All Hail the Queen

A classic debut containing a bonafide anthem in Ladies First. Some say this was the pinnacle of Latifah's career. Those people have obviously not seen Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade.

I think a lot of folks get down on this album for being dated, which it is, but so is a lot of the music on this list. I don't think that dated hip-hop is any worse inherently than dated rock or dated jazz. What's more, this album comes from a singular moment in hip-hop when sampling was wide open and DJs had the equipment to take large samples from popular music. Not all of the rapping on this album has aged well, but Queen Latifah has unquestionable skill on the mike, and its on full display here. The early synthesis of rap with house music is also really cool. This is certainly not the best rap album I've gotten on this list, but it has a case as the most underrated rap album that I've gotten. 4/5

No album is more 1989. It's frozen in a block of 100% pure 1989. It's produced by George H.W. Bush on the deck of the Exxon Valdez. So yes, it's all dated to buggery, but that is not that bad in itself; listening to this has some of the joys of archaeology. However, it's also very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very repetitititititititititititive. All the house beats sound exactly the same. All the raps sound the same, with the sole theme that of Queen Latifah being a good rapper. That makes one good song, but this is meant to be a bloody album. A second listen proves more appealing than the first, but it's still one fine song done 12 times. Yes, one fine song done 12 times. Indeed, one fine song done 12 times. Truly, one fine song done 12 times. In frankness, one fine song done...

I really wanted to like this more than I did.

Shit

What's that? You're all out of Neneh Cherry? How am I going to relive the salad days of 1989? Oh, you have some Queen Latifah? Well that will substitute nicely.

When she's on, she's on, but there are too many tracks that don't work. This did not age well at all. Best track: Dance for Me

So I’m guessing this is on the 1,001 list related to Queen Latifah being one of the first female rappers – so I get that, and I also think it’s impressive for a 19-year old female in the male dominated hip hop world… That said, just how many songs do you need to have on an album where you reference how “dope” your rhymes are, talk about how you can out-rap anyone, and mention your name – along with DJ Mark The 45 King? A couple of songs? Perhaps half the album? Nope – apparently EVERY SINGLE God-damn track needs to make some reference to the “Queen & King”… Absolutely wore me out… Additionally, the sound on this album seems incredibly dated to me (i.e. and it didn’t age well either…) – as I guess a lot of hip-hop back then tended to sound like this – and then of course the lyrical content of 80%+ of the songs was about what a great rhymer she was, and how she could take on anybody… Sure, 1 or 2 songs like that would have been fine – but just about every song on the album – well shit got pretty dull, pretty quickly IMO – but I guess when it came out, it sounded different… The only lyrical content that was along the lines of what I expected was “Evil That Men Do” – after of course the obligatory first few minutes of rapping about what a great rhymer she was – the rest of it was interesting, and would have preferred more of her perspectives like that… Also liked the reggae feel of “Princess Of The Posse” – just had to put up with all the lyrics about how great she was – though the chorus by the back-up singers was fine… Giving this a 2 for historical significance, and the inaugural work of a 19-year old female in a male dominated genre, but at the end of the day – the quality of the songs throughout an album HAVE to mean something, and the endless repetition on this one was just insufferable…

09/15/2022 I’ll probably say this hundreds of times throughout this project, but I am not an 80s girl, and late 80s/early 90s dance hall/house music is one of the genres that I hate the MOST, so this album was really tough to get through. So much so that I didn’t even do it. No disrespect or anything, but this album is not for me whatsoever. — Today sucked fat ass, I cried on the phone to Luke about how I hate school and I want to quit 🤣🤣🤣 I’m trying to force myself to stick with it and not give up so easily, but holy fuck is it easy to get discouraged. I fucking hate computers, ever since I was a child I’ve longed for a time other than this one, yet I have to be stuck in this hellhole of a world that just keeps driving itself further and further toward a bottomless pit of despair. I find it really hard to find a will to live sometimes.

19 years old when she released this, but 1989 hip hop doesn't age well.

After NWA’s misogynistic lyrics two days ago, this felt good!

It was awful.

i mean i see the appeal but felt a little cringe at times, i don’t feel as though i need to revisit low 2.5

Une couverture piégeuse… Si j'avais voulu un album d'Ice Cube dissimulé sous une perruque et un turban, j'aurais directement demandé à Robert (je le connais personnellement). Non, non et non.

No no god no. Put it back in the ark of the covenant and open it again in 30 years. Let the future deal with it. Just get it out of my sight.

This is the 38th album I’m rating. I don’t who she is or what this is. However, I’m expecting Hip Hop. Adding to my Playlist - Dance for Me, Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Come into my House, Latifah’s Law, Wrath of my Madness, The Pros, Ladies First, A King and Queen Creation, Queen of Royal Badness, Evil That Men Do, Princess of the Posse, and Inside Out. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 12/12 of the songs. It was kinda boring but in a good way. Sounds like A Tribe Called Quest but worse.

All hail the queen is right!

It has been a very long time since I last listened to this album. The hip-hop of the late 80s feels good to me!

Wow! This was a great weekend of music. Just as with yesterday's PJ Harvey, as soon as I finished All Hail the Queen I just started it over again. Fantastic!

didn't think I was a fan of Queen latifah - until listening to this! boppin, funky, she is a great lyricist / rapper.

you wouldn't have Beyonce without Queen Latifah. and this debut is jazzy, funky, groovy, and with a flow that is sterling. Ladies First is a killer song.

I just snagged the vinyl last week to finally bring this album in to my collection, so this gave me a perfect excuse to break it in. Start to finish a banger, and an absolute classic.

A perfect album a seriously enjoyable listen les go

Beautiful and soulful throughout. Really easy to just listen and vibe to.

favourite songs: mama gave birth to the soul children, the pros, evil that men do, inside out no least favourites, absolutely loved this and knew that i would as soon as de la soul appeared. fantastic album. started listening again as soon as it was done.

i loved this shit

stupid good. 5 stars.

Ha, nice. This came up immediately after De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising on my list. Just like that one, I thought that this was an excellent product of the hip-hop golden age. This had a bit of everything - reggae, dub, house, jazz, soul. Overall it was just a fun, energetic album with excellent flow, a lot of great collabs, and several genres being channeled brilliantly. Favourite: Come into My House

like it

I knew Queen Latifah was a rapper, but not sure I'd heard anything really and knew her mainly for film roles. This was quality! Proper hip hop, there was also a bit of dub and reggae sounding stuff in there too. Much better than I expected. Becoming clear to me that I definitely prefer the east coast sound. Some of this sounded like DJ format, or rather format sounds like this. Particularly the track with de la soul and wrath of my madness. Thought the guest artist songs kept it interesting too and it flew by. Listened a second time and it has to be a 5. I'll be back!

wow this album is a masterpiece. flows and rhymes are absolutely impeccable and the beats are so catchy and creative. love the hook on wrath of my madness especially. the voice change rap was cute haha. saxophone on ladie’s first was cool af. track for track such a great album.

What a talent

Punk fucking rock

4.5/5. Essential early hip hop. Nothing else to say.

Yes.

Absolutely mint, no idea she was this good. Better than, or at least as good as, a lot of the greatsnfrom this era, Tribe, De La Soul, etc. Easy a 4 maybe a 5

The only reason this doesn't get five stars is because it not timeless. The beats and delivery style absolutely peg this as a rap album from the late 80s-early 90s. But, for the time, this album is absolutely head of the class. The lyrics are so sharp they draw blood just brushing against them. It's rare for a debut album to be such a great indication of an artist's legacy but, with "All Hail the Queen" Latifa made it clear that she was here to stay and ready to rumble. And she has. Her impact on music (and film) in America is undeniable. And it's all on display here. Great album.

Some catchy songs, some annoying songs. barely 3 stars.

Very enjoyable, from a weirdly innocent period in time [EDIT: re-runs for the last 5 days, helpful over the holiday period but I'm hoping for a banger or two over the weekend]

Very good 80s rap that again loses a point for length

Fair play to her breaking into the male dominated hip-hop world. Some good production and flow - surprisingly sounds less dated than some of her contemporaries. Best Track: Dance For Me; Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children; Wrath of My Madness

I listened to the original release, without the CD bonus tracks. This is a rap album which features other artists on some of the tracks. It differs from most rap albums (which focus on drugs, gangs, guns, and shootings). This is more of a PG-rated album. On the positive side of the ledger, the album has a lot of energy. On the negative side, every track mentions Latifah at least three times, which becomes annoying.

2/5 don't come at me, but this isn't my jam

“The Pros”’s dub lurch pinched me out complacency and makes me wish this record changed up more often; the style is mostly upbeat, keeps the toes flexing, but predictable. Once you’ve heard the first twenty seconds of the song, you’ll know how the rest will go. I like Queen Latifah’s voice and wish she sang about more than her rapping prowess.

Lyrics are pretty weak for a rap album

Really disappointed, bland, lyrically kinda dull

Ik ga ook een album maken dat van A tot Z over mezelf gaat.

Can we take a moment to appreciate that this came out in 1989? Queen Latifah kicked down the door with confidence, clarity, and a message. “Ladies First” is an instant classic—feminist, funky, and still empowering decades later. “Wrath of My Madness” is pure fire, showcasing her lyrical strength and swagger. The whole album blends hip-hop with jazz, reggae, and soul without ever losing its power. All hail, indeed.

Love the pride she has in herself. It makes me feel good about myself.

Extremely groovy. Great dance beats; a melodic style of rap vocal; perfect funk, jazz and occasionally reggae samples (? - I think they're samples). I can't think of a reason not to go 5 stars.

Shockingly good

Consistently high quality from track to track. Strong performances, fun backing vocals. Engaging storytelling moments with songs like 'The Pros'. The oldschool flows are matched beautifully with progressive beats that ring as a flagship of the era rather than a worn out trend. The lyrics are a great blend of braggadocios claims and some social commentary. Overall an enjoyable ride without any songs that demand to be skipped. Great production with a variety of samples and interesting layering. The album does not overstay its welcome and touches on all aspects of what make Queen Latifah lauded as an icon in hip hop and as one of the most iconic and influential female rappers.

Refreshingly different. Not something I normally listen to but I dug it.

Such an amazing artist

Love it and reminds me of Monie Love although I think this album was out before any Monie Love albums were.

Очень понравилось, такой старый хип хоп. То что надо

"Rhymes are smokin', concentration can't be broken. Queen Latifah's Outspoken." Groovy and soulful like I expected from Queen Latifah. She blends rap with reggae, jazz, and hip hop. QL sets the expectation early in Latifah's Law. The Queen of Royal Badness has a lot to say, and this f*ggot ain't got nothin' better to do than listen. Latifah doesn't shy away from addressing racial apartheid, pleasure politics, feminism, and mass-incarceration. I wanted to take away a point for the chipmunk noises at the end of Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, but after Evil That Men Do, I can't. 5/5.

Hell yeah! I wasn't sure how much female fronted rap there might be on the list, but I was delighted to see the Queen! A mishmash of genres and styles, and a sonic education which teaches more with each listen

Good stuff, positive vibes, great beats, good message. Don't know what more you want.

FUN producers did a SIIICK job on this i really really love this. 4.7/5

Timeless beats, effortless flows, excellent production, excellent features, an undeniable classic of New York rap

This is a joy, art, musical, inventive.

стильно, модно, вкусно

Slut 80’er hiphop, den gamle lyd, skarp lyrik, indflydelsesrigt

Amazing HiP-Hop debut.

Crazy that she was 18/19 recording this. Required listening for hip hop fans. Fantastic.

This album is great from start to finish.

No topaba esto. Uno de los mejores discos de hip hop de todos los tiempos.

An interesting artifact that serves as a reminder that there were not a lot of female rappers in the early life of the genre. Queen Latifah's success paved the way for women to participate in the Rap/Hip-Hop juggernaut that was soon to dominate the industry. She was also at the forefront of the Afrocentric aesthetic that became popular in the early 90's. Maps of Africa, dashikis, and red, green, and black stripes became fashionable for young African-Americans and allowed them to display pride in their heritage while continuing to challenge outdated conventions. As with many Rap albums at the time, the production is dated. That doesn't matter much. as this album did so much to move the music forward.

I think 80's rap might be my favorite decade for rap. I'm old. I know. One of the things I especially liked about these songs is her use of horn samples. Also some great beats with a dash of reggae for flavor. Favorites: Latifah's Law (especially like the conga drums & horn samples), Wrath of My Madness, Ladies First, King & Queen Creation, Evil that Men Do. I'm about a 3.5 with this musically but I'll jump it up to a 4 cuz props to a strong black woman who was a pioneer in her field.

first listen tough

Rap as a genre is maybe the hardest for me to hear with fresh ears. This feels like the pre-Renaissance wing of the museum, except maybe the Renaissance wasn't a 100% great idea in this timeline. All the pre-Chronic jazz-inflected rap feels like a vein that maybe wasn't completely mined before everyone moved on. "The Pros" goes for dub but just feels sluggish after the first five tracks, which is maybe a sign that the first five tracks bring a great energy. Energy changes in the back half but it all mostly works. I didn't expect to think the album was too short, but that's the sign of something good - "Inside Out" is a powerful closer. I guess what I'm saying is maybe don't skip straight to the Caravaggios.

damn for 1989 this sounds pretty good. Its not corny like a lot of rap from the 80's (mostly). Its pretty fun, and she's the Queen for a reason!

Would have given this a 3 if I only listened to it once… but I just kept coming back to it throughout the day and damned if I didn’t end up really enjoying it. All hail the Queen and GIVE ME BODY

I totally dig early Latifah

All Hail the Queen!!

Sounds like something I would've listened to on my walkman on a Weetabix Top Trax cassette, which is a good thing. How did we go from Ladies First to rapping about bitches and hoes for the next decade?

Queen Latifah - All Hail the Queen Dance to Me is a banger of an opener. The roll call from De La Soul made me laugh (intentionally funny). Track 3 is early house, loads of fun and surprising. The DJ backing is great in general with great hooks and samples (eg Gil Scott on Evil that men Do) The rapping sounds more dated (exposed) on the slower tracks 6, 11 & 12. Love the saxophone on this album in general. The rapping is of its time, but style / flow matches contemporary’s (Big Daddy Kane, Eric B and Rakim, Salt N Pepa etc) 4/5

I will not include the CD bonus tracks for this review. Is it weird that I'm more familiar with Queen Latifah as an actor than as a rapper? In terms of my exposure to Laitfah growing up, the only work I would have recognized her for was providing the voice for the mammoth Ellie as a supporting role in the Ice Age animated film series. Then, in my recent adult years, I recognized her again for her lead role as Robyn McCall in CBS's revival of the action drama TV series The Equalizer, as well as occasional supporting roles, such as opposite Adam Sandler in the film Hustle. To me, it feels like once Queen Latifah broke into other avenues of the entertainment industry, her music career was largely placed on the back burner. I only became aware of her rapping chops this past year through her guest appearance on the Jungle Brothers' "Doin' Our Own Thang" and her track "U.N.I.T.Y." performed live with Megan Thee Stallion at Coachella this year. If she started in the rap game, then I can try to meet her halfway. With all that said, how does her debut, All Hail the Queen, hold up? I will say that this album is definitely within the ballpark of the Jungle Brothers' Done by the Forces of Nature and A Tribe Called Quest's debut, both of which I've already covered in the progressive rap narrative of the Native Tongues collective. Latifah maintains a good lyrical flow as she runs the gamut of Afrocentric embracement, female empowerment, and social justice. Particularly on tracks like "The Evil That Men Do" and "Latifah's Law", she articulated how she worked her way off the streets, despite the numerous disadvantages a black woman faced in society. In a word, this album feels like a celebration of how far she has come, and I respect that while putting the spotlight on other up-and-coming artists, especially alongside Monie Love on "Ladies First". That said, it does feel like the production is dated. Not a bad start for a debut album, but the beats behind Latifah could have used more impact. Also, there are a few missteps in the presentation that couldn't be ignored, such as on "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" with the grating baby voice modulations and instrumental motifs that evoke a bizarre nursery rhyme. Still, this is a reasonably solid debut from Queen Latifah, and it opened many doors for her and other female rappers to come.

7.5/10

Is this the greatest rap album of all time? Not particularly. Is it chock full of stone cold bangers with perfect 1989 production and drop-ins by the most badass New York rappers of the scene? You bet your ass. Queen Latifah rules, and even if some of this is corny as hell it’s also an absolute jam.

oh god i was going to listen to this thinking of oprah instead of queen latifah... once i realised who's who i could enjoy way more. great vibesss

Day494 - it’s really good old school rap. the ones with de la soul and monie love were my favorites

Damn, she’s good! 4

I was an alt-rock girl when this came out, so it was no where near my radar. I've never really listened to Queen Latifah, and I missed out. This is fun! Sure, it's showing it's age but I won't hold that against it.

"All Hail the Queen" is the debut studio album by American rapper Queen Latifah. Hip hop is the genre. There are multiple guest appearances and there were five producers credited (DJ Mark the 45th King, Louis "Louie Louie" Vega, KRS-One, Daddy-O and Prince Paul.) on the album The album was well received critically and, in 2023, it was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its artistic significance and specifically for "showing that rap could cross genres including reggae, hip hop, house and jazz, while opening opportunities for other female rappers." Commercially, the album hit #124 on the US Billboard 200 and reached #6 on the R&B/Hip Hop Album Charts. The album opens with "Dance for Me." A quick, funky, hip hop beat. A vocal sample from Sly and the Family Stones' "Dance to the Music." Forceful rapping by Quern Latifah as she's ordering you to dance in a fun song. Dialogue stating "Take this mask off" from the movie "Disco Godfather" introduces "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children." A change of beat in this weird song. Funky. De la Soul makes a guest appearance. The last part are voices of girls through what sounds like a vocoder but I don't if that existed in 1989. So, maybe just on helium. A nice house-dance beat gets a-going in "Come into My House." Nice backing vocals to the melody of Anita Baker's "Ring My Bell." Queen Latifah stresses don't get her mad in "Wrath of My Madness." More funk. Pointed horn sampling from Grover Washington. Monie Love joins Queen Latifah in the feminist anthem "Ladies First." Both come in strong. Horns and a great jazz-hip hop fusion. This album is a lot of fun. Queen Latifah brings it in her rapping style and prowess. As with most of the hip hop albums that I like: selective use of guest appearances, timely sampling and no over production. Check, check and check. There's nice fusion of hop hop with jazz and house-dance music. She mentions the homeless and lack of education, but Queen Latifah doesn't go deep into any social issues and keeps it light. Overall, a definite recommendation.

Fact is this is great. Never does this get boring, never does it only sit in rap or hip hop or even pseudo-pop, but it spins around all of them and none of them each and every song, sometimes within songs. And Queen Latifah, she has voice! I wish I could use her to be a voice for my activism right now, we need it! Highly recommend as a 1001 album and just to listen to just to listen! You will not get bored.

Качественная музыка, но не понрав

3.5 - I liked it, but just got a bit samey tbh

The vibes are immaculate. The sun is shining. The wind is in our hair as we drive across the peak district. This album is the perfect accompaniment: it couldn't have been timed better.

..

I didn’t really have any expectations going into this one. Turns out I liked it more than I would have guessed. 80s/90s rap is so fun. This album in particular has a good variety between tracks and Queen Latifah is a better lyricist than I remembered.

Before: Wasn't excited about this one. Thought there would be one single (Ladies First) that was OK and the rest of the album was going to be filler. Didn't bother to read up on the album, just opened Spotify After: Really pleasantly surprised. The Prince Paul track (with De La Soul) was good, the 45 King beats were uniformly excellent and Queen Latifah was a much better lyricist than I'd given her credit for. Had to look at the production credits because of the more varied beats than I'd expected. Ladies First made me realize I need to check out some more Monie Love too.

Great!

A genuine revelation. Excellent album. Bit of a de la soul vibe. Really enjoyed and will listen again.

Fun

Really groovy album I enjoyed it a lot. She is a real MC Queen that's for sure, I really got into "Ladies First" and "Queen of Royal Badness" which were reallyyyy awesome, she has such a great voice flow and a certain ego but that's funny.

Ironically got this album on women’s day. Good album with a few bops in between

Yaaaaas queen

Just classic!! Love the Queen!