Maps of Music

Persona (2009)

Where the lyrics of Persona take you, and where it was really made.

Persona entered the Billboard 200 at number 25, yet its Metacritic score of 46 pointed to mixed reviews.

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Persona: seventh studio album by American entertainer Queen Latifah
Released August 25, 2009 by Flavor Unit Entertainment
First hip-hop project by Latifah since 2002
Mix of rapping and singing, with guest verses by Missy Elliott, Marsha Ambrosius, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, Busta Rhymes, and Mary J. Blige

In 2008 Latifah was asked whether she would make another hip-hop album and said it was already done
The album was to be called All Hail the Queen II, and an earlier stated title was Negativity and Star
On September 12, 2008, Rolling Stone reported that Latifah was working on a new album titled Persona
Lead single Cue the Rain, followed by Fast Car, My Couch, and With You
Dre of production duo Cool & Dre worked with her on My Couch
Dre also sang on Hard to Love Ya, alongside Busta Rhymes and Shawn Stockman
On July 26, 2009, Latifah revealed on Twitter that the second single would be Fast Car, with a remix featuring Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim

Born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey; grew up mainly in East Orange, New Jersey.
Started as a beatboxer and rapper for the Flavor Unit crew; signed to Tommy Boy Records and released debut album All Hail the Queen in 1989 at age 19.
Black Reign (1993) became the first album by a solo female rapper certified Gold by the RIAA; its single "U.N.I.T.Y." won a Grammy Award.
Order in the Court (1998) was released through Motown Records; later albums include The Dana Owens Album (2004), Trav'lin' Light (2007), and Persona (2009).
Performed at Super Bowl XXXII halftime show as the first rapper to do so.
Starred on the Fox sitcom Living Single (1993–1998) and hosted The Queen Latifah Show (1999–2001, 2013–2015).
Earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Chicago (2002), and a Primetime Emmy Award for the HBO film Bessie (2015).
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, becoming the first hip-hop artist to do so.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026.

Metacritic gives the album a mean score of 46 out of 100, which indicates mixed or average reviews
Boston Globe critic Ken Capobianco says the set aims at the clubs with tuneful, briskly executed songs, almost all produced by Cool & Dre
Capobianco finds Latifah sounds too guarded and asks for more personality
Washington Post critic Allison Stewart says Latifah is operating at a dimmer wattage than usual, observing the proceedings more than participating

Debuted at number 25 on the US Billboard 200, selling 18,000 copies in its first week
Peaked at number 3 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, her highest-charting album on that chart
Sold 110,000 copies according to the Portuguese article on Latifah's discography

Before release the album was rumoured to be titled The 'L' Word, which Latifah said was her attempt to mess with people's heads
All Hail the Queen II was described as finished in 2008 but was never released
The album's lead single Cue the Rain was followed by Fast Car, which got a remix with Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim
Persona came out in 2009, the year Latifah also appeared in the Oh, Happy Day project with NJPAC Coro Júbilo