‘Queens’ tells story of hip-hop from female POV
NEW YORK — When Naturi Naughton read the script for ABC’s new music-inspired drama “Queens,” a feeling of deja vu rushed through her.
“Queens,” which airs Tuesday nights in prime time and also streams on Hulu, is the brainchild of executive producer Zahir McGee. The drama follows a fictional popular ’90s female rap crew, the Nasty Bitches, starring Naughton, Eve, Brandy Norwood and Nadine Velazquez. The fictional group broke up at the height of their fame but two decades later — now with members in their 40s — they attempt to reunite after one of their biggest hits is sampled by a new artist.
A hit-making star of the 2000s and the only professional rapper in the cast, Eve was the first actor McGee had in mind when creating the show. Her character, Brianna (stage name “Professor Sex”), is a mom of five who’s struggling to find her identity outside of her family while also working through her husband’s affair.
Eve, who starred in her own sitcom of the same name from 2003-2006, said she had no interest in doing a show where recorded music was the focus, but was pulled into “Queens” because of the character depth.
“I don’t want to just do a show that’s like, ‘We’re just cranking out songs.’ I want to make sure if I’m going to take this on, I want to be a full, well-rounded character,’ said Eve. “It’s hip-hop from a female’s point of view. And I feel like a lot of times when we’ve seen hip-hop, it’s from a male point of view.”
Norwood, the R&B icon whose songs and music videos remained in heavy rotation throughout the ’90s and 2000s, said her character, Naomi (stage name “Xplicit Lyrics”), is a “dream role.” She plays a singer-songwriter who has struggled with musical relevancy since the breakup, while also hoping to mend a strained relationship with her teenage daughter.
“It’s so what TV needs. And I just love that we get a chance to contribute to diversity of television,” said Norwood.
Dramas starring four female leads of color on any major U.S. broadcast network is rare — especially one where three of the four stars are past their 40s. But the cast is embracing the unique opportunity.
“It’s empowering to show that women of any age, even of a mature age, can still be sexy, can still be beautiful, can still make a comeback in their careers,” said Naughton, most recognized for her starring role on Starz’ former flagship show “Power.”
Velazquez, who left acting after not feeling fulfilled, said “Queens” made returning to the industry an easy decision.
“What attracted me ultimately to this project was the fact that it was diverse, the fact that the character was a woman and was going through similar experiences that I have already lived through,” said Velazquez.
Velazquez’s character, Valeria (stage name “Butter Pecan”) is the only group member who maintained some semblance of fame by transitioning to a morning show host until her desire to maintain the spotlight gets the best of her. Velazquez is also the only lead who has not been a professional recording artist.
“I learned in-between takes. I was watching J-Lo videos. I was looking at TLC … Eve was very helpful in my rapping … she was like, ‘OK, dirty this up, dirty this word up. You’re enunciating a little too clearly.’”
Music executive Swizz Beatz, a close friend of Eve and her former Ruff Ryders labelmate and producer, heads up the music for the show. After talking with McGee and writers about each episode, his team creates raps that follow each character’s storyline.
Norwood, who released her “B7” album last year to critical acclaim, says the series currently has her too busy to work on new music, but she won’t take another eight-year gap between albums like she did with “Two Eleven” in 2012. She wants to continue to grow in acting, and wouldn’t mind taking on more film roles.
“That’s a dream. I never really took my acting as serious as I’m taking it now,” said Norwood. “With this show, I’m just really inspired to keep pushing in the acting because there’s so much that I could do.”
Although the series has not yet been renewed, the cast remains hopeful. Eve, who recently went on maternity leave to prepare for a February birth after wrapping her scenes, has had her storyline left open-ended in preparation for a second season.
“Queens” offers a unique perspective on the struggles and success female rappers face behind the mics, and the cast hopes its audience will continue to buy in.
“We’re not trying to be younger. We’re not trying to be anything other than what we are and who we are,” Velazquez said. “I think that’s what people are really seeing, is the chemistry and the authenticity that we’re bringing to it.”