in UNITE
But other avenues of success include acting, where Latifah has won numerous prestigious awards, including an Emmy Award, multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards, and numerous NAACP Image Awards.
Among them are dozens of nominations in the categories mentioned and many more such as the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award.
In recent years, we’ve seen the creator receive her flowers for a broken ceiling in her professional life. And YES, including music, acting and production!
In 2019, Harvard University named her a WEB DuBois Medal Honoree for her contributions to Black history and culture.
Then, in 2021, she accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards—complete with a tribute performance starring Lil’ Kim, Monie Love, MC Lyte and Rapsody.
All 25 recordings were added to the National Recording Registry on April 12. Other notable entries in Black music include Koko Taylor’s 1966 hit Wang Dang doodles, Wynton Marsalis’ 1985 code black, and by Mariah Carey All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Daddy Yankee’s 2004 hit single, gasolinealso made the list, coming in at number 24.
