Queen Latifah has been blazing her own path her entire career. Today (April 12), that path took her to the Library of Congress. Every year, the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress inducts over two dozen audio contributions from accomplished Americans who have made an impact on culture with their work. Latifah is a part of the 2023 class of inductees, and she made history in the process.
Latifah’s 1989 debut album All Hail the Queen will forever be a part of the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. In doing so, the “U.N.I.T.Y.” rapper became the first woman hip hop artist to join the prestigious collection.
In a statement, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden explained the significance of the National Recording Registry and what Latifah’s addition specifically means. “The National Recording Registry preserves our history through recorded sound and reflects our nation’s diverse culture,” she said, per NPR. “The national library is proud to help ensure these recordings are preserved for generations to come, and we welcome the public’s input on what songs, speeches, podcasts, or recorded sounds we should preserve next.”
“Her album showed rap could cross genres including reggae, hip hop, house, and jazz — while also opening opportunities for other female rappers,” the statement said of All Hail the Queen‘s inclusion. In recent years, hip hop artists like Dr. Dre, Nas, and N.W.A. have seen their works added to the Library of Congress, but a female rapper has never joined the party until now.
Latifah is just one of the over two dozen artists who will have a place in history at the Library of Congress after today. Other selections include the Super Mario Bros. theme song, “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey, “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee, “Flashdance… What a Feeling” by Irene Cara, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics, and Madonna’s Like a Virgin album. They join iconic recordings added last year like A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low-End Theory, Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and Alicia Keys’ Songs in A Minor.