Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Historical significance 5/5. I hear so many other rappers throughout this album. Truly a museum-piece. It hurts my heart but I just don't want to listen to this again though. Flows are old, beats are dated. Another case where the music she inspired surpassed her music itself. - Very 80s rap. Vibes don't pass? - Skits :( - This might just be okay unfortunately - My ears are confused. I Feel like this should be Biggie rapping over these beats - sound so similar - Maybe just took some warming up. Couple good ones in a row - That Doechii flow! This album clearly inspired A LOT of later rappers - Historical significance 5/5. Do I want to listen to it again though? Rap has come a long way from this...
Loved this album. Great sounds and attitude.
Repetitive and uninspired. Not the kind of hip hop i love. Imho this is a bad record.
With the feature of De La Soul I definitely hear the similar vibes of that late-80s rap here with the samples and lyrics. Most was a bit repetitive of beats for a bit too long of songs but besides that this was a really solid first album. The samples are still super groovy and the flow of lyrics is pretty great. Nothing to complain but nothing to write home about either.
solid & snappy
This was funnnn. I didn’t know Queen Latifah was bringing it like this. Will be revisiting.
Ok
Not for me. Didnt age well but not terrible
Lowkey commanding.
I enjoyed this one. My favourite era of hip hop and I loved her feminist edge.
It's very fine. Early hip hop is always so wholesome sounding and quaint. Rap is such a young genre that 80s rap gives the same vibes as 50s rock to me, just a very distinct window to a different time. I respect it, and there are a couple songs that really show what a force Queen Latifah was on the mic. It's not going into my rotation, but 3 stars to respect the elders.
It was alright. Perfectly listenable late 80s hip-hop/rnb but I didn't enjoy as much as Jurassic 5 and Solange.
It's a very good hip hop album. I can appreciate it, but I didn't enjoy it.
I like her better as The Equalizer!
I understand the relevance of this album and why it is on the list. There are a few good songs and I really like the guest artists. It is a bit dated, both musically and her delivery, but she is still a great talent. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Not their best. A couple of good ones on here though.
80s hip hop is not my thing.
idk
2.5 stars. Wasn't terrible, wasn't really anything special though. She's talented but album struck me as more impactful when released without having the staying power decades on. Standout is "Ladies First".
Ladies First is an anthem and I really enjoy a few other songs, but not my favorite female rapper of the era (MC Lyte FTW).
YAAAAAAAAS QUEEN 💅
It was fine. I know Queen Latifah, but I really don’t know any of her songs. It had a couple of good samples. It got to be a little long though. She raps well.
Latifah's Law.
non male, meno peggio degli altri boring ass di quel decennio
A lot of "dated" with its negative connotation about this. Like in rock I would rather say classic. Things have sure moved in, but don't believe that lessens this. Was a fun list. 3 Star.
Starts super strong with Dance with me. Funky beat, classic for late 80s--sounds like Pete Rock or Eric B production, though it's not. I'm not a huge fan of the second track. Comes off a little cheesy with the annoying voices. Latifah's Law super solid as is Wrath of My Madness. Ladies First is superlative, and Queen of Badness seriously hot. For a minute, I've been thinking I preferred her album Black Reign as I love the overall sound of the tracks there more, but upon relistening to this album, I'm not so sure. Love the KRS cameo on Evil that Men do. Princess of the Posse not the strongest track, but the album closes out with another banger in Inside Out. Classic album. 5/5
Nope
i felt bad that i only knew her as ellie the mammoth from ice-age but post listening to this i realise that was her best work
Very much of its time
I have a lot of nostalgia for this era of hip hop. It had a greater emphasis on fun than it did for the last 30 years. It’s a little hockey I guess, but what’s wrong with that?
I can’t say j vibed with this one too much
i will never outright disrespect queen latifah, but i have a lot of questions about why "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" came out the way that it did
Big fan of the faster tracks, especially the dance beats. Several of the tracks had as solid of a foundation as almost anything else we've heard so far. I did not care for the slower tracks at all and found myself intentionally doing other things when they came on. Not entirely sure why. Also the sample for Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children was one of the worst I've ever heard. I wasn't able to find where it was from but it sounded like a deep-fried Mortal Kombat Fatality.
Corny at times but fun. The beats carry and I love any time I get a De La Soul feature anywhere.
Beats and bars were good, glad this album was included on this list as a solid and very early entry for women in hip hop
Nah
I can see the appeal and understand why so many people rate this, but it’s just not really my thing. Listening in 2026, it feels very much of its time. “Dance for Me” and “Come Into My House” were the obvious standouts. There’s some solid rapping throughout, but by halfway I started to lose interest. It felt a bit repetitive, and a few tracks came across like filler. Favourite Track: “Come into My House”
gud decent enough, some good tunes, no complaints. good
NFM, but fine. At least I can spell "Latifah" now...
it was okay, some catchy songs overall and decent rapping
Hip hop oldies.
Respect it, don't love it.
Oooh, no thank you
Best Song: Ladies First. Monie Love plays a good counterpoint to Queen Latifah, and the screeching saxophone in the background is a nice tough. Worst Song: Evil that Men Do. Something about the slow delivery and the corny lyrics make this a tough listen. Overall: Overly long and relatively dated. Queen Latifah is obviously hugely influential, but sadly it feels like those that she's influenced have now comfortably exceeded the foundation that she laid.
Pretty good old school hip hop album.
Very funky and good vibes. Enjoyed listening to it!
Good, but not for me
rap als in 'het steekt rap tegen'
As many times as Queen Latifah made sure to tell us she is a queen, I was shocked to find out she is not in fact a Queen. This was more listenable than I expected but it got old after a few tracks.
I don’t think I can say it shouldn’t be on the list but this also just isn’t made for me, and it’s dated so 3/5
Não gostei...
Strong
Fun throwback hip-hop by an iconic individual - my favorite track is “Queen of Royal Badness”
(5/7) maybe this was "cool" when it came out but today it comes across dorky but in a sort of endearing way
Late 80s, some good messages I think.
Interesting
Couldn't wait to finish this . Super dated tinny drum machines and someone wailing on top.
I liked this so much more than I thought I would. Who would’ve thought I’d be nostalgic for late 80s hip hop?
Meh, nie moja bajka
She has a great flow and it’s a fun listen. Beats started to get a little repetitive and dragged for me a bit at the end.
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.
No thanks.
Closer to 3.5
Got to point now of not wasting my time and listening to hip hop (c)rap when it appears regularly on this list. There is nothing that exists from that genre which will prompt me giving it more than 1 star so why bother? Instead spent an interesting 5 minutes reading about the difference and usage of the words Hail and Hale. I recommend you do the same. 0.1/5 7/2/26
I confess that until today I have never heard any music at all from Queen Latifah. At least not that I know of. I know who she is of course, mostly as an actor. I am not a hip hop fan at all so I don't think this will be one that I am particularly going to like... Ok so admittedly I wasn't really paying attention while most of this album played. I didn't hear any of the normal hip hop tropes - misogyny, violence, self-aggrandizing, etc. - but I can't say for sure that those things weren't there. I suspect not. But from what I did hear this was basically the same beat and the same vocal line all they way through. And did I hear some muppets or something in there? I do appreciate all of the feminist issues brought up in this record, that was kind of a nice thing to hear in a genre that, as a rule, thinks it's fun and witty to degrade women. Anyway this is still not my thing but I suppose it wasn't as bad as almost all hip hop albums I've listened to up until now. 2/5
0.6/5 Very hard listen.
In small patches this sounds great. Some of the bars absolutely slap … but it hasn’t aged very well and the whole thing just gets stretched a bit thin. A sample gold mine.
it's albums like this that make me wish i got to experience this era favorite song: the pros
Good OG hip hop. Very fun listen
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!
Slow start, but definitely fuckssss overall! Fun grooves, some meaty rhymes. She flows just like a pro, all hail the queeeeen! Lil dated, but as a Salt n Pepa and TLC fan, it was fun to hear the origin story.
Cool, fun, great production.
When hip hop was to dancing in the club. When emcees were MCs. Lots of tropes, but I’m going to assume many were started or popularized by her.
Not a huge hiphop head, but this album is just a great vibe. Bonus point for seeing a woman on here again.
doesn't really stand the test of time does it...
Can’t believe I’ve never listened to this. So many collab voices I recognize, so good.
I enjoyed listening to this album. For a debut album it was good. It showed promise and made people take notice. As for Queen Latifah, she has a quality that grabs your attention and holds it. I like that she always has something to say and she stands by it and says it with conviction. She's freaking awesome. I'm giving the album three stars because while being an establishing debut, it's a mix of hits and misses.
Loved the beats and flow
Queen Latifah has a great voice and I love her in Chicago, but her music is not my vibe.
3/5. When it's good it's pretty good, but the tracks that are middling make it a bit repetitive. Needs a bit more variety in the sound.
Not for me. I just can't listen to hip hop music
Cool late 80s old school hip-hop from a powerful woman. Better than expected. Occasionally cringe, but a solid counterweight to the misogyny of NWA. Ultimately not quite my tempo. 3 stars. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cooler Old School Hip-Hop der späten 80er Jahre. Die Powerfrau bildet ein wichtiges Gegengewicht zu den frauenfeindlichen Texten von NWA. Besser als erwartet. Stellenweise peinlich, aber insgesamt eine positive Überraschung. Am Ende nicht ganz mein Tempo. 3 Sterne.
Respect to Queen Latifah for being the sole female rapper of the time but I found All Hail the Queen bland and tooooo damn long. 5.6/10
In the 80s, hip hop was a genre that was still very much in its infancy, which is blatantly evident when you listen to much of the music from that era. And this to me feels like pretty average 80s hip hop, it's somewhat fun and does show some genuine talent, but ultimately it does just feel really dated and completely overshadowed by all the far superior hip hop of the coming years.
Invigorating when doing housework
I'm not a big hip hop fan, but I have a soft spot for this kind of 80s upbeat stuff. This album gets pretty repetitive, so I can't give it more than three, but there's the odd song I'd listen to again.
Good hip hop from a female slant
These beats are pretty great, especially funky horns. But I don't really vibe with the old school rapper lyrics.
I forced myself to listen to this crap. Three tracks, different parts each time, and it sounded equally stupid throughout. After that, I didn't feel like wasting any more of my time on it. 1/5
Hip hop has never been my thing. I don't see anything redeeming here. I'm sure someone who understands the music and culture better has better commentary, but I really don't.
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.
I quite liked this early hip hop album, it just has charm that you can really get from hip hop of the time. Backing beats are pretty cool too. I did find it a lil repetitive towards the end however
This album feels like a foundational list album; it lays the groundwork for what comes next in the genre as a solo black rapper. She is certainly a diva, but the core album really doesn't hold up well in this day to be special like a lot of the other rap albums on this list. Good on her for speaking up about women, but that's all this album is.
Altså dette var gøy, aldri hørt på hu før egt, men var funky og morro
Started out with a bang and was loving the old school 80s hip hop - my favourite era of hip hop, I think before it got a so misogynistic - bitch this and ho that. The fact that Queen Latifah was one of the first female rappers added to this. Dance with Me was a banger of an opening track, and this was followed up with a nice track with De La Soul. Latifa's Law and Ladies First I also really enjoyed. But after about a half an hour it was dragging a bit and, bonus tracks included, the album clocked in at just over an hour. A slight disappointment after the great start - 3 out of 5
Borderline cheesy, but fun in that classic hip-hop way. Latifah is a limber, skilled rapper, and the album has a positive, energetic mood. I enjoyed it, though it got a bit repetitive. 3
Love her but turns out I don't love her music.
Alright
Queen Latifah flowing like crazy over boom bap beats. Typical 80s rap. Won’t listen again.
Favorite songs: Dance for Me
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.
Pretty hot or miss album for me. Some songs were excellent and others just reminded me of how corny and aged a lot of rap from this time sounds to me. Favorite Songs: Ladies First, A King and Queen Creation, Queen of Royal Badness Least Favorite Song: Princess of the Possee High 3
Album 7/1001. Listened 1/14/2026. So impressed by a woman rapping with men. Not my favorite genre but some of the songs I’d listen to again. Plus she’s the Queen.
Come into My House - house track. The Pros - dub track. Cool to see a variety of genres within a hip-hop album - makes it very listenable
Album intéressant … même si le côté clinquant est daté et très américain
Vraiment je n’aime pas
12/20 Je ne peux pas dire que j'ai pas aimé, certaines musiques bougent bien, et l'album n'est pas sans saveur, ni chiant Pour autant, je peux pas non plus dire que j'ai aimé. Trop dansant pour moi, et de manière générale, je n'accroche pas à la musique.
3.5
3/5
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
Masterful
Solid album. Very good listen. Love the Queen.
Yasssss Queen, aw hell nah. It's fun for a few songs, but about halfway through I was waiting for it to end.
Some good old school rap. The OG Female MC. She walked, so that Ice Spice could twerk...
Definitely better than I thought but good grief, needs an editor for sure. Should be 35 minutes max. Some good songs but a ton of filler.
batidas ótimas, mas letra…ela só sabe rimar que é a melhor, cadê o ritmo E poesia? até curti a mistura com reggae, mesmo não sendo um dos meus gêneros favoritos, mas que álbum chato…
The same song, over and over again. All samples lead to almost no harmonic interest. Could not hear the flow in this album that I hear from other hip hop albums. Not a fan one bit.
Great upbeat hiphop
those are some great, head bobbing tracks
Some good songs, but overall it falls short of what I was hoping for. 2.5 stars
Some nice oldschool rapping here, but too long, samey and tiring.
meh 80s hip hip
I love this style of rapping. songs kind of blended together but they were still good so idk. 3.5 stars?
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.
This was not as strong an album as I had hoped. I like her flow, and most lyrics, but some songs were mill-like to my ear.
Synes det var litt tynt
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.
It's okey but i don't get why there are 2 Queen Latifah albums. This feels like it was added just because it was her first. She has a historical value for being a pioneer for women in hip hop in the 90s. Fun thing i noticed is that her flow really sound like a female Ice Cube.
It's hip hop, not really my thing but I understand its appeal.
Yes it's groundbreaking and yes, she was 19 and yes, there are some really good beats and hooks on here but all in all, as much as I love Queen Latifah, this is just average.
80s rap is just way too cheesy
sounds like 80s which isnt necessarily good. music like this needs to be carried by the lyrics
3.5
3.5
*All Hail to the Queen* I liked this one well enough some of the tracks reminded me of some of the stuff that I liked actually from the early '90s and this being from the late '80s kind of makes me want to give it a bump. The stuff that sounded more like what I expect from '80s rap I thought was okay but it wasn't the best on the album. I do, however, dig the more socially conscious message of her lyrics over the gangsta lean. My two favorite songs were probably the big singles "Dance For Me" and "Ladies First" which is strange because I actually don't think I've ever heard either of them. I the first three songs "Dance For Me", "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" and "Come into My House" really start the album off on a high note, but it seems to be hit and miss from there on out, with "Ladies First" and "Evil that Men Do" being highlights for me. (7.3) ★★★½
It's okay. I think some of the beats are a bit dated, but still 3 stars
I thought the Queen Latifah album was pretty good. 1989 is definitely a transitional period for hip-hop, so you get a lot of stuff that's more old school in nature along with some more cutting edge stuff. My favorite track was probably the Prince Paul produced "Mama Gave Birth to theSoul Children". Paul was definitely changing the way hip-hop was produced around this time. The DJ Mark the 45 King stuff is decent too. The other producers are probably a little old-school for my tastes. As an MC, I think Queen Latifah is just kind of okay, but I think this album rightfully gets props due to Latifah breaking into what was a very male dominated art-form in 1989 and largely succeeding. Standouts for me are "Dance With Me", "Ladies First", and "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children". 3.5 stars.
3.5
There are a few Queens that I would hail and bow down to. That would be the rock band Queen… Queen of Funk Chaka Khan… my dear lovely tortoiseshell cat Queenie. Not this though. Not this. The quality of this is more like something my dear Queenie cat would leave in her litter tray. Not De La Soul more De La Soiled. Corny raps and rickety botched samples that sound even more dated and terrible nowadays. Fresh Prince albums probably hold up better than this.
Did not think I’d enjoy this as much as I did. Definitely that early hip hop sound.
Glad she made the list. Album was fine. I didn’t listen to a lot of it just dated boring.
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!
Kuuul začetek. ("Dance for Me") (Ful sm vesela, da sm #blessed by the algorithm & zaključujem leto z ženskimi vokali.) Kle gor sm že pri nekem drugem albumu randomly omenila, kok neverjetno amazing je komad od Queen Latifah v Chicagu. Prou najljubši del mi je ta njen delček, tok ga noro odperforma. Kul mi je drugi komad, kjer so featured men tud ljubi De La Soul. ("Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children") Hm, naslednji mi ni tok ljub, k je fakin intense 80s disco beat. ("Come into My House") Ok, naslednji je ful bl prijeten, "Latifah's Law". Tud flow se mi zdi boljši. (In, đizs fakin krajst, samo 19 je bla, k je izdala ta album!) "Ladies First" je hud. Ok, ja. Na enih komadih mi iz nekega razloga zveni rappanje od Latifah awkward? Na kšnih, k recimo na temle, pa sploh ne. Pa Monie Love je amazing. Nekak mix všečnih in manj všečnih komadov.
Can appreciate what she did for the female rap game.
- Rapper e atriz de nova jersey, ajudou a moldar o som da costa leste dos US no final dos anos 80. Ela também experimenta com outros gêneros, como house e reggae. - O flow e presença dela são muito bons, a lírica é um pouco banal as vezes, mas tem profundidade. São músicas dançantes e minimalistas, que falam sobre ancestralidade e o papel da mulher na cultura hip-hop.
I never got into Queen Latifah, though, listening to her debut album, All Hail the Queen, she’s definitely as good as any other rapper from that time. She’s a master at her craft, and she was a trailblazer for women in rap. She was the first huge female rap star. In 1989, when this album debuted, I was more into the extremely raunchy or gangsta rap. The Queen never really made it into my playlist back then. My playlist included 2 Live Crew, N.W.A., Ice T, and Too $hort. Like most rap albums, there were about a dozen producers, but while Queen held down the rapping, the producers made some pretty good beats and grooves for her. That’s one thing that kind of took me out of rap at the time, I was never really a lyric guy, unless they were funny, I was more a riff or melody guy. This album does have some sweet grooves, like her first single Wrath of My Madness and The Pros. This won’t be an album that makes it into my regular playlist, but I understand why it's on the 1,001 List of Albums. It’s the first real breakthrough for women in rap. You should hear it at least once, if for nothing else than to say you heard it. Otherwise, if you’re a fan of old school late 80s and early 90s rap, it’s a solid entry.
Ladies first 💋💋
Still sounds decent!
gets pretty repetitive
I almost exclusively know Queen Latifah as an actress. She sang great in Hairspray but unfortunately her rapping is not for me. Some of these beats are just really annoying. Which, to be fair, is a hallmark of this era of hiphop. But it isn't something I enjoy listening to.
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
Listened Before? N This is a time capsule. Great late-80s/early 90s rap album that wasn't quite as violent and edgy as some of her contemporaries. This makes is more accessible to the average listener - but with the themes of women's and African American empowerment shining through still. Good album. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Ladies First
A great example of this era's hip-hop. I've never really listened to Queen Latifah's music, but she is a good lyricist. I like the opening track "Dance for Me" that set the tone for the rest of the album, and "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children" which was a great collab track with De La Soul
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.
Not as strong as other hip hop albums on the list but impressive for a 19-year-old in 1989. Ladies first is a banger
While researching about the album I learned about the Native Tongues movement. It has artists like De La Soul (who is featured on this album - and I got their debut already), A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, and others. Started in the late 80s, it is Afrocentric and positive stuff. Neat to learn about
Quite liked it
8/10
Great record. Fun, danceable. Very good!
Very 1989 - feels like high school era rap as I remember it. Props for Latifa’s attempt break into genre but overall meh and repetitive. Not something I would reach for but appreciate its place in history. 3/5
Uggh. I like the spirit in which she approaches the project; But that’s not nearly enough. The tracks play like a haphazard assortment of the cliches-du-jour and her lyrics are cringe-inducing. In retrospect, it’s no wonder she ended up making a career out of unmemorable CBS dramas.
I'm excited to explore more hip-hop. This album didn't totally excite me but it was fun. Definitely another one that might be better in a different setting.
First time I have listened to Queen Latifah. I could see this album growing on me over time
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.
Good voice and diction. I like that accent, alhough I can't really tell the difference between her and Salt n Pepa (is that blasphemy? Are they from the same place?). Mama Give Birth is horrific with the creepy fake baby voice. But the rest is bearable.
01) Dance for Me - 6,5 02) Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children - 5,5 03) Come into My House - 6,5 04) Latifah's Law - 5,5 05) Wrath of My Madness - 6,0 06) The Pros - 5,5 07) Ladies First - 6,0 08) A King and Queen Creation - 5,5 09) Queen of Royal Badness - 5,5 10) Evil That Men Do - 5,0 11) Princess of the Posse - 6,0 12) Inside Out - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,75 (58/100) Current ranking: 634/762
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.
All Hail the Queen is a debut album marked by a confidence and musicality that still impress more than 35 years later. The record is soaked in funky, groovy beats rooted in soul and classic boom-bap, with production that feels open, warm, and surprisingly timeless. This is music that lives in the body and not just in the head. Queen Latifah already comes across as an artist with authority, calm, and natural flow. She doesn’t rap to prove anything, but because she has something to say. The lyrics revolve around strength, identity, and community, without the album ever losing its musicality or becoming preachy. Tracks like “Ladies First” stand as both historic statements and still highly listenable songs. What truly makes the album endure today is the combination of attitude and groove. This is Golden Age hip-hop at its most alive: grounded, funky, and self-assured. All Hail the Queen isn’t just an important album but it’s one you still genuinely want to put on. 5/5
p612. 1989. 1.5 stars. Badly dated, repetitive, late 80s rap. On the plus side it's not foul mouthed and has some decent samples, which just make you want to listen to the original track.
Better than Coldplay
garbage
Kinda cool to hear what black music sounded liked after disco and before the G-Funk era. Solid, and fun. Not my typical listening, but enjoyable.
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!
Queen L can definitely rap but the beat tracks are so r-e-p-e-t-i-t-i-v-e and songs start sounding the same. Latifah's Law was a favorite.
081225 12:56 3.5 / highlight: ladies first, inside out
Jazzy Native Tongues beats with a classic old school boom bap basis incorporating lots of reggae funk and soul samples, agile rapping going through verse after boastful verse, and poppy RnB hooks/choruses. One of the best sounding classic hip hop albums of the 80s, this holds up way better than most of its peers.
Inoffensive and lightweight. Some of it is listenable but it’s monotonous and there’s a lot of self referencing. Has some historical significance but didn’t need to be dragged out of 1989.
Very fun!! Great debut and great time!
Wasn’t too bad, just not my cup of tea
Listened to this whilst cleaning the house, and got more pleasure out of the cleaning. Album cover looks like it was made on Microsoft Word.
All of these songs sounded the same, and no matter how many times she tries to tell me she is a “queen” I'm not convinced she has any royal blood.
The queen is dead
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
Very skilled rapper but just not enough variation for me
Don't know much about the genre but quite liked this
Listenable but not my thing.
No thanks
Great hip hop! i just didn't enjoy some of the sfx
Another proper Hip-Hop
Fun beats, and obviously her voice is important in the genre's ouevre, but not really my bag.
I'd never listened to Queen Latifah before. Thumbs up emoji
2+ Stars (6/15)
I prefer her as an actress
Didn't get anything much from this at all.
I liked this, but in a sort of a... it's on the radio on a long drive and I've listened to all my tapes 100 times and will listen to anything different whatever it is kind of way.
I have heard of Queen Latifah but don't really know any of her material. After the first two or three tracks, I didn't really care for this album, but after getting a few more tracks into it, it started to grow on me. At its heart, this seems like dance beats with rapped vocals. It incorporates other genres too though, reggae, jazz, and soul. I doubt I would come back to this, but I can see the appeal and am happy to have heard it once.
Some classic old school beats, not bad flow
Was not bad! I just didn't vibe with it
Always a Queen! And if nothing else, I know how to spell Latifah!
Distinctly derivative despite being supremely influential on hip hop. Queen Latifah will forever be an actress in my lifetime and its hard to ever see her as this bastion of hip hop attitude. Just like LL Cool J the beats are simple and lackluster, the wordplay is tolerable and the messages are true to form. I can't seem to find why this album would be worth listening to in this life. But I won't seek much more than surface level exposure. On to the next one.
Queen Latifah is crazy talented and has an incredible career to back it up. All Hail The Queen isn’t very good but she got her foot in the door and proved it doesn’t have to be a man’s world.
das ist natürlich sehr cool alles aber die Beats hauen mich nicht so um evtl zuwenig im genre wie NWA drin um ganz zu verstehen..? c
Rap, dance, 1989 -> 2
Fun beats. Queen Latifah has a great voice and her flow and rhymes are typical for the day. I'm a sucker for the Afro-centric postive raps of this era. Is it as good as Low End Theory or Three Feet High? Not at all but she was a mainstream star with obvious crossover appeal.
She’s a queen for a reason.
That has not aged well at all. Mama Gave Birth was just out and out annoying, dreadful. Essentially the same approach to every song, I had had enough of her voice by track 4. Nothing to see here deadbeats, move on.
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.
It’s not exactly fair to have to listen to this one on a weekend! I’ve never listened to Queen Latifah before, and to be honest, I knew going in that All Hail the Queen probably wouldn’t be my thing. That said, it was slightly better than I expected. It’s very much a product of its time — classic late ’80s hip hop with that dated sound — but there’s still some charm to it. I wouldn’t listen to it again, though. Favourite track: Dance for Me was okay. Least favourite track: Pretty much everything else. Album artwork: Not one I’d be hanging on the wall at home.
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.
OMG, it's Hip-House! I'd completely forgotten about that late '80s genre that died out just a few years later. It was an odd and funny blend, but unbearable to listen to these days. And then the use of samples is so entirely late '80s/early '90s hip hop I forgot about, too. I don't know why it is on this list though, I mean, I prefer Neneh Cherry when it's been selected to introduce one of the first female rappers among the then dominated male hip hop world. Even a collaboration with De La Soul doesn't save this album, overall it's just dull and hopelessly dated which didn't stand the test of time. The only song worth noting is "The Evil That Men Do" because of its lyrics and KRS-One's involvement, so 1 star for that. 1/5
This couldn’t have sounded more late 80’s into the 90’s. Is it an album that heralds an age of women rappers along side Nenah Cherry and the like? Well, yes! Is it good? Well, I didn’t enjoy it.
There's an album by Queen Latifah called the Dana Owens (her birth name I believe) album. It's an album on which she pays Hommage to jazz, soul and blues. A beautiful album, very well-performed and produced. Need to put that on again, and I'm glad I own a physical CD of it because it's not available on streaming. Anyway. This is not that album. At all. It's a hip-hop/pop affair. Which is grand, but not my cuppa no matter how many albums of that genre are thrown at me by this project.
i dunno its very 90s hiphop (i know hot take). the beats remind me a lot of NWA. Ya really understand what they mean by calling the genre "hip-hop". I feel like this would be really great to sample from, like from "Come into my House". "Ladies First" has an amazing sax riff and absolutely worth a relisten. Also enjoyed the message of "Evil that Men Do", also wish to relisten.
Didn't feel this was anything special.
Tribe but for the ladies
It's pretty aight. Heard lots of proto hip hop like this in my day. Not the best, not the worst.
No kings, but maybe a queen
Fun listen. Was gonna give it a pass for the dated production/flows until I remembered Paul’s Boutique came out the same year. Nice bari sample on Latifah’s Law
Found some things to enjoy but not really my cup of jam
i love the 80s
meh
A sound of its time indeed. Not entirely sure if 80s rap is for me. This has a real juvenile quality (which, contrary to my poor review, I do not mean in a degrading sense) that I wasn't expecting. Quite repetitive and lacking substance. After finding out Latifah was only 19 years old at the time, I do admire the brazen energy in the self-asserting lyricism, but it wasn’t anything memorable.
The Alvin and the Chipmunks track is CRAZY.
not my taste
Meh.
Great album. It is a landmark, hasn't dated too much, and grew on me after a few listens. Favourite track - The Pros.
Hang on, I thought Lauryn Hill was the first mainstream female rapper? This is almost ten years earlier and arguably even more mainstream (sonically). Although nowadays, it's fair to say that the record's sound is heavily dated. The looping, lo-fi, badly mixed (and I mean *badly* mixed) percussion beats. The unnecessarily frequent record scratches (and other assorted DJ sound effects). This is as 1989 as it gets. Once you realise that, it becomes a more fun listen. But holy hell. You cannot possibly get any more repetitive with hip-hop tracks, perhaps with the exception of having a "King Latifah" instead. For example, the chorus of Wrath of My Madness is very strong, but the verses are unbearably boring. (Except... is that a lyric about ramen? Never mind, it's about rhymin'. Just when I thought it was getting interesting.) This highlights a point I often have with artists that use looped melodic ideas. Without development, and indeed without any human element whatsoever (aside from vocals), there's no continuing interest, no life, no soul in 80% of the sound. The only solace therefore is found in the singing, but rapping tends to take away nearly all of the melody. Ladies First is a huge highlight for vocals, though, because of the excellent idea to alternate sets of lines like a rap battle. It's the most engaging, and probably best, track on the album. Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children is another key track. The horns in the background are easily the standouts – much more, anyway, than the milquetoast delivery of De La Soul. The producers had to dedicate four separate breakdowns purely for the saxes to shine. Weaker tracks include the lastlustre trio at the end (Evil that Men Do / Princess of the Possee / Inside Out), which I describe as such because there just aren't any catchy or interesting elements. A King and Queen Creation is pretty similar. 3/5 Key tracks: Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Come into My House, Ladies First
Some really strong and anthemic tracks to seal Queen Latifah's status, but also some real snoozers that weighed the album -- and its themes -- down.
Groundbreaking album, missed it back in the day. She's gotten into jazz and soul nowadays too.
What a time capsule from 1989. In that respect it is perfect. But how does it hold up as something I want to listen to now? Not too well.
She did great rhymes on a production that sounded so familiar. Turns out Prince Paul of De La Soul helped produce her album, and it totally shows. It hits all those 90s transition rap sounds. Everyone in the 80s had synths, she tapped on a straight up house beat.
Hip hop, no puedo ser tan moreno para detenerme en esto
Not for me
sie schono mega 80er flow. dance for me huuere geile beat. aaah beach boys sample wie geeeil. merci sache glöscht. ha gfunde sie het scho chli lycris wo sind "achtung jetz mach ich en hiphop uf dir uuh hippity hoppity". aber sie isch au aggressiv und het mega energie. scho cool. aber text jääh. the pros isch de reggae type song. was ich etz nume so semi schätze. vorallem de huere tubel wo all 3 sekunde "WAAAAH" schreit de sauhund. ewige song au. ladies first isch glaub mega e anthem worde. scho cool. aso au meh substanz als die andere songs. sehr feministisch. die letste paar hend null öpis mit mir gmacht. vo dem her. eig es 2. well wichtig und eigentli cool es 3.
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!)
Haha dik, ik ken Queen Latifah wel van naam en weet dat ze een absolute legende is, maar ik heb denk ik nog nooit een nummer van haar gehoord dus ben heel benieuwd! Sowieso zitten we in een interessante hoek met veel vrouwelijke artiesten op het moment. Merk dat ik alleen daar al blij om ben om niet weer een of ander matig indierockbandje te moeten luisteren. Het album is wel een beetje gek. Er staan een housenummer op, gewone oldschool hiphop nummers maar ook een reggae plaat? Zo gaat het een beetje alle kanten op. Maar dan komen we toch weer een klein beetje op de All-you-can-eat buffet veregelijking. Is het slecht? Nee. Is het geweldig? Ook niet. Queen Latifah, absoluut een legende, al is het maar om de pure swagger en het feminisme dat ze laat horen. Maar de muziek is, sorry dat ik het zeg, grotendeels niet heel bijzonder. FAVO: Wrath of my madness, Ladies first
There were two things I tried to keep in mind while listening to this album. First, Queen Latifah was only 19 when she made this album. Now, of course I know there are some people who've made incredible works at that age or younger (Nas started writing 'Illmatic' when he was only 16), but let's not act like that's the rule here, y'know? It's not a "get out of jail free" excuse; it's just a reasonable level of expectations to have. Which pairs well with the second thing: this album was released in 1988. Rap was obviously a ways away from its simpler origins, where the rappers were largely just party M.C.'s there to keep people dancing, though there was clearly still a gap from where it'd end up in the 90's. No one in 1989 was going to make an 'Illmatic', no matter how strong they were by the day's standards. And that's not a knock against golden age hip hop; it can be fun stuff. Again, it's just a case of keeping expectations from getting too unreasonable. And with those expectations in mind . . . well, I didn't **hate** it. Let's start with the technical side of things. On that level, there's nothing wrong with the album. Some beats are flatter and more boring than others, but on the whole I'd say DJ Mark The 45 King and the other producers that show up do a fine job. At worst, this kind of 80's beat work is just not exactly my thing. After that, all of the rappers on here do a good enough job. I don't think anyone in particular blows me away (except maybe Monie Long — absolutely a highlight feature), but their flows and some of their wordplay are strong enough to, y'know, keep y'all dancin'. I don't exactly have any complaints on this front either. But then we get to this album's biggest flaw — though, as a fellow group member said, it might not even be a flaw so much as it is just a consistent annoyance. And that's that Queen Latifah has one topic: she's a badass and a great rapper. Did you know? Did you know that Queen Latifah is a badass and a great rapper? She can kick your ass and flow on these Mark beats better than you can. She'll knock you out and write rhymes that're edible. She can tangle with the best and win and her rhymes are so good that you can eat them. She's Queen Latifah! Did you know that? She's Queen Latifah, and she's a queen, and L-A-T-I-F-A-H, and also she's Queen Latifah and she writes rhymes better than you and she can kick your ass. Besides a few tracks, it really never ends. On every song, she introduces herself and brags about her prowess. And she says it in a lot of different ways, sure, but never enough that it doesn't feel like you're not listening to minor variations of the same song over and over again. And I get why it's like this, I do; it goes back to keeping in mind that this thing dropped in 1989. Back then, as far as I'm aware, a lot of rap music was about bragging that you're the best. That was just the standard at the time. No doubt there were songs that tackled deeper issues, but as far as I know, they were kind of exceptions. At least compared to how much bragging took up most rap songs. And it's not like bragging that you're better than all of these other sucks MCs ever stopped, but, I'unno, on this album it jus' kinda gets old real fast if you're tryna pay attention to the lyrics — and this is **rap**, so why **wouldn't you be**? Even if it **is** "ordering you to dance for her" (which is another oft repeated topic on this album, I should say). And it's not that Queen Latifah **can't** rap about anything else. "Ladies First", "Evil That Men Do" — she clearly has the chops to write about more, even at 19. And I figure on subsequent albums she must have expanded her range into other topics. But on this album, unfortunately, songs like those are in the minority next to all of the "I'll punch your nose if you step to me and I'll eat your nouns." You ask me, I think the best way to enjoy this album would be to take these songs individually. Taken entirely on their own, independent of each other, they're pretty fine 80's rap joints. Sumthin' to keep y'all dancin' — unless you're Public Enemy, I don't typically expect much else from rap in the 80's. Once you take the album as a whole, though, that's when it all starts to blend together, and . . . yeah, it's not the worst experience in the world, but I can't like it doesn't get a bit tiresome. So, yeah. I tried, Queen. I gave this album every benefit I could think of and I guess it still wasn't enough. And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if by tomorrow I forgot about this album entirely and went back to knowing you solely for your role in the 'Ice Age' movies. Which, hey, there are worse things to be known for — but there's always better. Sorry 'bout that.
This album deserves more love. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll barely bump up to a 4, though I don’t think it deserves it. Weirdly, I sometimes forget Queen Latifah is one of the more accomplished women in R&B / hip-hop history, mainly because she’s settled much more into an acting career for a lot of my lifetime. She’s deeply recognizable, for sure, but I always associated her as a singing actress as opposed to a trailblazer of sorts for women in the genre. She made this album when she was 19, so I was a little predisposed to give some benefit of the doubt towards the flaws here. Honestly, I’m not sure there are truly that many flaws. As far as production goes, The 45 King (who you WILL know by the end of this album) does a great job with some really strong variety, including some jazzier stuff & a house-inspired lean on a few tracks, with lots of good samples too. KRS-One gets in an interesting beat too. As far as the rapping goes, Queen Latifah’s on point here; save for a slightly shaky start to the album where she feels a tad off-beat, she really finds a good rhythm throughout this thing, and her technical skills never come into question afterwards. She does set herself up for some really strong future success here. Overall, as far as the “flaws” go, there’s certainly not many on the technical side of things. If you’re here for the beats & the flows, you’re in for a solid 49 minutes. There is one, very, very obvious… let’s not say “flaw”, but let’s go with annoying consistency throughout this album. Queen Latifah cannot stop introducing herself. This is an album entirely composed of raps about herself, save for maybe 2 or 3 tracks. She is fighting invisible enemies throughout this whole thing. They can’t touch her flow, she’s the baddest MC, the ladies watch her glow, while the men should all flee; she’s the best, they’re the worst, she’s the star, they’re the dirt – nobody can touch her, lest they get burnt; she can’t be beat, she’ll make you stomp your feet, & all these sucka wack men can’t rhyme on Mark’s beats. Do you see what I’m getting at here? Every song has the same general structure / topic matter (HERSELF!), and while it’s disguised pretty well for most of the album, at a certain point, it just becomes so patently obvious that it just loses its edge by the end. The fact that she has a multitude of tracks of her bragging about her talent wouldn’t even be an issue if more tracks had something to say, like the fantastic “Ladies First” (seriously, why wasn’t Monie Love bigger?), or “Evil That Men Do”, but… damn, it really is just a whole album bragging about herself beyond very few tracks. It’s honestly enough to make me strongly consider bumping it down to a 3. However, when this album is rolling (& it rolls STRONG through “Ladies First”, slowing down a bit afterward), it’s a treat to listen to. There are moments here where her flow evokes Chuck D / Public Enemy as much as it does Run-DMC, so she’s clearly taking her inspirations and tweaking them to her own style. As I said, it’s not a technically bad album. A few flatter beats at points, but her rapping is strong, & her flows are good. Hell, the lyricism isn’t even bad despite most of the tracks being new & creative ways to praise herself – there are really good bars / wordplay here for someone who was only 19 when they recorded this. I want to give this a 4. I don’t think it’s really earned it, and I’m certainly much closer to a 3 after laying this all out in writing. This is probably the most 3.5-y 3.5 that there’s ever been, because it’s better than a 3 on account of her talent & these beats generally coming through in a way that feels energetic for 1989, even if it’s deeply dated to the era. It’s not a 4 because the album is both too long & too repetitive for its own good, and yet I cannot shake the whole “she’s only 19” thing here. It feels like an album designed in a way where most of the tracks could be released as singles or radio if they so chose, allowing a strong introduction in a variety of styles & beats. It’s not a great album experience because of that, but it’s a technically sound set of 12 tracks that never really lets down at any point; the messaging just gets stale, even if it’s full of fun individual listens. I’m going to bump this up, but… damn, it just doesn’t feel like it’s earned it. A very, very shaky bump to a 4. Edit: Yes, another rare use of the edit feature here for me to say "why the hell didn't I bump this down to a 3?", and rectifying that by doing so. I promise I won't do this that much more, but... this one really needs it.
Would not buy
fun but got repetitive
Hip Hop, 43eme album. =>1/5
It’s okay, got boring after the first five tracks
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!
Best Track - "Ladies First"
Such a fun album and it really got me bopping. Really strong feminist lyrics with love towards afro beats and drums
Ok
I don't really care for 80s rap flows, and I feel like the 80s were the peak of bloated albums that are twice as long as they should be, and that both of those are exemplified in this album.
3.5/5
Bit let down I won’t lie
Probably the 1st hip hop album i have listened to.
263/1089 - Competent but samey.
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.
I’ve only ever know QL as the ubiquitous media polymath who isn’t a businesswoman, but is a business, woman. So what immediately impresses me about this record, aside from the sheer time capsule-ness of it, is how evident that signature mix of talent, warmth and charisma that’s kept Queen Latifah part of the culture for almost 40 years was even at the age of 19. There are a couple of bona fide jams on this record – “Dance for me”, “Ladies first” especially. And even though the pacing and songwriting feels almost relentlessly uniform across 12 tracks … there’s no denying it’s never far from bop territory. I won’t say the obvious simply because saying that something from November 1989 hasn’t aged well risks touching on a sore subject for me at the minute (my quad’s gone again, corked by the ravages of an attempt to play social sport); suffice it to say that this record is a buoyant and mood enhancingly positive hip hop record from the genre’s OG First Lady.
I know that her music is quite important from back in the day, but I was not really a huge fan of that kind of rap, but instead enjoyed the more melodic one. Overall, the songs seemed pretty similar, but I do understand that the lyrics are what mainly matters here.
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..
Over 50 albums in and this is only my third by a female artist. That's some BS. Repetitive, but I liked a few tracks. Impressive for a debut album at 19. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Come into My House, Latifah's Law, Ladies First ⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Saved some tracks.
'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.
The Queen’s rule is firm, soulful, edgy
Hail the Queen indeed. This was such a great and fun listen, even more impressive that Latifah is still a teenager on this record. Has a very fresh sound that keeps it more engaging and less dated than some of its contemporaries. Simple yet effective. Top tracks: Dance for Me, The Pros, Princess of the Possee
This grooves. I had no idea Queen Latifah was truly royalty.
Funky, conscious rhymes. There's funny stuff and not-so-funny stuff, and it all makes sense. Adding another album to my stack of early nineties hip hop favorites. I love the feminist vibe, cooling off the sometimes prevalent misogyny of the time and the genre.
Can't deny the importance of this album and Queen Latifah's arrival on the scene during a time when rap was a swaggering, male-only thing. But I found this pretty boring and dated overall with only a few songs that stood out.
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.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would have, but I probably won’t listen to this again.
Technically, this is a fantastic album. Queen Latifah is a talented rapper, and this album is one of the ones that helps bridge the gap between early and late Golden Age Hip Hop. That being said, I just really couldn't get into it.
Not a big deal for me
Quite good
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 get why it’s here, but I didn’t like it, very repetitive
Je respecte le caractère marquant de cet album et son influence sur le hip-hop de nos temps mais c'est trop répétitif pour moi. La meilleure toune: Dance for me.
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.
Pretty good fun and certainly important for rap and R&B - laid the groundwork for a lot of what would follow in the shape of Missy Elliott, TLC, Destiny’s Child… it does sound dated and a bit corny in places, you can almost hear the dayglo shellsuits being zipped up in the background.
Gives 89 vibes. Not something I would have listened to by myself. Interesting discovery.
Definitely a slice of rap from the late 80s - early 90s. There are a few excellent songs and the rest are enjoyable if not memorable.
No va
Important messages but not my vibe
This was kind of a vibe. Fun instrumentation!
Another album of babbling full of 80's disco and hip hop beats. Not for me.
this was fun!! pretty cool beats and interesting melodies throughout. low 4
Really, this kind of music hasn't aged well. Recognisable samples are a bit irritating. The vocal delivery is a bit irritating.
Pretty cool golden age party boom bap jams. Wee bit samey.
All hail the Queen
It’s perfect
Ehhhh not bad not my fav
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.
Definitely not anything that I would want to listen to again, but I get why it made the list from an “importance” standpoint for the genre.
4/10 - just not a big rap guy
Somehow never even knew queen latifah made music. This was not good
É um álbum interessante com alguma músicas em destaque. CVJ Neko.