Nature of a Sista'

Last updated

Nature of a Sista'
Nature Of A Sista album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 3, 1991
Recorded1990–1991
StudioVarious (See background and recording section)
Genre Hip hop
Length49:08
Label Tommy Boy
Producer
  • Queen Latifah (executive)
  • Shakim Compere (executive)
Queen Latifah chronology
All Hail the Queen
(1989)
Nature of a Sista'
(1991)
Black Reign
(1993)
Singles from Nature of a Sista'
  1. "Fly Girl"
    Released: 1991
  2. "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here"
    Released: November 28, 1991
  3. "How Do I Love Thee"
    Released: March 17, 1992

Nature of a Sista' is the second studio album by American rapper Queen Latifah. Released on September 3, 1991, it served as a follow-up to her 1989 debut album All Hail the Queen and was her final album with Tommy Boy Records. Latifah was an executive producer for Nature of a Sista' alongside American producer Shakim Compere. Although predominantly a hip hop album, it includes elements of reggae, jazz, R&B, new jack swing, and house music. The lyrics of the album's songs revolve around gender politics and romance. While discussing the album's overall style, Latifah said she moved away from hardcore hip hop to experiment with other music genres and have more creative control over her work.

Contents

Reviews of the album were mixed; some music critics praised Latifah's verses and the album's variety of musical styles, while others felt it was a poor follow-up to All Hail the Queen. It peaked at number 117 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Three singles "Fly Girl", "How Do I Love Thee", and "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here" were released and promoted through accompanying music videos; all of the songs made appearances on Billboard charts. Following the release of the album, Latifah was dropped from Tommy Boy Records due to low sales.

Background and recording

Due to the success of Queen Latifah's debut studio album All Hail the Queen (1989), which sold approximately 450,000 copies, Peter Watrous of The New York Times said he believed Latifah had become a representative for young black woman and a media "hungry for someone articulate, political and savvy about feminism but not confrontational". [1] Marisa Fox of Entertainment Weekly said Latifah was becoming an established figure in rap and club music from the commercial performance of All Hail the Queen. [2] Because of Latifah's heightened profile, Nature of a Sista' was considered among the most anticipated hip hop releases of the year. [1]

Nature of a Sista' was completed between 1990 and 1991; [3] it was recorded in various studios in New York City—D&D Studios, Hit Factory, Power Play Studios, Quadraphinc Studios, Quadraphonic Studios, and Unique Recording. [4] The album was also recorded at Soundcastle Studios in Los Angeles, Calliope Productions in Boston, and Teentwon Studios in Copenhagen. Latifah and American producer Shakim Compere served as the executive producers. [4] The album's liner notes include the text: "The kingdom is possible because of the queen ... the king is the sign. While the queen is the symbol." [3]

Composition and sound

"It's true that there isn't as much hardcore rap on this album as I've done in the past, but it was more like a freedom of expression-type thing. This new one has a woman's touch to it, I suppose, my little trademarks; so it's more my album than the producer's."

–Queen Latifah discussing her approach to the overall sound for Nature of a Sista'. [5]

Nature of a Sista' is a hip hop album that consists of twelve tracks; [6] [7] the instrumentals, provided by live musicians, combine elements of reggae and jazz along with "a raucous African beat" and "melodic choruses". [6] A writer from The Boombox described the album as incorporating R&B and house music, [8] and Spin's Dimitri Ehrlich said it features a new jack swing sound through its sharper focus on vocal harmonies and electronic drums. [5]

A writer from People magazine noted that Nature of a Sista' focuses on issues relating to "self-assurance, humor and intelligence"; Latifah encourages women to respect themselves rather than place value in sex or money. [6] Some songs, such as "That's the Way We Flow" focus on gender politics, while others detail issues relating to love, such as "Give Me Your Love" and "How Do I Love Thee". [1] [5] [9] The former is an R&B track that revolves around the effects of racism on a romantic relationship. [9] Latifah does not use obscene language on the album. [6] [8] [5] She chose to sing more on this album as a way of pursuing her personal interests, and that it was not because of potential financial gains. She said: "It was about making a record I like. I have to make what feels right to me." [5] Comparing Nature of a Sista' with Latifah's previous studio albums, Marisa Fox wrote: "She’s toned down the sass and become more sensual and sophisticated. Here’s one woman who rejects sexism, but not sex." [2]

Songs

Fox described the opening track, ”Latifah’s Had It Up to Here”, as Latifah's way of "still keep[ing] the brothers in check"; [2] lyrics include: "But I'm wise, civilized / Growing higher / Judgment's from the queen / Punish is the fire / I’m here to make these fools out of liars / You must learn, step and respect the sire / Face the fire”. [10] On the second song "Nuff of the Ruff Stuff", Latifah raps about gender politics using the lines: "As a black woman me want equality / Equality and the freedom to be me". [1] "Fly Girl" focuses on men's attempts to court her; Latifah answers their pick-up line: “You must be mad! / Easy lover, something that I ain’t / Besides, I don’t know you from a can of paint”. [6] The downtempo song includes male vocal harmonies as part of the chorus and elements of new jack swing. [11]

The album's title track revolves around Latifah bragging about her skills as a rapper, [11] while "Sexy Fancy" contains influences from dancehall music and ragga. [2] [11] The song "If You Don't Know" contains a sample of James Brown's 1974 single "The Payback". [3] [11] In the album's closing track "How Do I Love Thee", Latifah instructs her lover how to sexually pleasure her; lyrics include: “It pleases me to have you touch me there / I think you know it gets to me / Stop! Don’t stop! Ecstasy!”; [6] a writer for Rolling Stone said the song is reminiscent of Madonna's 1990 single "Justify My Love". [9] Latifah wrote "How Do I Love Thee" during the filming of the 1990 movie House Party 2 , and said: "I was away from home and I was . . . you know, kind of horny". [5]

Release and promotion

"Fly Girl" was released as the album's lead single; [11] it was promoted through a music video, in which Latifah wears an African headdress while accompanied by a group of back-up dancers. [6] The song and its instrumental were released on a vinyl record along with the album's title track and its instrumental. [13] "Fly Girl" peaked at number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart on November 9, 1991, and remained on the chart for 14 weeks. [14] It also reached number 19 on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart on October 26, 1991, and stayed on the chart for nine weeks. [15]

Nature of a Sista' was first released on September 3, 1991, on cassette, CD, and LP record formats through Tommy Boy Records; it was re-released in 2004 through Rhino Entertainment as a digital download. [16] Latifah held an album release party at an Indian restaurant in New York City. [5] When discussing her vision for the album, Latifah said: "I really want Nature of a Sista' to go platinum, I want to sell a million records. A lot more doors open up if I get that status. Not to mention the money." [1]

As of April 11, 2017, the album sold over 273,000 copies in the United States and over 500,000 copies worldwide. [17] [18] It peaked at number 117 on the Billboard 200 chart on October 5, 1991, and remained on the chart for 23 weeks. [19] The album also reached number 32 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Billboard chart on February 22, 1992, and remained on the chart for 32 weeks. [20]

"How Do I Love Thee" and "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here" were released as the second and third singles, respectively. [17] They were promoted through accompanying music videos. [21] [22] "How Do I Love Thee" peaked at number 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart on February 22, 1992, and remained on the chart for 16 weeks. [23] "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here" also reached number eight on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart on February 8, 1992, and stayed on the chart for 11 weeks. [24] Latifah performed the album track "If You Don't Know" on the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color . [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [25]
Entertainment Weekly A [2]
NME 9/10 [26]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [27]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Tom Hull – on the Web B [28]

Upon its release, the album was generally well received. Marisa Fox praised Latifah's verses and described its songs as "show[ing] her softer, more feminine side". [2] A writer for Vibe positively responded to the album for pushing the boundaries of musical genres, singling out "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here" and "How Do I Love Thee" as examples. [29] Alex Henderson of AllMusic described the album as "a decent sophomore effort that has more strengths than weaknesses", and commended Latifah for projecting a positive image. [7]

Nature of a Sista' was also the subject of praise in several retrospective reviews. In a 2005 article, a reviewer from Rolling Stone also praised Latifah's experimentation with different types of music, saying that it "sampl[es] a wider range of the Queen's prodigious talents and musical styles than did her first album". [9] In 2018, The Source 's Ime Ekpo wrote that Nature of a Sista' was a sign of how Latifah had "evolved into a more sensual artist", [12] and The Boombox's Jacinta Howard felt that it showcased her versatility. [30] Howard cited "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here" as "one of the most hard-hitting entries in [Latifah's] catalog". [31]

Some critics had a more negative response for the album. While Henderson praised Latifah's technique as a rapper, he wrote that too much of the album was devoted to her "boasting about her microphone skills", and said it did not reflect her full capability as an artist. [7] A writer from Rolling Stone said Nature of a Sista' was a disappointing follow-up to All Hail the Queen, primarily citing the lack of growth in Latifah's rapping style and the album's lack of focus. [9] Despite identifying "If You Don't Know" as a highlight, Ms. Krista panned Nature of a Sista' as forgettable; she criticized "Fly Girl" and "Sexy Fancy" as unsuccessful attempts to incorporate influences from other genres, and described the album's title track as too focused on Latifah gloating about her rapping abilities. [11]

Aftermath

Latifah was removed from Tommy Boy Records due to the album's low sales. [32] Ms. Krista of SoulBounce.com attributed the poor commercial performance to the absence of American producer DJ Mark the 45 King, who had previously worked with Latifah on All Hail the Queen. [11] A writer for Vibe believed Nature of a Sista' would have sold better if it had been promoted as an R&B release. According to Latifah, the album's commercial performance was representative of how female rappers get fewer resources than men; she said: "People wonder why girls don't go platinum, but a lot of the time we don't get the same money [for marketing and promotion], and that's just a straight-up fact". [29]

According to a writer from The Boombox, music critics had started to ask whether Latifah was more focused on developing crossover appeal rather than creating rap music, partially because of the release of Nature of a Sista'. Music critics interpreted her 1993 follow-up album Black Reign as a way "to deliver something that cemented her credibility as an artist". [8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here"
4:26
2."Nuff of the Ruff' Stuff'"
  • Luis Vega
3:50
3."One Mo' Time"Naughty By Nature4:51
4."Give Me Your Love"3:50
5."Love Again"
  • Cutfather
  • Dana Owens
  • Soulshock
  • Soulpower Productions
3:41
6."Bad as a Mutha"
  • Soulpower Productions
4:01
7."Fly Girl"
  • Mich Hansen
  • Dana Owens
  • Carsten Schack
  • Soulpower Productions
4:02
8."Sexy Fancy"
  • Kevin McKenzie
  • Dana Owens
3:56
9."Nature of a Sista'"
  • Dana Owens
  • Luis Vega
  • Luis Vega
3:19
10."That's the Way We Flow" (featuring Safari Sister Swatch)
  • K-Cut
3:22
11."If You Don't Know"
  • Nevelle Hodge
  • Dana Owens
4:58
12."How Do I Love Thee"
  • Queen Latifah
5:01
Total length:49:08

Notes

Credits and personnel

The following credits were adapted from the booklet of Nature Of A Sista' and AllMusic: [3] [4]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for Nature of a Sista'
Chart (1991–1992)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [19] 117
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [20] 32

Release history

Release dates for Nature of a Sista'
CountryDateFormat(s)Label
Various [16] [33] September 3, 1991CDTommy Boy
Cassette
LP record
2004Digital downloadRhino

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Lyte</span> Hip hop artist, l author, activist and entrepreneur

Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, disc jockey, entrepreneur and actress. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin". In 1989, she joined the supergroup Stop the Violence Movement, and appeared on the single "Self Destruction", which was the inaugural number-one single on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.

Lynise Walters, known professionally as Queen Pen, is an American rapper, record producer, and novelist. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she was discovered by record producer Teddy Riley at an IHOP restaurant in Virginia Beach. Riley later invited her to "spit lyrics" for Blackstreet's 1996 single "No Diggity", which became her and Riley's most successful recording. Waters signed with Riley's Lil Man Records, an imprint of Interscope Records to release her debut album: My Melody (1997), which spawned the single, "All My Love" peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album contained production largely handled by Riley and writing contributions from fellow Brooklyn native Jay-Z.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Latifah</span> American recording artist and actress (born 1970)

Dana Elaine Owens, better known by the stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress and singer. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. In 2006, she became the first hip hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missy Elliott</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1971)

Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott, also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the 1990s, and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective alongside her childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she wrote and produced music for acts such as 702, Aaliyah, SWV, and Total. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she began her solo career in 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest charting debut for a woman rapper at the time.

<i>All Hail the Queen</i> 1989 studio album by Queen Latifah

All Hail the Queen is the debut studio album by American rapper Queen Latifah. The album was released on November 7, 1989, through Tommy Boy Records. The feminist anthem "Ladies First", featuring Monie Love, remains one of Latifah's signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naughty by Nature</span> American hip hop trio

Naughty by Nature is an American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey, consisting of Treach, Vin Rock, and DJ Kay Gee.

Nichelle Strong, known by her stage name Nikki D is an American rapper.

<i>Supa Dupa Fly</i> 1997 studio album by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind, East West, and Elektra Entertainment Group. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles, "The Rain ", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah. The album was recorded in just two weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.N.I.T.Y.</span> 1993 single by Queen Latifah

"U.N.I.T.Y." is a song by American hip-hop artist Queen Latifah from her third studio album, Black Reign (1993). The single was released on November 9, 1993, in the United States, and on January 6, 1994, in the United Kingdom. "U.N.I.T.Y." focused on confronting disrespect of women in society, addressing issues of street harassment, domestic violence, and slurs against women in hip-hop culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Many Licks?</span> 2000 single by Lil Kim featuring Sisqó

"How Many Licks?" is a song by American rapper Lil' Kim featuring vocals by American musician Sisqó from Lil' Kim's second studio album, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000). Mario Winans and Sean Combs produced the song, and wrote it with Lil' Kim and Sisqó. The hip hop song samples the Knight Rider theme song, with lyrics expressing a woman's desire for oral sex and her sexual relationships with a variety of men. The chorus is a reference to the advertising slogan for Tootsie Pops. A remix by the Neptunes has additional vocals from American artists Kelis, Lil' Cease, and Snoop Dogg. "How Many Licks?" was released as the second and final single from The Notorious K.I.M. on November 21, 2000, by Queen Bee Entertainment and Atlantic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wanna Be Down</span> 1994 single by Brandy

"I Wanna Be Down" is the debut single of American recording artist Brandy from her self-titled debut album (1994). It was written by musicians Keith Crouch and Kipper Jones, with production helmed by the former, it was released on September 5, 1994, by the Atlantic Recording Corporation. The song is a mid-tempo track that features a thunderous beat and light synth riffs. Lyrically, "I Wanna Be Down" describes a flirt with a boy, who Norwood tries to convince of her loveliness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd Banks discography</span>

The discography of Lloyd Banks, an American rapper, consists of six studio albums, sixteen mixtapes, eleven singles and one soundtrack. His music has been released on the record labels Interscope Records and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Way That I Love You</span> 2008 single by Ashanti

"The Way That I Love You" is a song recorded by American singer Ashanti from her fourth studio album, The Declaration (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on February 26, 2008, through Universal and The Inc. Ashanti wrote and produced the song with L.T. Hutton. Backed by piano, guitar, and horns, "The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo R&B ballad whose lyrics tell of betrayal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Latifah discography</span> List of songs and albums from the American recording artist

Queen Latifah is an American rapper, jazz/blues singer, and actress. Born Dana Owens, she has released seven studio albums, six of which were hip hop-influenced albums and two that were all-singing jazz-influenced albums. She has released a total of twenty-three singles as well. She has been given the title the "Queen of Jazz Rap".

<i>Persona</i> (Queen Latifah album) 2009 studio album by Queen Latifah

Persona is the seventh studio album by the American entertainer Queen Latifah. It was released on August 25, 2009, by Flavor Unit Entertainment. The album marked Queen Latifah's return to hip-hop music since 2002. Persona includes a mix of Latifah rapping and singing and features guest verses by Missy Elliot, Marsha Ambrosius, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, Busta Rhymes, and Mary J. Blige.

Def Dames were an American female rap duo from Bakersfield, California. The duo consisted of Marilyn Smith, known as "Kandy Kane" she also goes by her Sacramento alias "Touch," and Yolanda Sugart, known as "Special T" or "The Ace Senorita." She was replaced by Petrina Walker known as "Larissa" in 1991, now residing in Las Vegas, Nv. The Def Dames are best known for their first album, 2-4-The Bass, and their three top singles: "976 Boom," "Set it Off," and "The King of Romance," from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardi B</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus, known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. According to various media outlets, she is regarded as one of the most commercially successful female rappers of her generation. Born and raised in New York City, she first gained popularity through videos shared on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York, which depicted her pursuit of her music aspirations, and earned further recognition with the release of her two mixtapes: Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 (2016) and Vol. 2 (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Thee Stallion</span> American rapper (born 1995)

Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her freestyling became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram. She signed with 300 Entertainment in 2018, where she would achieve her mainstream breakthrough in the following year with the release of her singles: "Hot Girl Summer" and "Cash Shit" ; the former peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the latter became certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The latter song was also included on her commercial mixtape Fever (2019), which was followed up with her extended play Suga (2020)—both of which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Thee Stallion discography</span>

American rapper Megan Thee Stallion has released two studio albums, one compilation album, three mixtapes, three extended plays, thirty-eight singles, and two promotional singles. In her early career, Megan Thee Stallion released the non-commercial, SoundCloud-exclusive mixtapes Rich Ratchet (2016) and Megan Mix (2017). She made her official solo debut by commercially releasing her first professional EP, Make It Hot, on September 18, 2017, which was followed by her second EP Tina Snow on December 21, 2018.

Kevin McKenzie, professionally known as K-Cut, is a Canadian record producer and DJ, most notably as a member of East Coast hip hop group Main Source.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Watrous, Peter (August 25, 1991). "Pop Music; When the Queen Speaks, People Listen". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fox, Marisa (September 20, 1991). "Nature of a Sista'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Nature Of A Sista' (Inlay cover). Queen Latifah. Tommy Boy Records. September 3, 1991.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. 1 2 3 "Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ehrlich, Dimitri (December 1991). "queen's logic". Spin . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Picks and Pans Review: Nature of a Sista'". People . September 30, 1991. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Henderson, Alex. "AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 "5 Best Tracks on Queen Latifah's 'Black Reign'". The Boombox . November 16, 2017. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Album Reviews". Rolling Stone . 2005. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008.
  10. Howard, Jacinta (March 2, 2017). "Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim - The Top 10 Verses by Female Rappers". The Boombox . Archived from the original on June 5, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ms. Krista (November 24, 2011). "SoulBounce's Class Of 1991: Queen Latifah 'Nature Of A Sista'". SoulBounce.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  12. 1 2 Ekpo, Ime (March 18, 2018). "All Hail the Queen: Happy Birthday to the Iconic Queen Latifah". The Source . Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
  13. "Fly Girl" / "Nature Of A Sista'" (Inlay cover). Queen Latifah. Tommy Boy Records. 1991.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Fly Girl)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  15. "Hot Rap Songs (Fly Girl)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  16. 1 2 "Releases". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  17. 1 2 Carter, Brooke (April 11, 2017). "What Happened to Queen Latifah – What is She Up to Now?". The Gazette Review. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017.
  18. Caulfield, Keith (April 9, 2003). "15ask". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 29, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Billboard 200 (Nature of a Sista')". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Nature of a Sista')". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  21. "How Do I Love Tee". MTV Base. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  22. "Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here". MTV Base. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  23. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  24. "Hot Rap Songs (Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.
  25. Larkin, Colin (2011). "Queen Latifah". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  26. Southwell, Tim (September 28, 1991). "Long Play". NME . p. 36. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  27. "Queen Latifah: Nature of a Sista'". Q . October 1991.
  28. Hull, Tom. "Grade List: Queen Latifah". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  29. 1 2 "It's Not Easy Being Queen". Vibe . December 1993 – January 1994. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017.
  30. Howard, Jacinta (July 5, 2018). "'This is Beautiful. Period': Sir Mix-A-Lot on 'Baby Got Back"s Secret Depth". The Boombox . Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
  31. Howard, Jacinta (September 3, 2018). "Queen Latifah Explores the 'Nature of a Sista': Sept. 3 in Hip-Hop History". The Boombox . Archived from the original on September 5, 2018.
  32. Huey, Steve. "Artist Biography by Steve Huey". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017.
  33. "Nature of a Sista'". Apple Music. September 3, 1991. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017.