Queen Latifah First Rapper to Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

For Black History Month this year, Rémy Martin teams up with XXL to celebrate 10 important moments in hip-hop history. Through the years, Rémy Martin has created a synonymous relationship between cognac and music culture by representing celebration and entertainment seamlessly. In honor of hip-hop’s nearly 50-year existence, host DJ Suss One, XXL Awards Board members Kendell “Sav” Freeman, Vice President/Co-Head of Urban Music at Arista Records; Sydney Margetson, Senior Vice President of Publicity at Atlantic Records; and Traci Adams, Executive Vice President of Promotion at Epic Records, revisit Queen Latifah being recognized as the first female rapper to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, as a monumental milestone in the genre.

Queen Latifah truly proved it’s ladies first when becoming the earliest hip-hop artist to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. The Hollywood Walk of Fame, a famous 15-block strip on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles filled with bronze star monuments dedicated to prominent people in the entertainment business, has existed since 1960, and includes names like Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Spike Lee, Michael Jackson, Morgan Freeman and more. On Jan. 6, 2006, rapper-actor Queen Latifah broke the mold by becoming the first rapper to receive recognition.

“One of the reasons for me to be here is to inspire other young woman, young African American women, young wannabe rappers, or wannabe actors, or wannabe entrepreneurs or full-figured sexy women,” Latifah said during her acceptance speech. “Anyone who sees me, I hope they see me there and feel inspired, and feel like, If I can do it, they can do it.”

Besides her Grammy Award-winning rap career, Latifah has flourished in the film industry, which includes her starring role in the 1996 film Set It Off, being a leading actress on the hit 1990’s sitcom Living Single, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie for her starring role in the 2015 HBO film, Bessie and earning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the musical film Chicago in 2002.

The 51-year-old entertainer is currently one of only 10 rappers who have stars on the Walk of Fame along with 50 Cent, Diddy, Pharrell Williams, LL Cool J, Pitbull, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, Missy Elliott and Snoop Dogg.

Important milestones in hip-hop like this deserve recognition for years to come. As part of Black History Month, Rémy Martin and XXL will be making a donation to Black Music Action Coalition, an advocacy organization that was formed to addresses systemic racism within the music industry and reaches racial justice throughout society at large. Rémy Martin and XXL will match every additional dollar donated to BMAC during Black History Month.*

Watch DJ Suss One, Kendell “Sav” Freeman, Sydney Margetson and Traci Adams discuss Queen Latifah’s Hollywood Walk of Fame honor below.

This editorial advertisement is presented by Rémy Martin.

See Hip-Hop Artists Who Embrace Being Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual

*Rémy Martin to match donations up to $50K, XXL to match donations up to $10K.