Black Reign by Queen Latifah
“U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know)
(You go, come on, here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., love a black woman from (Uh, you gotta let him know)
Infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho, here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (Uh, you gotta let him know)
(Come on, come on, now here we go)
U.N.I.T.Y., love a black man from (Yeah, you gotta let him know)
Infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)”
- Queen Latifah, U.N.I.T.Y
This month the spotlight is on Queen Latifah with Black Reign, her third studio album released November 16, 1993. During the time that the album was released, rap was still a misogynistic, hypersexualized, and sexist environment. Not much has changed in the last thirty years. Queen Latifah was one of the few Black female artists to break into the rap game with multiple notable hits.
In a time where it was expected that women were scantily clad, kissing men suggestively, and washing cars in bikinis, Queen Latifah revolutionized the game with her iconic sweatsuits. Queen Latifah gave zero effs about what anyone thought. Queen Latifah rocked chains and baggy clothing which was commonly worn by men, setting trends around the world. It’s with the groundbreaking mentality that one can see and understand Latifah’s musical perspective throughout the entire project.
Jazz and Hip-hop are the main music styles used in this album. The song ‘Rough’ is an example of how seamlessly Hip-hop and Jazz can be mixed together. In the first couple seconds of ‘Rough’ Hip-Hop and Jazz dissolve into each other, there is even a dash of spoken word poetry which is an enhancement to her rap style.
“Breakin' rappers in half by the ass is my only task
Gold & platinum plaques will pass, only talent will last”
- Queen Latifah, Rough
“Winki’s Theme” is a song dedicated to her deceased brother which seamlessly combines Rap, Hip-hop, and Jazz. At the beginning of the song, we hear a bit of spoken word which effortlessly transcends into singing, with a slight backdrop of Jazz and Hip-Hop.
This song is diverse in the sense that we get a taste of Queen Latifah's multiple talents. We get to hear her rap impressively over the soft beat, all while presenting a harrowing, yet loving story. Her rhyme schemes are tight and her abilities are in full display throughout the following excerpt:
“I'm trying to take my time on this rhyme
But it's busting from the seams
Like a fantasy and eagerness of dreams”
- Queen Latifah, Winki’s Theme
Queen Latifah’s multiple talents clearly bust out of her as you can see in the songs chosen for this classical album review. Overall this album is 7.5/10 and I personally want to recommend it to all of the strong, independent women out there, as we close out Black History Month!