Queen Latifah has broken a wide variety of barriers throughout her extensive career both in and out of Hip Hop, and she’s still building on her incredible legacy.
On Friday (June 23), it was announced that she will become the first female rapper to be honored at the Kennedy Center Awards on December 3. CNN revealed that the “U.N.I.T.Y.” rapper will be honored alongside Billy Crystal, opera singer Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees, and singer Dionne Warwick.
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“This year we pay special tribute to the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, a uniquely American culture whose constant evolution is one of enduring relevance and impact, reflecting our society as it has grown into an international phenomenon,” Deborah F. Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, said in a statement to the outlet.
“Hip Hop has been an important, thriving art form here at the Center for a number of years; what a privilege it is to bestow an Honors to the First Lady of Hip-Hop [Queen Latifah] who has inspired us along the way.”
"I’m humbled to be included in this incredible list of artists honored by the Kennedy Center. To now be recognized amongst so many multi-hyphenates feels unbelievable." —@iamqueenlatifah, rapper, singer, actress
Meet all your 46th Honorees at https://t.co/omAfV68lkU#KCHonorspic.twitter.com/zcIFU3IJHy
— The Kennedy Center (@kencen) June 22, 2023
With the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop continuing to be celebrated throughout 2023, the genre’s originators — including Queen Latifah — are finally getting their long-overdue flowers.
The “Ladies First” rapper made history in yet another way recently when she became the first female rapper to be added to the National Recording Registry.
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Announced on April 12, this year’s inductees also included Madonna’s worldwide hit “Like A Virgin,” Mariah Carey’s classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Daddy Yankee’s 2004 hit “Gasolina” and even Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. theme song, among others.
Describing why Queen Latifah’s debut was included, the NRR said: “Her album showed rap could cross genres including reggae, hip-hop, house and jazz — while also opening opportunities for other female rappers.”
Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian of Congress chooses 25 titles each year that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old.
“The National Recording Registry preserves our history through recorded sound and reflects our nation’s diverse culture,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said. “The national library is proud to help ensure these recordings are preserved for generations to come, and we welcome the public’s input on what songs, speeches, podcasts or recorded sounds we should preserve next.”
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The library added that it “received more than 1,100 public nominations” for recordings to add to the registry this year.
