QUEEN LATIFAH TO BE AWARDED FOR ‘IMPACTING SOCIETY IN A POSITIVE WAY’
Rapper and songwriter Queen Latifah will be honoured with the Marian Anderson Award, an honour named for the pioneering opera singer.
The Marian Anderson Award is given in Philadelphia to “critically acclaimed artists who have impacted society in a positive way.” Anderson was the first black singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Mayor Jim Kenney announced Tuesday that Latifah would be the award’s latest recipient.
Born Dana Owens in Newark, New Jersey, Queen Latifah was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago (2002), and won a Grammy for her song U.N.I.T.Y.
Previous winners of the award include singers Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle and music producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. AP