For many ardent hip-hop fans, disappointment can set in whenever a talented rapper steps away from the microphone to pursue other interests, and the only thing one can hope for is that he or she will start spitting bars again.
One could say that Queen Latifah fits into that category, because while she’s seen ridiculous success in the TV and film realm, she grew to fame as a rapper after dropping her 1989 classic “All Hail the Queen” on Tommy Boy Records.
But those who miss Queen La rapping will have their chance at some point, because the New Jersey native revealed that a new album is on the way.
It’s something she revealed to the Blast on Thursday when one of their reporters caught her on the streets of Manhattan.
“Hopefully, this year,” said the “Wrath of My Madness” writer.
But before the rap album, Latifah said she’d be releasing a jazz LP first, which isn’t new territory considering she delivered “The Dana Owens” album in 2004, a jazz and R&B offering that peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 charts.
The last LP the legendary lyricist dropped was 2009’s “Persona,” which was a return to her rapping days.
On that album, much of the production was handled by the radio friendly Miami producers Cool & Dre, and those featured on the project include Missy Elliott, Marsha Ambrosius, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes and Boyz II Men.
But it’s also safe to say that a lot folks will be thrilled to hear Latifah’s upcoming jazz album. Several years ago she talked about how far back her jazz roots actually go.
“My father was probably the person who encouraged jazz in my life the most,” she told The Boombox in 2007. “He played nothing but jazz music, and every time I’d get into the car with him, he’d have [radio station] Jazz 88 playing … or Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday. He also had a jazz club when I was a kid.”
“And when I started to get a little older and started making my own choices in music — jazz was there because it was becoming an influence on hip-hop,” she added. “And I was hanging out with Q-Tip and DJ Mark the 45 King, and they had a lot of jazz records playing.”
You can see the Queen talk about her new albums below.
