Reviews (page 2 of 7)
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.
Gooooooood hiphop i really like
If I'm being honest, this might just be a strong 3. But, the fact that it has a below 3 average speaks to the predominance of old, white men participating in thos challenge. So, bumping it up to a 4 to counterbalance that a bit. - Signed, a 50-year-old white guy
She was NINETEEN!? What the hell!? I didn't know anything about Queen Latifah's music career. And I apparently also have been pronouncing Latifah wrong this whole time. This is so impressive. It's not something I'd listen to regularly but it's undeniably cool.
Good!
There aren’t as many rap albums on here as I’d like. Especially old school. Queen Latifah is a solid choice.
I try not to let the dog shit taste of the average listener on this website bother me but I am going to fight everyone in this comments section. Anyone saying every song on here sounds the same has clearly got their fingers in their ears. This album is so refreshing. After being forced through every mediocre East Coast album that came out before, say, Reasonable Doubt (all that shit sounds the same and you KNOW IT) it was amazing to get something with a woman on it, and one enjoying herself at that. Her flow is relentless. Her confidence is charming. She never lets up and although I think some small trimming would benefit the album, it's a tour de force. God forbid we not get every album by everyone who ever sniffed Wu Tang Clan instead!!!
I liked it. Old school hip hop, but no gangsta rap
It's fun to hear an established artist when she is first flexing her muscles. Queen Latifah is one of the pantheon female MCs, and it's a treat hearing her original vibes. The beat sounds like classic late 80s/early 90s jams, but with a still-relevant message. Occasionally adding in house and reggae elements brings new sound, and collabs with De La Soul, Monie Love, and KRS-One makes this Gen-X fan smile.
I'm here for that saxophone
Can't believe she was 19 when she made this! Something to like about each song. Limitless talent!
I enjoyed it - very retro hiphop with some 80's house beats in the mix. A little basic at times but some solid tunes - favourite being Come into My House. Lyrically it makes a nice contrast from the dick waving gangsta b/s that features in a lot of the hip hop on this list. Was going to give it a 3 but just read she was only 19 when it was released so giving it a bonus point.
Straight fire. Great album. Wish I checked it out sooner.
I really enjoyed this. Not sure if Queen Latifah's flow does much for me, but it's more than serviceable. But just a really solid classic 90s hip hop album great feel, great beats, great vibe, and a fun MC. Hell Yeah
I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have thought. It’s a really banger that still sounds pretty good. Not every song here is a hit but most of them are.
When to listen: feeling an early 90s beat walking down the street. I love a Jersey girl, I love Queen Latifah, and whatever it's dated but this is a bop and she was *19* when she released this... it was fresh for the time, it's fun today, it's empowering, yadda yadda.
QUEEN indeed.
Surprise
This feels very of its time, but I'm the best way.
divertido !!!
Never listened to her before but good stuff
I missed this one when it first came out. I had this blind spot for female artists for much of my life and feel drawn to them more as I age. Beats are old school awesome and her flow is tight. It's a little cheesy, as a lot of old school/first wave Hip Hop is, but it's accessible and a total vibe. I love finding Hip Hop I can share with my daughters and this one will totally enter our rotation.
Infectious grooves, strong lyrics that don’t sound aged. Great!
this is great, excellent old school production
I was never a fan of female MCs (or singers for that matter) back in the early 90s when I first gravitated to hip-hop. Some casual sexism in my early teen years I'm sure and something I have long since grown out of. That is to say that I've only listened to Queen Latifah in recent years and particularly after she was featured in the brilliant First Ladies of Hip-Hop documentary miniseries on BBC last year (still available on iPlayer) which talked about her pioneering feminist messaging. So I've heard a few songs from this, Ladies First in particular is a song that we've had on a female positive playlist that we listened to regularly with my daughter.... and is a banger. I've not listened to the whole album though and now has been a good opportunity to do that. It's a really strong debut, not a surprise given some of the production credits from The 45 King, KRS One and Prince Paul and largely positive lyrical themes of identity, empowerment, and social awareness.
Mucho swag. Looove it.
The sound of this is soooo late 1980s lol, but I'm here for it. Pretty impressive debut album from Ms. Latifah, and a pretty fun ride overall -- hardly any misogynistic or overly violent lyrics, and (unbelievably) not a single poorly-aged skit across the whole album. Bumping it up an additional star for that fact alone. Also enjoyed the reggae elements combined with the iconic 80s hip-hop production feel.
When you compare this to some of the rap albums around the same time we have listened to this is leagues above. I couldn’t believe how much older and more mature this sounded than the albums of run dmc etc. I enjoyed the housey element of some of the songs. I always felt like women make great rappers. Queen Latifah has a great way of story telling, the flow is great and what the lyrics are are really interesting at some points.
*1989. *This was an intriguing album - I listened to it several times throughout the day. *Queen Latifah is powerful but approachable in this album - the message seems to be that she's a queen, but she wants to raise everyone else up too. I like it. *Most of the album had a raggae, latin flavor to it. It was different, but pretty cool. *I'll revisit this one. RATING - 7/10
The beats are really great and Queen Latifah herself has plenty of charisma and good flows. The lyrical content can be somewhat lacking depth and that’s the biggest issue holding this back. Solid debut project. Favorites were Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children, The Pros, Ladies First, and Inside Out.
Good solid hip hop! I often tend to enjoy '80s rap and this is no exception.
Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, Rah Digga … Essex County in the 1990s was truly the global capital of great female rappers
My girl Dana!!! Always + forever my queen 👑
When this album got generated I almost forgot Queen Latifah was once a rapper since she’s so known for acting and entertainment now. But she was very influential and groundbreaking, and this album definitely deserves its place on this list. I didn’t love it, and likely won’t revisit it much, but it was still good and you can definitely hear how it influenced future female rappers. I’d rate this 3.5 if I could, but it’s the Queen, so I have to round up.
Really enjoyed this
Great sampling and interesting lyrics. 3.5* rounding up.
Kul musik! Gillade Evil that men do och Queen of Royal Badness. Coolt!
2026.04.01.
I was only familiar with her work in the Ice Age series prior to this album
I listened to this album on an overcast day. I was alone on shift, and I stepped away from the desk to catch the retirement ceremony of a long time family friend. Queen Latifah has existed to me for so long as a public figure and actor that I sometimes forget she began as a musician; boy, I will never make that mistake again. This album caught me completely off-guard immediately, with the production being creative, unique, and incredibly funny; odd samples, beat switch-ups, and an energetic, near-cartoonish level of energy kept the album constantly engaging the entire time. There's even some clear house music influences, like the entire song Come into My House, which is an incredible surprise. But of course good production can't be the only selling point; I've heard plenty of hip-hop albums that still couldn't command the same level of attention as All Hail the Queen, and the clear difference is Queen Latifah herself. While her approach to lyricism and flow is not obviously unique (I've heard many artists of the time deliver similar songwriting), Queen Latifah simply possesses a confidence which few others can match up to; her features here are a handful of people who could manage to match her energy, with De La Soul's presence being a particularly pleasant surprise for me. She also has a knock for writing lyrics which manage to stay simple while still being varied enough to maintain interest, a feat which many other dance rap songs fail to accomplish. There's just an infectious sense of self-empowerment that bleeds through this whole album, and I was very pleasantly surprised that this stood out to me as much as it did. Highlights: 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, Queen of Royal Badness, Princess of the Possee
My apologies, mammoth from ice age 2, I was not familiar with your game. What a fun listen
Never listened to any of her music. Only know her as an actor. I’m really digging this and I get why she’s where she is today. The princess of the posse with the Barney Miller bass line is wonderful.
From the beginning, loved picking up on the samples that were featured on previous 1001 albums (Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic, among others). I love the Queen's flow and though classics Ladies First and Evil that Men Do were familiar, I was surprised by tracks like The Pros with heavy reggae influence and how catchy it was.
I think it can get a bit repetitive in terms of talking about how great Queen Latifah is - but that is in no way unique to this genre and time period. Rappers made their money talking about how they are so much better than everyone else out there. So I'm willing to forgive that sin. What's justifying the 4-star rating for me is Evil That Men Do, that's the standout song for me on this thing.
Who's coming for the Queen's crown? Aggressively of its time. Minor complaint is I don't like this era of a song basically being over, but then the beat still plays for another 30 seconds. (In one case, a 1:20, which is wild.)
1989 forever.
Another for the "What If..." situations. If Queen Latifah had been producing in a later era, would she have had more support in the industry and from the audience? The collab with De La Soul is hilarious.
Loved this album. Great sounds and attitude.
This was funnnn. I didn’t know Queen Latifah was bringing it like this. Will be revisiting.
I enjoyed this one. My favourite era of hip hop and I loved her feminist edge.
It's a very good hip hop album. I can appreciate it, but I didn't enjoy it.
Pretty good old school hip hop album.
Very funky and good vibes. Enjoyed listening to it!
Strong
(5/7) maybe this was "cool" when it came out but today it comes across dorky but in a sort of endearing way
I liked this so much more than I thought I would. Who would’ve thought I’d be nostalgic for late 80s hip hop?
hip hop that keeps close to its roots as party music. hot beats, conscious lyrics, a Peech Boys sample (woah!), tight package overall. plenty of influence from ragga and house music to keep the energy up. pretty much everything i want in 80s hip hop. wildly underrated too (misogyny?). she was a teenager on this! deserves to be one of the 1001? yeah!
This is getting some hate for being dated, and sure, it is a bit, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Loved to see De La Soul turn up on "Mama Gave Birth" (and enjoyed the Prince Paul production). Latifah's Law is also good. I found the reggae-tinged tracks less effective. I think it just crosses the bar of four stars though.
it's albums like this that make me wish i got to experience this era favorite song: the pros
Ann says I can't use ChatGPT for help anymore so let's rip: I wasn't directly familiar with the Queen's work prior to today, aside from what I've absorbed through the ether. Surprisingly, still pops off 30+ years later! Anything rhythm and groove-centric appeals to this guy - but merge funky soul with NYC hip hop and baby, my ass is jigglin'. Strong, bold, confident - without being overtly aggro or doing an impression of the masculinity on display at the time. Great record!
Not a huge hiphop head, but this album is just a great vibe. Bonus point for seeing a woman on here again.
Can’t believe I’ve never listened to this. So many collab voices I recognize, so good.
Invigorating when doing housework
Good hip hop from a female slant
I didn't expect to like this, but it's great. I see why she is one of the most reference artist in modern music. My favorites were The Pros and Princess of the Posse. A lot of people mentioned it being dated. Maybe, but good music doesn't have to be dependent on a time period. This is great no matter when you listen.
Altså dette var gøy, aldri hørt på hu før egt, men var funky og morro
I completely forgot that Queen Latifah Made music. And it's pretty damn good at that, what the heck? It's a good piece of late 80s hip hop. It's also got a few feminist anthems, most notably Ladies First. There are a couple of tracks I don't vibe with quite as much as the others. But it's a good debut album, and it makes Queen Latifah's fame make much more sense.
Very of its time, reminiscent of Neneh Cherry which is no bad thing. Sounds better on the headphones. Nice to hear a rap album that isn’t full of misogynistic nonsense. 3.5
Some good old school rap. The OG Female MC. She walked, so that Ice Spice could twerk...
Great upbeat hiphop
def can see how this album was influential
Quite enjoyed this one but it doesn’t really stick in my mind save for ladies first, no disrespect to her queen. I just enjoy some of her native tongues compatriots more.
Fun album! Very distinct late-80s hip-hop. Latifah has a good flow. My only issue is a I think some of the tracks just go on a little too long. Highlights are Latifah's Law and Ladies First.
I don't claim to be any kind of rap connoisseur, but this is good stuff. Queen Latifah has amazing flow over very strong backing tracks, and her special guests also bring the fire. I love the way she brings a wide variety of world rhythms to her music ("She rhyme American, she rap Jamaican" feels very true). My favorites are "Princess of the Posse" and "Ladies First", but there's not a single dead spot on the album. Winner!
Ah man, just great. Great production, tight delivery. I can see how Queen Latifah became who she became. Standout tracks: Wrath of my Madness, The Pros, Ladies First
Uma coisa que aprendi com essa lista é que odeio Rap dos anos 80 e 90. Então já esperava o pior desse álbum, mas fui pego de surpresa. Esse disco não é tão datado quanto seus contemporâneos, e ele escapa bem das grandes armadilhas, como duração inflada e interlúdios desnecessários e irritantes. Ao todo, achei o estilo de produção desse disco bem atemporal, até. Os samples são deliciosamente colocados, e o álbum possui uma pegada forte de House que me agradou bastante. Os raps de Latifah são fantásticos também. O álbum possui algumas features mas nem tantas assim, então a escuta aqui é bem balanceada. Uma faixa ou outra poderia ter sido cortada, para encurtar o disco, mas nada demais. Gostei, me deu esperança a respeito do gênero. 4/5
Muy buen disco. Machistamente por mi parte me habré escuchado todo de De La y de Tribe y algo de los Jungle Brothers pero nunca le di a la colega, con lo mucho que me mola el rollo Native Tongues. Muy buenos temas, muy buenas bases, algo de hip house que me entró guay también. Me cayó muy bien Queen Latifah. Seguiré escuchando pero me da la sensación de que este disco está infravalorado y podría estar a la altura de alguno de los mejores de Tribe o De La.
8/10
The first time that I sat and listened. aa Great album. I was expected a lot more production, byt this was perfect. It isn't something I'd normally listen, until now.
It's great to see this on the list, Queen Latifah was probably the most visible force for feminist afrocentrism in pop culture at the time this album came out. Great album.
Overall I dug the sounds, flow, and female vocals. I struggle with the culture of hip hop where them being the greatest ever is the subject of each song. I start getting bored with that subject matter.
This is rad. Queen Latifah is a gem. I think its safe to say that female rappers are often understated in popular music and culture. Which is a shame, because her rhymes and beats are just as visceral as any of her contemporaries. Songs about justice, race, social issues, feminism. This is kind of everything you want out of a rap album. And sure, late 80s / early 90s rap can sometimes sound a bit cheesy, but this could go toe to toe with Biggie and Tupac. Certainly better than Diddy. I had a blast with this!
Way better than the reviews on this website made me expect. I really enjoy the beats and the rapping is very good, even if she won’t shut up about how good of a rapper she is. I do think it fizzles out a bit towards the end and Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children is extremely annoying. This album definitely isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely very enjoyable. 4/5
Great hip hop! i just didn't enjoy some of the sfx
Always a Queen! And if nothing else, I know how to spell Latifah!
She’s a queen for a reason.
It's hard enough for women to get a fair shake against the systemic sexism of the music industry, and hip hop was a particularly unfriendly genre for female artists. And there are plenty of big acts from the Golden Age of Hip Hop that effectively disappeared. Fortunately, Queen Latifah is not one of them. Rapper, singer, actor; she's a major talent with a substantial and varied body of work under her belt. The record store I worked at in the late 80s,/early 90s, Scratches in Newtown, championed female artists, and All hail the Queen was an album we kept in stock, as one of the best example of female rappers out there. And with the rise of gangsta rap, this was a rap album you could listen to without feeling like you needed a shower from all the violence and misogyny. Conscious, confident, charismatic and authoritative, this is a terrific album of its vintage. The production and flow are of their time, which took me a listen to settle into again, but once I did, I really enjoyed revisiting this record. 3.5 stars, rounding up in recognition of Queen Latifah's multi-talented career.
Wasn’t sure what to expect from this. I know Queen Latifah is considered one of (if not the) biggest names in rap and considering this is her debut, I can see why. It’s not my kind of music but I found myself bumping along to the beats. Her flow is great, she sounds great, overall a great album.
No kings, but maybe a queen
Great album. It is a landmark, hasn't dated too much, and grew on me after a few listens. Favourite track - The Pros.
Groundbreaking album, missed it back in the day. She's gotten into jazz and soul nowadays too.
tönt blöd aber e frauestimm z ghöre mit so oldschoolbeat isch am ahfang recht ungwohnt hahaha mama gave birtth to the soul children slappttt au wenn de schluss mitem baber chli z lang gange isch ahh de la soul! wrath of my madness gaht dummm, liebs oh es lied für de luca! ladies first isch ja sochli ihre song, finden scho cool, v.a. natürlich textlich, aber d blöser hani so naja gfunde princess of the possee findi iwie so cool hahah suscht nöd umbedingt mis ding aber es slappt iwie eifach SIE ISCH 19I GSI??? wnl es het eifach guet ahgfange und s hetmer immeeeer besser gfalle. VIA
Really groovy and uplifting oldschool hiphop. The rhythm gets the body goin'! Thoroughly enjoyed. 🤗
I forgot how much fun the music from this era was. Good beat, synthetic sounds, good for up-beat background music at work (with headphones!)
Truth time: I have had a crush on Latifah since 1989. Ever since I saw the Ladies First video somewhere I was smitten. What I think was part of it was the carried such strength and confidence in everything from her presence to music. In her book “God Save the Queens” hip hop writer Kathy Iandoli referred to as the Nubian Queen stage. Admittedly some of this album feels dated. However, most of this album still slaps hard and is relevant. Slower tracks like Inside Out contrast with uptempo tracks like Dance With Me. I loved how he integrated in African-Island traditions like on Wrath of My Madness, and jazz like on Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Child. But my two favorites were Latifah’s Law and, of course, Ladies First. And even though I know I don’t fit her amorous demographic, I will still bow down to this Queen anytime!
Random thoughts: * This was way more enjoyable that I expected. * I thought only the hits would appeal to me but the album as a whole totally flowed great. * There were some great tracks with great messages of women empowerment. * The lack of profanity actually helped this one out a lot in my opinion. And there were no dumb skits that broke the flow. * I'm down with this MC, microphone commander!
Handful of songs that really really liked and will listen to again but a couple that I wasn’t crazy about. Pretty long album as well.
It’s cheesy, but I dig the house party vibes. Socially conscious hip-hop is good and all, but I always love it most when it’s just someone gassing themselves up. Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children is terrifying, though. A genuinely haunted song.
Listened while on my vibration plate this morning, and the beat did make time go... Good dance beats. Rap isn't my fave genre by any means, but I love that Latifah opened doors for so many women artists....and she was so young. 19? Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Come into My House, Evil That Men Do, Princess of the Posse, Latifah's Law, Ladies First ⭐⭐⭐: Would love a half star option..
'This ain't the best you've ever / Hear coming from a female MC.' Right she is, since the best female emceeing shines from Lauryn or Missy, objectively, but w/ Roxanne and Lyte, Latifah effectively started the whole thing: Salt-N-Pepa is an ancienter form, something like the Whodini of female hip-hop. In many ways, Dana is the most original of the three. Mostly rhyming about dope rhyming - dopely I grant - she's also backed by superior production, supported by Native-Tongue features (De La, Monie Love), and has an ear for a compelling alloy of genres. As she puts it: 'Hip-hop house, hip-hop jazz, w/ a little pizazz.' I concede that after an hour, the old-school sound is no longer as exciting as it is dated, but this is a classic with a capital C.
This grooves. I had no idea Queen Latifah was truly royalty.
Everyone should put respect on Queen Latifah's name. Excellent flow, and she was a super important part of The Native Tongues collective with Tribe and De La Soul. Ive always much preferred this kind of alt hip hop as opposed to gangsta rap, and Queen Latifahs a pioneer of it. Great album, the songs that go for the kinda House sound are dated, but tracks like Dance For Me and Latifah's Law go hard
It's a fun album. Sure time has changed, but considering this is her debut album and the 80s was such a creative and funky time, I enjoyed it! Definitely pushed me through a migraine. My exposure to Queen Latifah started with movies and then onto musical movies, so this wasn't a shocker to me to hear her rap. I wouldn't mind diving deeper into her music.
This was a pretty trailblazing album for women in hip hop (and the genre in general I guess), but it's not perfect, and the beats and production are a bit dated. Lots of really great songs though (Dance for Me, Come into my House, Latifah's Law, Ladies First, Evil That Men Do), and she is a very skilled rapper. The house beats are very danceable, even though they are quite "of the time" and a bit repetitive. The baby voice on "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" is unforgivable though, she loses a full star for that.
7/10… hip hop / hip house
I wasn't familiar with her music. And assumed it would be quite poppy (maybe her later stuff is?) This was hard-hitting "new school"-style hip hop (with rapping (etc) over stripped -back beats). Which I quite enjoyed.
This was kind of a vibe. Fun instrumentation!
this was fun!! pretty cool beats and interesting melodies throughout. low 4
Very cool to go back and listen to Queen Latifa when she was first starting. I’m guessing this has to be one of the earliest female rap albums. I remember Salt N Pepa coming out around that time and MC Lyte, but I wonder if this was first female fronted one. I enjoyed this record; her style was interesting to me as it wasn’t always linear, Queen of Royal Badness is a good example of this. Dance For Me was a strong opener, one of the best tunes on this album. Ladies First was another good one, especially the interplay between her and Monie Love. A great blast from the past.
Dated in some spots but ahead of its time in other. The Pros is a particularly forward feeling track.
i will be honest, if i can dance to an album it's gonna be a high 4 to 5. i heard so many sounds on this album that i already love from the late 80s / 90s (they got house on here?!?! yippee!!), and queen latifahs evident skill as a rapper was the icing on top. was not expecting to dig this as much as i did, but it had all the makings of a great album for this user. highlights - dance for me, wrath of my madness, evil that men do, and the REMIXES OH MY GOD!!! great stuff!!!
All Hail the Queen, indeed. The beats and the lyrics slam HARD. The sampling does feel slightly dated, but even so, it works. "Come Into My House"... the sampling got a little tiresome. But otherwise, I really dug the rest of the album. Top tracks: "Ladies First," "Princess of the Possee," "Evil That Men Do," "Queen of Royal Badness"
Cool grooves, great flow. I feel like I should give an extra star just for the fact that she was pioneering. On the flip side, I want to take back a star for Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children. What the heck was that?? Some repetitiveness across the tracks, but it's definitely an excellent rap album. I also like the positivity in the lyrics and she's one of the best female rappers of all time, so I'll go with the 4. Favorite tracks: Dance for Me, Come Into My House, Latifah's Law, Ladies First, Evil That Men Do.
Hot golden-era raps with an all-star cast of producers and rappers surrounding Mark the 45 King. Incredibly mature for a 19 year old. Dance For Me has that great unswerving rapping reminiscent of Kool Keith. Come Into My House feels a bit weak for a hip house track but it does go BEEEOOOW a lot which is important. The Pros has a great almost industrial dub riddim. The 45 King shows a surprising talent in his duet on A King and a Queen. Rest of the album is tight. Peak '89.
Queen Latifah? The actress from the 2004 major motion picture Taxi?
The queen sounds very much of her generation here, for better (the wild genre-bending sampling across the production) and worse (sorry but I laughed out loud at the line asking why we give quarters to video games but not to homeless people). Let's split the difference: a great document of where rap was in 1989 and where some smart people wanted to take it further.
lots of diverse samples and styles here. some reggae, afro beat, and old soul samples throughout. still has some of that 80's rap sound.
A Queen Latifah album is like a good bottle of wine – you have to slowly sip a glass or two and learn to appreciate it. If you try to binge-drink the whole bottle, you’ll end up with a hangover and miss the point entirely. Sure, this album sounds VERY old-school – the production is so minimalistic that it’s basically just a background beat, and it can be repetitive at times. The beat is old school even for 1989, it could almost be an album from the mid-80s. But this is largely compensated by the natural, charismatic flow of Queen Latifah, whose obvious enthusiasm and presence make for a very solid offering - in addition to finally giving a voice to women in the world of hip hop. All in all a great album. It think it aged surprisingly well – even now that we have a plethora of good female MCs, the Queen is still one of the best.
I didn't know she was a singer, I swear. I knew her from the movies. Very well done, like practically everything she does. 4 stars.
very very good
Slay, Queen!
I liked this album. Queen Latifah has some nice flow to her rapping and the beats were good. My main issue with some of the songs were the weird intros and outros, which kinda ruined some of the songs. But overall it was enjoyable. 3.5/5 Favorite song: Queen of Royal Badness Worst song: Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children
A pivotal album in hip-hop. De la Soul introduced me to Queen Latifah and obviously they feature on this album. The production is similar in style and i love but Latifah’s flow is still the standout here. Ladies first is just a classic and always good to hear some Monie Love.
Interesting
and the queen stays queen
The reviews complaining about Queen Latifah referring to herself and her greatness are a bit of shame. That style of rapping comes from hiphop's origins and the mic battles that developed the idea of MCs. It's like complaining that old blues and rock and roll records use the same 12 bar chord progression too much. Maybe I'm showing my age by how much I like the production but again why dismiss old hip-hop/electronic music? Sixties rock and pop doesn't get the same treatment.
Very pleasantly surprised. 1989! I reckon she was a pionneer in female rap and I recognize her flow's style in later British rap artists.
Incredible production and Queen Latifah killed it with her bars.
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
Dance for Me when you listen to this album. The Pros know this album is a good one.
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!
I suppose that's why she's the queen
this was so much fun!
This was actually pretty good. I know she was friends with Tribe so it makes sense that her style and flow are somewhat similar. Not sure how many female hip hop artists were around at the time but she had to have been one of the best.
... 1989...? Time gets away from you. Never heard this one all the way through. If Latifah had any amount of editorial control over her debut, do you think it's safe to say that she likes to dance? Yeah, it's rap. Yeah, it's definitely in the R&B stacks. But really, this is a dance album. It's good fun, and I have a quibble. Latifah is good on the mic, for sure, but some of the best verses aren't served by her, rather her guests. I had high hopes for Ladies First, but this anthem of empowerment is about a deep as a puddle, and other places the lyrical message is about a subtle as a brick. Am I expecting too much from Queen Latifah's debut? Probably.
Strong hip hop sounds very of its time. Good wholesome lyrics.
I’d never heard this album and forgot what a force of nature she was!
Pretty good fist is my favorite so far
Respect for Queen Latifah 3.5 stars
Pretty good. This was a pleasant surprise.
This was great! And honestly if we’d flipped these 2 albums I’d have been happier. But both were great, so ultimately it doesn’t matter. Of course nothing matters, but Queen Latifah is great so that’s good.
This album is full of ~flavour~
I thought this was really good. I'm always happy to see women in underrepresented genres and Queen Latifah is a legend.
Damn she was young here! hehe kinda like this older type of rap / hip hop. What ever you call it. Princess of the Posse is good. I like that Jamaican sound. I really liked this album. 4 stars.
classic latifah , album has aged fairly well considering
Yeah, it's dated, but a mainstream female rapper in 1989? Points for changing the game and paving the way.
## In-Depth Review of *All Hail the Queen* by Queen Latifah Queen Latifah's debut album, *All Hail the Queen*, released in 1989, stands as a seminal work in hip-hop history. It not only marked her entry into the male-dominated rap scene but also established her as a powerful voice for women and a champion of social issues. This review delves into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and its lasting influence, while also assessing its pros and cons. ### Lyrics The lyrical content of *All Hail the Queen* is diverse, blending personal empowerment with social commentary. Queen Latifah's verses often reflect her experiences as a Black woman navigating a challenging landscape. - **Empowerment and Feminism**: The track "Ladies First," featuring Monie Love, is a notable anthem of female empowerment. It celebrates women's strength and contributions to hip-hop, challenging the notion that women are secondary in the genre. Latifah's confident delivery and Love's dynamic flow create a powerful message: “Ladies first, ladies first,” which became a rallying cry for female artists. - **Social Commentary**: Songs like "Evil That Men Do" tackle serious issues such as violence and inequality. The collaboration with KRS-One adds weight to the discussion, making it clear that Latifah is not just rapping for entertainment but also to provoke thought and inspire change. - **Personal Narratives**: Tracks like "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" reflect on heritage and identity, showcasing her lyrical versatility. The storytelling aspect of her lyrics invites listeners into her world, making her experiences relatable. ### Music and Production Musically, *All Hail the Queen* is a rich tapestry of sounds that blends hip-hop with elements of jazz, reggae, and house music. - **Production Team**: The album features production primarily by DJ Mark the 45 King, whose beats are characterized by their rhythmic complexity and catchy hooks. His work on tracks like "Wrath of My Madness" showcases his ability to create engaging soundscapes that complement Latifah's vocal prowess. - **Genre Fusion**: The incorporation of various genres is evident in songs like "Come Into My House," which embraces house music influences. This genre-blending approach was innovative for its time and paved the way for future artists to experiment beyond traditional hip-hop boundaries. - **Instrumentation**: The use of live instrumentation alongside samples gives the album a vibrant feel. For example, the saxophone in "Ladies First" adds an unexpected layer that enhances its appeal. ### Themes *All Hail the Queen* addresses several themes that resonate deeply with listeners: - **Empowerment**: Central to the album is the theme of empowerment—both personal and collective. Latifah positions herself as a leader among women in hip-hop, encouraging them to assert their place in a genre often dominated by male voices. - **Identity and Heritage**: The exploration of identity is prevalent throughout the album. Latifah reflects on her roots and the cultural significance of her experiences as a Black woman in America. - **Social Justice**: Many tracks confront societal issues such as violence against women and racial inequality. Latifah’s willingness to address these topics head-on distinguishes her from many of her contemporaries. ### Influence The impact of *All Hail the Queen* extends far beyond its initial release: - **Trailblazer for Women in Hip-Hop**: Latifah’s success opened doors for future generations of female rappers. Artists like Missy Elliott and Nicki Minaj have cited her as an influence, acknowledging how she reshaped perceptions of women in rap. - **Cultural Significance**: The album’s themes continue to resonate today as discussions around gender equality and representation in music remain relevant. Its messages have inspired countless artists to embrace their identities and advocate for social change through their art. - **Legacy**: Over three decades later, *All Hail the Queen* is celebrated not just as a classic hip-hop album but as an important cultural artifact that reflects the struggles and triumphs of women in music. ### Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Innovative Sound**: The blending of genres creates a unique listening experience that stands out in hip-hop history. - **Strong Lyrical Content**: Empowering messages coupled with social commentary make for thought-provoking lyrics that engage listeners on multiple levels. - **Cultural Impact**: The album has had a lasting influence on both hip-hop and broader discussions about gender equality in music. #### Cons - **Production Variability**: While many tracks are well-produced, some may feel dated compared to contemporary standards or lack the polish found in later works. - **Filler Tracks**: A few songs may be perceived as filler or less impactful compared to standout tracks like "Ladies First" or "Evil That Men Do." - **Limited Vocal Range Displayed**: Although Latifah showcases her singing ability on certain tracks, some critics argue that she could have explored this aspect more extensively throughout the album. ### Conclusion *All Hail the Queen* by Queen Latifah remains a landmark album that transcends its era. With its powerful lyrics, innovative production, and significant themes, it not only solidified Latifah's place in hip-hop history but also paved the way for future artists. Despite some criticisms regarding production quality and occasional filler tracks, its strengths far outweigh any shortcomings. As both a musical achievement and a cultural statement, *All Hail the Queen* continues to inspire new generations of artists and listeners alike.
Gute Vibes, aber ein paar Lieder weiter geklickt
so fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! made me very nostalgic for some reason
Naming yourself "Queen" is bold but, if you then drop a banger of a debut album like this, I can let it slide. Great Listen!
i was pleasantly surprised by this one. of course, i kind of forgot that queen latifah started off as a rapper but her flow is pretty decent and the beats here are super fun. it's not anything high brow or mind blowing, but it's extremely listenable. the highlight here for me was 'mama gave birth to the soul children' which features de la soul and is a killer track. but there's nothing here that's truly bad. it's pretty fun and a solid album.
in a better world, one in which the work of female artists in hip hop was allowed the longevity and staying power it truly deserves, we'd be talking about Queen Latifah's debut album in the same breath as records like 3 Feet High and Rising. I don't just bring De La Soul up due to their inclusion on track 2 here (although that's a fantastic song!); 3 Feet High and All Hail the Queen are both emblematic of the ways in which rap music, and particularly rap albums, were evolving as the nineties were about to begin. I'm thinking especially of sample selection, conceptual focus, and most importantly, the expansion of subject matter! this is often cited as one of hip hop's first major feminist statements, and for good reason. I can think of times where I've heard female rappers attempt to prove that they can rap "as good as" their male counterparts, but Queen Latifah's perspective is much different. she isn't concerned with reaching parity with men, especially considering the evil they do (an evil she speaks about over a KRS-One beat on side B)! Latifah opens the album with a verse about how she might not be the best female MC you've ever heard, but MC stands for "Microphone Commando", and she'll command your attention anyway. she'll make you dance for her, a task made easier by some excellent beats from DJ Mark The 45 King! I love how rap songs from this era will sometimes have an instrumental break with a sample in one key, a section for the verses with a sample in a second key, and sometimes a hook that's in a third key! the subtle ways hip hop production breaks away from traditional tonality are not lost on me. the album's most iconic track, "Ladies First", is an ode to female solidarity, a message which I think has been somewhat lost in the modern rap landscape. since i started following hip hop in the 2010s, its culture's inherent misogyny has seemed to only allow for one, maybe two big female rappers to exist at one time. although, maybe with artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii, CupcakKe and many others finding their way into a bigger pond this decade, that might be starting to change! decent 7/10.
The beat is super funky and the bars are tight, but the kids talking on "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" are a little creepy. "Come Into My House" is dope. "Wrath of my Madness" has a sweet beat and cool vocal sections. "Princess of the Posse" also has awesome sections. Her flow on this song sounds a lot like Phife Dawg. The album is great. It is little single-tone and at times the songs blend together. I wasn't super dialed into the lyrics but it's clear she has a lot of thoughtful bars about her negative experiences. 8/10
'Ladies First' is one of the best and most important hip-hop songs in the genre's history. It's the only song I knew of this album before this listen, a hip-hop feminist anthem backed by a crunchy bass and even chunkier drum beat. I love Queen Latifah but it's always been Monie Love's flow here that won me over. But it's really the back-and-forth between the two Emcees that's the hook here. Unsurprisingly, the rest of this thing is quite strong. It perfectly balances Afrocentricity and social consciousness (especially on 'Evil that Men Do') while still maintaining a strong braggadocious edge. Like Chuck D, Queen Latifah has a strong, authoritative voice, and a super enjoyable, expressive delivery style. The beats aren't all that unique, but there are some standouts - I really like the production on 'Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children'. The house direction of 'Come into My House' was enjoyable...a genuine banger with that one. The reggae tone of a song like 'The Pros' was another standout moment, I like that strange synth sample on the hook. I enjoy the ragga hooks whenever they crop up in general, my favorite being on 'Wrath of My Madness'. Solid '80s hip-hop, any fan of this style will find something to enjoy here.
I apologize Queen Latifah, I wasn’t familiar with your game. Thoughtful, well-produced, full of charecter. “Come Into My House” is the highlight for me
Ace, a few very good tracks that I will re-listen to. A high quality album.
Nice
I don't know what I thought Queen Latifah sounded like but it wasn't this. This is cool. It's like a 3.5, more something pleasant to have on than something I'll come back to. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
What a stunning album to be recommended on the 6th of November 2024. It's inanity and honesty heart breaking that women have been signing about and fighting for the same issues of rights and bodily autonomy for so long, and I just despise the men in power. Why can't we grow? Why can't we push forwards?? Why are we stuck in stasis as a society? Anyway, this album is spectacular. Favourite track: Ladies First.
LP
Super not for me but I totally get it.
Surprisingly good one.
I guess I slept on the queen, this is really good. Nice production, interesting flow, pleasant tone, positive lyrics. It’s just missing a killer hit that sticks in my head to push it to top marks.
really solid late 80s rap
Yes. This is an album of its time. But, this is a very, very solid debut. She's comfortable with several styles of flow and more than a few styles of beats. With this one album she planted her flag and proved she belonged with all the other rappers that were already popular. Female or male
makes u wanna bust a motherfuckin move highlights: dance for me, ladies first, the evil that men do, inside out (feb 18 2026)
I bloody love the Daisy Age ecosystem at play here. The stories from different artists intertwine and overlap. Mama Gave Birth holds it all together with the cartoon character plot. There's a great back and forth rhythm. Impossible not listen without swaying to the beats.
this girl got flow.
Comin’ with that Boom-Bap sound, back in the tail end days of positivity in hip hop. It isn’t the hardest hitting record ever to come down, but it’s eclectic, energetic, spirited, and fun. It’s a bit of a time capsule, but even if the rest of the world has moved on from this sound, it’s a worthy representative of the joy of the old days.
I only know her from shite movies so imagine my surprise to find this is good
i had fun
For an old school hip hop album this bangs. I probably won’t pick it up very often if ever, but pretty amazing given its context in musical history.
Favourite songs: Ladies First, Queen of Royal Badness, Latifah's Law, Evil That Men Do, Wrath of My Madness, Come Into My House, Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children Least favourite songs: Inside Out 4/5
OK, I get why this should be on the list - No other album represents women in rap in this period (80s-90s) as well. Love the Queen - That doesnt make it a great 5 star album, though. It loses a star for a little less than half of the album being filler tracks and some lackluster production. 4/5
Hip hop worked on me this time, I think becuse of her voice
Solid album. Even though 80's rap can sound dated with some of the drum sounds, I prefer this to the over saturated rap we have today. Not something I'll revisit but I enjoyed listening.
The down-votes of this record as “dated” are unhinged. Don’t trust these people to tell you the color of the sky. This record is an artifact of a time and sound, and it’s a brilliant one at that.
I'll take my Queen over Dolly all day long. Still fresh today.
why does queen latifah go fucking hard that's a solid 4
Fresh!
Latifah jumps a bunch of contemporaneous styles and influences like nobody's business and pulls them all off effortlessly with the appropriate help of some very appropriate feature guests.
Solid 4, some of the beats were really cool and the arrangements were interesting enough to keep me listening
Love the beats and the little things throughout the album. She’s cool
Assertive and energetic, with a positive vibe. Although it's true that the album gets a little redundant in terms of style, it was really enjoyable to listen to. After having to sit through NWA the day before, this was so refreshing. Fave Songs: Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Ladies First, Latifah's Law, Evil That Men Do, Princess of the Posse, Dance for Me
Activist queen!
This seems to be the album where Queen Latifah seized the throne. Rap still isn’t going to be ideal for me, but it’s good to get some different rap like this in the mix!
3.75
Funky, jazzy, and just a ton of fun. Some of the samples remind me of 80s electro and it's just goofy enough to be so enjoyable.
queen indeed
4.5
This was a fun album - forthright feminist lyrical flows over a heavy cocktail of funk, disco and hip-hop. I liked it!
Better than I excepted.
Awesome classic hip-hop sounds. I love how warm the overall mix is, it really shows up her voice.
The only other Queen Latifah music I've listened to before this is "When you're good to Mama" from Chicago (My favourite song from my favourite musical!) I'm voting this album up higher than I would if I only based my scores on the actual music (I can't seperate other personal factors when rating the albums - I'm just rolling with it) So - the music is fine, not amazing, and in my opinion not the best example of female rap artists from the late 80s (I ask again WHY oh WHY isn't Salt n Pepa on the 1001 list?? Its a travesty) but the reason I am adding an extra 2 stars is because there are NOT ENOUGH WOMEN REPRESENTED IN THIS LIST, the music industry is already so biased against female artists and this list seems even more so! Hats off to Queen Latifah for making her mark on the entertainment industry and generally kicking arse as a powerful female voice. Not even just as a female voice but one who spans other Intersectionalities too - yassss Queen!
No es mi estilo pero es muy clásico y si vale la pena
Slay. 4
All hail the Queen
Pretty darned good!
A little dated now - rap style changes fast. But she’s definitely the queen.
A good album, not the usual style listen to and I can be really hit and miss with rap music but I really enjoyed it. I liked Come Into My House, The Pros and my favourite was Princess of the Posse.
I love to see that Latifah was active in 1989, and certainly kicking ass. This album is exactly the vibe of late 80's early 90's Hip Hop. She captured that moment and had some really great raps while doing it. I kept Dance for Me and Wrath of My Madness but I also really enjoyed Latifah's Law and Evil that Men Do. Long Live Latifah!
3.7
Awesome - love Queen Latifah now!!
I’m old enough to remember that Queen Latifa was a legit rapper before she become an accomplished actress. This is a solid album.
Holy shit, what a discovery! Great production! Excellent samples, really cool energy. I didn’t know what to expect out of Latifah’s music, but this is one of my favorite surprises so far! 4/5
Early works by Queen Latifah....catchy and upbeat. I prefer later music and her acting career! Fun to watch the videos from the 90's.
great fun. lovely slice of early hip hop i hadn't heard before
Queen Latifa - All Hall The Queen Debut album for Latifa. Ladies First is the feminist song that was needed at the time and is still one of her signature songs. These early hip hop albums are always interesting to listen to as the beats samples are minimalistic and give more focus on the verses. The MC are the focus while the beats/music take a back seat. Latifa was one of the first female solo artists and she opened the door for women in hip hop. 4/5
What an absolute legend and trailblazer! Really enjoyed this album, QL is indeed a Queen!
Rap/ disco , eller rnb er ikke helt sikker sykt Nice hører at d er sent 80tallet
Not much to say other than this is the golden era of hip-hop/rap when profundities and intelligent rhymes were given precedence over profanity and the glorification of crime. If this is a hot take, this reviewer does not care. Rap music used to be so much more diverse in its intellect, messaging, and music. The modern mainstream of 2020's amplifies the importance and critical excellence of rap's golden era, and makes that generation as they get older, significant treasures. This album hits all of the bases of that golden era, unapologetically supportive of its positions, light-hearted and fun where it was intended to be, but more importantly accessible to anyone that cares, not dares, to listen.
Liked it a lot. My fave kind of 90s rap/dance combo. Love Come into my House.
I actually enjoyed this album. I have never heard it before, however the beats and lyrics were much better than I expected.
Hip Hop?! Wer es mag, dann ist das wirklich gut.
Really freaking good. never really got into her before but this bangs
Excellent stuff, well delivered
My first experience with Queen Latifah was watching "Bringing Down the House" as a child. Didn't know she was a well-known rapper until much later, and hadn't really checked her out even then. The beats are a little stale, but Latifah genuinely hits on this one. Her flows are solid, she mixes stuff up, and the whole thing has good pacing. Solid overall. Favorite tracks: "Come Into My House", "A King and Queen Creation"
Not my typical genre but a fun listen, well crafted tunes. Knew Latifah had this pedigree but never sat through a whole album of hers.
Tulee vähän Will Smith mieleen biiteistä ja ehkä räppäämisestäkin vähän. On kuitenkin hyvät biitit ja letkeetä hiphoppia. Alkupää levystä parempi
I had a thought about 3 in the morning last night, and had to go check my history because it was scratching my brain so badly. I have had 85 albums generated so far, not including the John Zorn album I couldn’t find anywhere, and generously, only 10 of them have been female lead. I say generously, because I’m including The xx, My Bloody Valentine and The Velvet Underground for having female members who sung at least one song on their respective albums. Not including those it’s down to seven. All Hail The Queen’s thesis is essentially to prove that women can do this shit just as well as men do, and in that respect it succeeds spectacularly. The beat work is fantastic, and Queen Latifah comes across as this commanding presence on the mic. She flows with the best of them, her rhymes are tight, she’s damn charismatic. And she does it all while giving props to other women and other women of colour, doing her best to create a space for more female POC voices within a very male dominated field. Despite this, I’ve had a casual look at the rest of the list, and I don’t remember seeing much more female driven Hip-Hop, which I think is a shame. The issue that many other top rated reviews seem to espouse is that Latifah has one topic, how great she is, and she sticks exclusively to that throughout the album. To which I say, have you listened to any other Golden Age Hip-Hop? That’s exactly what Run-DMC did, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about it. And like 50% of all rap is boasting anyway. It’s such a stupid thing to get mad at. And, for it being her one topic, Latifah approaches it in a variety of different ways, which helps to keep the album interesting
Queen Latifah! ooo I love De La Soul this is very old fashioned hahah The little baby voices on the second song are so creepy and robotic Enjoying this alot more than i thought i would based on reviews, its repetitive but not as much as i assumed I listened to the whole thing and really enjoyed it! The house music was cool and I would definitely listen to more from this time, this does seem like a debut album.
not bad
Bit samey, but that same was good.
A true pioneer, with an all star crew of beatmakers behind her.
Gets a liiiiitle repetitive but otherwise I Stan a queen (the queen!)
as she said in her own words “it’s a new thing i’m doing hip hop house jazz and pizazz”
Als in Nederland over de grote hiphop-namen wordt gesproken, worden vooral de mannen aangehaald. Toch mag Queen niet in het lijstjes ontbreken. Het is dan ook weer heerlijk sample-spotten. Dit album is redelijk gevarieerd. Nummers benaderen soms het rauwe Public Enemy en soms het meer soulvolle Jungle Brothers. Al hoor je de hele plaat wel de jaren ’80 handtekening. In vergelijking met haar mannelijke collega’s weet ze veel beter haar boodschap over te brengen. Omdat ze te verstaan blijft, ook als de teksten wat complexer en sneller worden. En omdat ze haar (feministische) boodschap niet door de strot duwt, zodat ook mensen met andere ideeën blijven luisteren. Weinig onnodig gescheld en gevloek, en vooral de muziek die boven de boodschap wordt gesteld. Ook mensen die het niet gelijk met haar eens zijn, kunnen dit prima nog eens aanzetten. Ze zal wat dat betreft best een inspiratiebron voor bijvoorbeeld een Beyoncé geweest zijn. 3,5 ster
I’m too young to have been listening when this was fresh, and now it sounds every bit of thirty-something, and I mean that as a compliment. Queen is a hell of a rapper, and the Golden Age sound here before everything became gangsta is very nice indeed. Feminism good beats great raps nothing to dislike. An hour doesn’t feel too long.
Love a debut! Hoping this means Black Reign is also on this list, which has more depth, she had something to say post death of her brother, and charted higher too. These tracks are pretty fun but dont blow me away, most lyrics follow the same general idea of "respect me, I'm legit!" which is fair, a lot of the genre is posturing, but knowing she's capable of more, a little underwhelming? Her flow is great. Cool to hear some De la soul. Ladies First has an awesome sample, gotta be the highlight. Liked the sample of Queen of Royal Badness too. Evil that men do had some substance! The lyrics are hilariously wrong on Inside Out on spotify
I forgot Queen Latifah did this. But it was good! Obviously dated but a lot of the rapping was pretty strong and it covered a lot of ground. Cool beats too.
Solid rap album. Definitely a fun throw back. Great rapping and cool samples- some from the Meters I think? Obviously nice to hear a woman rapping and even just to hear a rap album free of all the violence and stuff we’re so accustomed to. A bit repetitive in theme sometimes but fun beats and great flow
This was very good and honestly doesn’t get a 5 because it suffers from the same problems that other rap albums from this period do. I just don’t think it sonically aged that well. The sampling was really good here and Queen Latifah is a great rapper. Ladies First is obviously a super important song in hip hop. A high 4 but I wouldn’t listen again.
I was stunned by the breadth of hip-hop styles on this one disc. It was also lovely to hear the Daisy Collective - De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Monie Love. I found it poignant that this would be my album a mere week after the passing of The 45 King who played such a pivotal role here. It’s a damn good album, yo.
This is pretty easy to like as one can't much argue with the quality, musically and production-wise. It does feel the slightest bit forced and she sounds so very young, but good on her for being a groundbreaker. Best cut is one with De La boys.
This was the golden age of hip hop. The Queen made a positive contribution to the genre.
This was pretty ground breaking at the time. Queen L sounds like she’s the female equivalent to Chuck E of Public Enemy. A nice blend of samples and live instrumentation, funky rhythms & soul, even a House number. Queen L has a great delivery and the guests provide contrast. A great debut.
I really rate Queen Latifah, but I thought she started in gospel and had no idea she debut'd with a hip-hop album?? Either way I'm impressed!
What a treat!
So I had never heard any of Queen Latifah’s music, dispute knowing that she was an artist before actor and maybe seeing one or two of her music videos. As an actor she is great anytime she pops up in anything. This though was great. Totally my vibe of hip hop.
I didn't have high expectations but this album was pretty impressive. The blend of hip hop, R&B and reggae all fits in the right places and keeps the content interesting. The empowering feminist lyrics are particularly striking for 80s. Appearances by De La Soul, KRS One and Prince Paul were added bonuses.
4+/5
Not a fan of Queen Latifah. But this pretty good. Standouts: Wrath of My Madness, Dance With Me, Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Ladies First, A King and Queen Creation. Princess of the Posse.
Йоу, женский рэпчик! Если мне не изменяет память, она же вообще в принципе одна из первых женщин-рэперов? Anyway, качает будь здоров. И рэгги, и джазик, и фанк, и хаус биты. Всё сразу. Там пока с текстами так... не очень глубоко. Понял, что не нравятся в рэпе тексты от первого лица. Хз почему, такой вот я.
Really good appropriately old fashioned hip hop
All Hail the Queen indeed, what a great album. Not really knowing what to expect Dance for Me really kicked it into Gear and the craziness of Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children makes it my favourite track along with Inside Out.
This was much more tolerable than a lot of hip-hop from the same period. Queen Latifah's flows are a little more complex than a lot of what was going on, and have aged a little better as a result. It also doesn't hurt that her songs aren't drenched in homophobia and machismo. Fave track - "Come Into My House", maybe, or "Ladies First". Also liked the reggae accents of "The Pros"
When I was a kid, I watched an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, where Will works for Queen Latifa. Since then I've never sympathized with her, my monkey brain could not understand that she was an actress playing an awful person on TV, I thought she was like that in real life. Anyway, her album is much better than expected and I'm sure she's a nice person...
8/10 some pretty good stuff here! hard to get over the corny lines, but I still generally liked it
The Soul Children still weird me out.
busy equalising
I loved this. Her energy and attitude are fantastic and the groves are fun. Yes, it's old school rap, so the sampling isn't terribly inventive and her bars aren't all that sophisticated, but whatever. I just dug her whole vibe the way I dig early rock n roll. I had this playing at a BBQ and it worked just great. Maybe not quite 5-star worthy, but an easy 4 for sure.
I found rap I enjoy! All hail!
high energy hip hop. samples ahoy. she was a girl boss before that was a thing. unapologetically black and unapologetically female. solid effort. highlights: “latifa’s law”, “wrath of my madness”, “evil that men do”.
An important figure for early hip hop, Queen Latifah is a skilled artist who can bring a lot of power and emotion to her flow (as objectively "dated" as said flow is on this debut album). So I'm not surprised to see her in this list. Plus, the feminist themes in most of these cuts can't hurt. When I was a teenager, in the early nineties, I was exposed to a lot of rap albums, but not to this one. I suspect misogyny played a part in this. And I'm glad this mistake is corrected now. Lyrically, Latifah's assets lie more in her earnestness and sincerity than in her witticisms (although there are some of them here and there). But it's her strong delivery that sells the whole deal. Her tremulous vocal inflexion on the word "dance" in "Dance For Me", for instance, deserves a whole paragraph by itself. It suggests a rage that's channeled to convey positive energy, oddly enough, and rarely has a single syllable been so moving and effective in a song. Being a queen, Latifah is a commanding presence for her audience. And this is the story this perfect opener tells us. Musically, "All Hail The Queen" has all the earmarks of the late eighties, though. And as a consequence, the line between greatness and clear missteps that don't hold their own today is rather clear in it. The pun in the title of "Come Into My House" is as bad as said House music displayed throughout this overlong track, for example. Likewise, the lengthy "The Pros" and "Princess Of The Possee", are basically bad reggae/ragga. And there's the amorphous "Inside Out", a weird closer with a strangely atonal vocal hook for its chorus... Everything else goes from good to great, fortunately. "Ladies First" (featuring Monie Love) is a nice hit, but it's not even the best of the bunch. Knowing a little about hip hop history, I had certain expectations about how the music from this LP would sound, and I have to say that a lot of those productions by DJ Mark, Prince Paul and others actually *exceeded* my expectations. So I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of the jazzy samples of horn sections are one-of-a-kind, with original flourishes here and there ("Latifah's Law", "A King And Queen Creation"...), and some of the rhythm patterns bring their lot of surprises that make them still sound fresh decades after they were produced (see "Dance With Me", once again). "Wrath Of My Madness" is also pretty good--with a short ragga hook that makes sense this time. But the absolute gem in this LP is found in the middle of the patchier side two. It's "Evil That Men Do", a track produced by KRS One (with a short vocal cameo from him). Sampling are kept to a strict minimum in this one, and most of the power of that awesome cut comes from the addition of Latifah's voice to a drum pattern whose snare is so distorted that it sounds like a far more recent production. Interesting and visionary. 3.5/5 is my overall grade for this LP, but I'm gonna push it to a 4/5 mark. Not sure I'll have enough room in my own list to include this hip hop record clearly indebted to its original time and place. But I would sure be happy if I have said room for it. As another reviewer rightly said here, it's not because something is "dated" that it can't bring interesting perspectives about current issues--and the empowerment of women is still a very current issue indeed! Besides, and even more than this, it's not because something is dated that it can't bring you fresh emotions. What's acceptable for rock should also be acceptable for rap. Number of albums left to review: 525 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 227 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 110 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 139
Put off listening to this, but it’s great. Proper 80s, New York hip hop vibes. Upbeat, nicely produced, and topics that are even more relevant today. Particularly Ladies First - fighting the fight at a time when it was a lot harder to do so than today. Legend. I didnt even realise Queen Latifah was a musician first, always just knew her as an actress. I’m probably just ignorant towards this genre compared to others, but it definitely feels like this gets overlooked in discussions about great hip hop. I’m bought in now though, will return. 4.5
From the era of spinning records to sample music. Rump shaking tunes for sure.
This is good. Queen Latifah. Fantastic rapping over some top tunes, (Queen Latifah) with more jazz than I was anticipating. Queen Latifah. But you're never far away from being reminded who the artist is. It's Queen Latifah. Best song, Ladies First, a duet with Monie Love. And Queen Latifah.
Crazy confidence, style, and presence, especially considering her age at the time. Just solid hip hop.
It's good but not great. In an era where hip hop was leaping forwards, this album feels kind of still. I mean, it still has Ladies First and a whole mess of fun tunes, and Latifah, Love, Shanté and others pushed women forward in hip hop, so this album is capital I Important, it's not an all time musical album.
Dope! Empowerment!!!
queen latifah
Late 80s/early 90s hip hop/rap is surprising one dimensional, but I have strong preference for it vs. anything post 2k. I find it much more groovy and funky.
Old school hip hop from the Queen.