Queen Latifah Net Worth

What Is Queen Latifah's Net Worth?

Queen Latifah is an American rapper, singer, actress, producer, and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $60 million. Queen Latifah has built one of the most versatile and influential careers in entertainment. Emerging in the late 1980s as one of the first prominent female rappers, she quickly distinguished herself with socially conscious lyrics, commanding presence, and genre-crossing talent that carried her into film, television, and business success.

Born Dana Owens in Newark, New Jersey, Latifah broke into music with her 1989 debut album "All Hail the Queen," which included the hit "Ladies First." Her style blended hip-hop with jazz, reggae, and R&B, while her lyrics often championed women's empowerment and social issues. She became a leading figure in the golden age of hip-hop, winning a Grammy Award in 1995 for "U.N.I.T.Y.," a song that addressed gender equality and violence against women.

Her charisma and natural screen presence soon led to acting opportunities. She starred in the 1990s sitcom "Living Single," which became a cultural touchstone, and built a strong film résumé with roles in "Set It Off," "Chicago," "Bringing Down the House," and "Hairspray." Her performance in "Chicago" earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Latifah also became a bankable lead in both comedies and dramas, appearing in films such as "Last Holiday," "Beauty Shop," and the hit franchise "Ice Age," where she voiced Ellie.

Beyond music and acting, Latifah has proven herself as a producer and television host. She headlined her own daytime talk show, "The Queen Latifah Show," and has served as an executive producer on projects that elevate diverse voices. In 2016, she starred in the widely acclaimed miniseries "Bessie," earning an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of blues singer Bessie Smith. More recently, she has starred in CBS's action-drama "The Equalizer."

Over three decades, Queen Latifah has redefined what it means to be a multi-hyphenate star, achieving success in nearly every corner of entertainment while remaining a trailblazer for women in hip-hop and Hollywood.

Early Life

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in Newark, New Jersey. She grew up primarily in East Orange, New Jersey. Her parents split when she was ten years old. Her stage name, Latifah, means "delicate" and "very kind" in Arabic. At 5'10", Latifah was a power forward on her high school girls' basketball team. After she graduated from Irvington High School, she took classes at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Music Career

Latifah started beatboxing in the late '80s and caught the notice of the host of "Yo! MTV Raps." She got the attention of Tommy Boy Music employee Dante Ross, who signed Latifah and, in 1988, issued her first single, "Wrath of My Madness." Latifah made her mark in hip-hop by rapping about issues of black women. Her songs covered topics on domestic violence, harassment on the streets, and relationship problems. She released her first album, "All Hail the Queen," in 1989. In 1992, she received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She released two more albums and was then signed by Motown Records for her fourth studio album, "Order in the Court." After this album, Queen Latifah shifted to soul and jazz music, and in 2004, she released "The Dana Owens Album." In 2007, she was the headlining act in a live jazz performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, in which she was backed by a 10-piece orchestra. Her next album, "Trav'lin' Light," featured guest appearances from musicians of various genres. The album was nominated for a Grammy.  Her latest album, "Persona," a return to hip-hop, was released in 2009 and reached #3 on the US R&B chart. Her singles "Unity" and "Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)" both reached #2 on the US Rap chart.  "Unity" went on to win a Grammy. Queen Latifah has sold over two million records worldwide during her music career.

In 2023, Queen Latifah's debut album, "All Hail the Queen," was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry.

Acting Career

Throughout her lengthy career, Queen Latifah has appeared in numerous high-profile films and television shows. One of her first roles was a guest-starring spot in two episodes of the second season of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," an NBC hit. She starred on the FOX sitcom "Living Single" from 1993 to 1998, which gained very high ratings. She was the host of the successful "Queen Latifah Show" from 1991 to 2001, then she revamped it for two seasons in 2013 and 2014. Latifah gained mainstream attention after she was cast in the musical film "Chicago," which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Latifah was nominated for best supporting actress for her role, but lost to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones. Latifah is one of only five R&B artists to receive an Oscar nomination in an acting category. She received her first Golden Globe in 2007 when she starred in the film "Life Support," in which she portrayed an HIV-positive woman. She has starred in several movies, including "House Party 2," "Set It Off," "Brown Sugar," "Bringing Down the House," "Taxi," "Barbershop 2: Back in Business," "Beauty Shop," "Hairspray," "Valentine's Day," "Just Wright," "The Dilemma," "22 Jump Street," and "Girls Trip." In 2017, it was announced that she had become an executive producer for the third season of the slasher TV series "Scream," which aired in 2019. More recently, she has appeared in the television series "Red Table Talk," "Maya and the Three," and "The Equalizer" and the movies "The Tiger Rising," "Hustle," and "End of the Road."

Queen Latifah's work in music, film, and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a Grammy Award, multiple additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy Award nomination, and an Academy Award nomination. On January 4, 2006, Queen Latifah received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

Other Ventures

Outside of her entertaining career, she is a spokesperson for CoverGirl, Pizza Hut, and Jenny Craig. She has her own line of cosmetics for women of color. Queen Latifah also has her own perfume line, with scents Queen and Queen of Hearts. She has also written a book, "Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman."

In 2022, it was revealed that Queen Latifah's real estate development firm was creating affordable housing in Newark, New Jersey. The reported $14 million project has broken ground and will include 76 units as well as 1,900 square feet of ground-floor space for non-profit organizations.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Personal Life

Latifah's older brother was killed in 1992 in a motorcycle accident. She has discussed how her brother's death led to a brief period of depression and drug abuse. In 1995, she was a victim of a carjacking. Latifah was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana in 1996. She was again arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles and served three years of probation. In 2018, Queen Latifah confirmed the death of her mother due to a heart condition.

Queen Latifah's sexuality has been the subject of rumors over the years, and she remains private about her love life. But at the 2021 BET Awards, she confirmed a relationship with Eboni Nichols and acknowledged their son, Rebel, for the first time during her acceptance speech.

In mid-1996, a feud between Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown began. Media reported that Foxy Brown was a target in Latifah's diss track, "Name Callin," which was on the "Set It Off" movie soundtrack. Foxy Brown began to publicly question Latifah's sexuality in various radio interviews, and in 1998, she released a diss record over the matter. Latifah responded by releasing another diss record, dissing Brown about her reliance on skimpy outfits and sexuality to sell records. In 2000, the two reconciled and performed a song together on "The Queen Latifah Show" to show a truce.

Real Estate

Queen Latifah has lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, as well as Rumson, New Jersey, and Beverly Hills, California. When she decided to move west because of her talk show, she placed her 7,000-square-foot, nine-acre New Jersey estate on the market for $2.4 million. The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom mansion comes with a five-car garage and a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool.

In 2015, Latifah sold a gated home she co-owned in the Hollywood Hills for $1.65 million after listing it for $1.94 million.

Who's Richer?

Queen
Latifah

Compare!

Missy
Elliott