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Queen Latifah: All Hail the Queen

Pre-Grammy Greatness From The Queen of Royal Badness

In a masculine dominated genre, not many ladies of hip hop were representing especially back in 1988-1989. Salt-N-Peppa, Sweet Tee, MC Lyte, and Roxanne Shante were a few very successful female artists. When Queen Latifah came onto the scene, she was unlike anything coming out at the time. Her mix of dancehall reggae, R and B, Jazz, House, and rappin' ability became unwordly to 1988 ears. Male or female, she may be the most versatile emcee to do it. "All Hail The Queen" is her shining moment which redefined emceeing as we know it.

The opening song "Dance For Me" is a great example of her versatility blending jazz with upbeat swing over a melodic 45 King production. When the single dropped in 1989, it got many heads buzzing. It wasn't no one hit wonder fluke because "All Hail The Queen" is packed with hit material. "Mama Gave the Soul children" proved that the Queen could even step out of her comfort zone and hang with De La Souls quirky swagger. The beat sounds as if Prince Paul sampled an old Walt Disney record. To this day dancehalls swarm when "Come Into My House" plays and it somehow never feels dated despite the fact that house songs seems a thing from the past. The slow burning "The Pro's" is an underground club banger which finds Daddy-O tapping into his reggae roots.

The Queen of Royal Badness proves why she deserves the limelight on songs like "Wrath of My Madness". Her commanding delivery is assertive and her braggadocio seems sincere and brazen at the same time. However, no other song on "All Hail The Queen" captures Queen Latifah's breakout moment better than on "Ladies First". It is considered the first feminist hip hop anthem. Monie Love and the Queen sound as one mind on this record trading righteous rhymes over a funky saxaphone melody. It even got props in the Source magazine as the 55th greatest hip hop song ever made. The album ends with two amazing reggae influenced songs in the loopy bassline of "Princess of the Posse" and the laid back jazz of "Inside Out". Without question, they were excellent choices for singles.

Back in 1989, Queen Latifah was truly bringing down the house. She never really had another record that came close to her brilliance displayed on wax here. While receiving grammys and acting awards, it is shameful that her new found fanbase has overlooked this being her best work in her collection. This is truly an excellent record that is not to be missed.