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Queen Latifah on Her Role in Bessie : 'I’ve Always Been a Bit of a Fighter'

You must read her cover story in Variety.

Queen Latifah is on the cover of Variety, where she talks about her starring role in Bessie, her management company Flavor Unit Entertainment, her past as an MC and much more.

Latifah, the 45-year-old rapper/actress/mogul, has an incredible career in the entertainment industry. She’s made her mark in hip hop history as a successful female spitters and now she’s progressed into someone who has enough passion to conquer their next big move. In the story, she opens up about her starring role in the HBO film Bessie and says how Bessie Smith’s complicated life is very similar to how she would describe herself.

“I’ve always been a bit of a fighter,” she says. “I’ve always had an opinion about things.”

The story continues with details about Flavor Unit Entertainment, which was named after a group of MCs she was a part of in the beginning of her career. Along with her business partner, Shakim Compere, they oversee 10 employees who all specialize in film, TV and music productions in their LA offices.

She also shares stories about her heyday as a rapper. Her first pair of albums — 1989’s All Hail the Queen and 1991’s Nature of a Sista — helped jumpstart her career, but she was always looking at the bigger picture.

“I felt like if I couldn’t say I was the best rapper — male or female — I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket,” she says. “So it was always about trying to expand from the beginning, be it musically, business-wise, or other opportunities.”

We learn more about her transition from musician to actress, as well as producing new shows for Centric TV. Check out the full Variety cover story here.

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(Photo: Variety Magazine, August 2015 Issue )

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