I have a no-die clause in every movie. The black people can't be dying all the time.
Queen LatifahRead
I've never been the straight rapper that is going to stand in a cipher and battle all day. I started off battle rapping, but to me, making songs became more important than freestyles... I've met many rappers who can freestyle but can't make a record.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the difference between battle rapping and creating music.
Queen Latifah expresses her belief that while battle rapping, which emphasizes improvisation and competition, is a significant aspect of hip-hop culture, her personal passion lies in crafting songs that resonate with audiences. She acknowledges the skill in freestyling but ultimately values the art of record-making, underscoring the importance of depth and versatility in a musician's career.
Themes
MusicRapCreativitySongwritingFreestyle
In practice
Example use cases
In a music workshop discussing the balance between freestyle and songwriting.
More from Queen Latifah
All quotes →I don't have any regrets. If I could have talked to my 19- or 20-year-old self, I would have said, 'You're going to be fine. It ain't that serious!'
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Putting on your crown is really like accepting the fact that you are a queen. You're a great woman. Wherever you are in life, just keep on that path, and so for me, sometimes as women, we forget - we forget that about ourselves. So, putting on your crown is sort of reminding yourself that, hey, I'm a queen, and I can do what I want in this life and take it.
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There was always music in our home. My mom and my dad loved music. I remember when we were kids we would have these great parties at the house with congas and bongos and African drums, and it was amazing. It wasn't until years later that I found out that they were actually Black Panther meetings.
Queen LatifahRead
It was a very vulnerable time going from being insecure about my body and who I am to becoming comfortable with me. I had to tune out what the hell everybody else had to say about who I was. When I was able to do that, I felt free.
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People say I'm going to be the next Oprah. But I say no, because Oprah is still Oprah. I'll be the next me. I feel like there's always a lane for me as long as I'm true to myself.
Queen LatifahRead
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