There are still some places I'd love to visit - Africa, China, Brazil, India. I want to travel the world and experience other cultures and peoples. Queen Latifah More Quotes by Queen Latifah More Quotes From Queen Latifah 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. Queen Latifah rap battle song A confident woman is a sexy woman, in my opinion. And I think guys find that to be the same way. Queen Latifah sexy guy thinking Yeah, I'm from Jersey; it's almost like I was automatically born a Nets fan. Queen Latifah jersey yeah fans For me, my criteria for making films is all about trying to do something different from the last time. So if I catch myself doing too much of one thing, I'm always trying to move away from that, because it's not going to be challenging enough to keep my attention and focus. Queen Latifah always-trying focus moving There were musicians that influenced me, but they weren't all women. Teena Marie was a big influence because she wrote and produced her own music, which let me know that women could write and produce their own music, which was an empowering moment for me. Queen Latifah empowering writing inspiring 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 Latifah dad party mom I came from a crew, and to me, all the guys I rapped with were better than me, so I was surprised when I was the breakout one. It was definitely a cool thing. Queen Latifah cool-things crew guy The movie I've seen a million times is 'Steel Magnolias,' directed by Herbert Ross, starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts. Queen Latifah magnolias steel fields To me, hip hop will never be right until female rappers have a stronger voice in it. Queen Latifah rapper hip-hop voice When I was growing up, there were so many musicals you could watch. I like the fantasy of musicals and I love music. Queen Latifah fantasy growing-up watches I did Jay Leno with Mike the Situation, and he just - he lives, like, ten minutes from me in Jersey. He's like, 'If you ever get a flat, call me. I'll come fix your tire.' That's how we do. That's neighborly, you know? Queen Latifah jersey tire minutes Bowling, I like bowling. I've been getting into this bowling thing. It's kinda fun. Queen Latifah bowling fun I want to see 10 female rappers getting regular rotation. It can't be all about a man's opinion. Queen Latifah rapper female men I support many organizations that I feel are doing the right thing, like Alonzo Mourning's foundation, Alicia Keys' foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and other well-established foundations. I kick out a lot of time and money wherever I can. Queen Latifah support keys organization I don't feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don't care if people think I'm gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway. Queen Latifah gay people thinking My mom was my main influence growing up, and Phylicia Rashad reminded me a lot of my mother, just the way she handled certain things, she was... not soft-spoken but smooth-spoken. Just very calm, cool, collected about things. Queen Latifah growing-up mom mother I never pictured myself as just a rapper; I always wanted to act and do whatever else I could do. I always felt like I could do a lot of different things. Queen Latifah rapper different wanted I lost relatives to AIDS, a couple of my closest cousins. I lost friends to AIDS, high-school friends who never even made it to their 21st birthdays in the '80s. When it's that close to you, you can't really deny it, and you can't run from it. Queen Latifah cousin couple running People have often asked me, do I want to be the next Oprah - there is no such thing. Oprah is Oprah, and she's still being Oprah if anybody hasn't noticed... what I bring to TV is myself... I really think there's space in daytime TV for a whole bunch of fun, some amazing music, and some heart. Queen Latifah heart fun thinking There are a lot of people who helped make Queen Latifah who she is today. I don't forget, but a lot of people do and get big heads. Queen Latifah queens today people
