Three film and television studios that center Black stories are coming together to produce a slate of hip-hop biopics — and they’ve announced that Queen Latifah’s will be first. Neither a writer nor director has been announced yet, but Queen Latifah herself will be one of the producers through her company, Flavor Unit Entertainment. Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Jesse Collins’ Jesse Collins Entertainment are also on board for Latifah’s biopic.
In a statement, Smith emphasized the importance of starting with the “Ladies First” artist’s story, which includes her rise as one of rap’s most prominent and political women, as well as building a Grammy, Golden Globe, and NAACP Image award-winning career in film and television. “There’s no better story to start with than the one of Queen Latifah, an undisputed legend who has both entertained and inspired us for so many years,” Smith said.
“We all came into this industry together and Hip Hop has shaped each and every one of us,” Latifah and her business partner Shakim Compere said in a statement. “Hip Hop’s impact has expanded beyond just music and has created a lasting impression on culture and society overall. It is a dream to be able to collaborate with friends and colleagues that have not only a shared understanding, but are able to tell these stories that were the backdrop of our lives.”
Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, which she runs with Compere, has produced much of Latifah’s hit filmography, including the movies Bessie, Life Support, Bringing Down the House, and Beauty Shop, as well as her CBS show The Equalizer. Smith’s Westbrook Entertainment, which he founded with Jada Pinkett Smith and others, produced Bad Boys 4: Ride Or Die, King Richard, and Emancipation. Jesse Collins Entertainment was behind the The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story miniseries.
Last summer, Queen Latifah earned the prestigious Kennedy Center honor, alongside comedian/actor Billy Crystal, Bee Gees’ leader Barry Gibb, soprano Renée Fleming and singer Dionne Warwick. She was also featured in the Netflix documentary Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop with Latto, Tierra Whack, MC Lyte, Rah Digga, Sha-Rock, and many more.
