The Queen is back.
More than 30 years after Queen Latifah made her debut as host at the American Music Awards in 1995 alongside Tom Jones and Laurie Morgan, the hip-hop icon is finally taking on the hosting role again in Las Vegas, this time going it alone, leading a show that will feature appearances by Somber, Billy Idol, Katsy and more.
After spending her entire adult life in the spotlight, Queen Latifah has amassed a remarkable list of firsts. chicagoShe is also the first female rapper to receive a Kennedy Center Honor and the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This fall, she will add another milestone when she is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence Award recipient. the voice As a coach.
But this week, her focus is on the AMAs and how she plans to bring her trademark warmth, wit and charisma to the ceremony.
below, hollywood reporter We spoke to Latifah about her memories of her first AMA-hosted gig in the ’90s, what she’s looking forward to at next week’s show, and her reaction to the Rock Hall invitation.
What are your memories of co-hosting the AMA in 1995?
Everything happened so quickly back then, but what I remember is that we had a team. There were a few of us and we had to move from this place to that place. Being with Tom Jones was one of the greatest things for me. People say a lot about this guy. It was just overwhelmingly exciting to be a part of it and put on all these costumes and host and watch the audience. I was 25, you know what I mean?
All of this was difficult for me. All of that was exciting to me. There are lots of pictures from that hosting gig. There were many stars in the house who became fans of Mariah. [Carey] to stevie [Wonder] For a long time. It’s so exciting to meet people I’ve been a fan of for years. The energy was great, but this time it’s me, so I have to make sure that energy goes to every artist on that stage. From New Kids on the Block to the Pussycat Dolls, everyone needs to feel the energy from me when they see me. I can give it to them and the audience is going to give it to them.
Your presence creates excitement. Sombre dancing with you at this year’s Grammy Awards was my favorite part of the entire awards ceremony.
Did you see that? The good thing was that I was able to just be a music fan. I love just being there and enjoying the music. I experienced a very special night, and I’m about to have another special night. I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas and read this entire script and see the run-through of everyone practicing for this big moment.
I’m very excited. Out of all the millions of artists around the world, we are the only ones who get to stand on this stage and perform in front of the world. I know they’re all trying to knock it out of the park. I want to know what tricks they’re up to and who’s exactly in the zone.
What are you most looking forward to?
I like to see young artists doing it, artists who have been around the block a few times. When you’ve been doing a show like this for a while, you get a certain sense of security. If you’re an up-and-coming artist who wants to do this for years to come, like Olivia Dean, you can see people who have been doing this forever. [they’ll] I say, “Okay, that’s what I have to do. I have to get comfortable that way.” If you incorporate little tidbits here and there, keep them for yourself, and use them, you’ll be one of those long-lived artists who will still be doing the same thing 30 years from now.
I always feel like AMAs are a fun time for artists. Plus, having fans in attendance at such a large venue in Las Vegas is like an eclectic festival.
It’s music, so you should enjoy it. And you’re right. It’s a different Las Vegas. The Las Vegas of today isn’t even the Las Vegas of when I was young. You can bring the whole family to Las Vegas. It’s like a normal family vacation in Las Vegas. It doesn’t matter if you live in Las Vegas. I hope it conveys the festival atmosphere. Because that’s how it should be.
Years ago, my cousin took some friends who lived in Las Vegas on a tour. At the time, I had a bike for touring. My bus was towing a bicycle. I have to ride a motorcycle. I went to church with their families and had barbecues, and I thought, “This is so different from the Strip, you know what I mean?” There is a normal life here in Las Vegas. I got a glimpse of it a long time ago, but The Strip is quite a fascinating place.
Congratulations on your induction into the Rock Hall. Was that a surprise?
I’m looking forward to it, and I’m even more excited because so many family and friends have heard about it and are calling from all over. When calls come in from all directions, you know something is different. It’s not just the little things that mean something to me. It really means a lot to a lot of different people and we can totally have a conversation about it. I’m lucky to be there. I had nothing to do with it, but thank you to everyone who wanted me to be a part of it. thank you very much.
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