Queen Latifah is a star for a variety of reasons, but the female rap pioneer turned actor proved she still has what it takes to rock the house when she brought out Naughty by Nature for a rare live performance during Rock The Bells at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY.
Taking to the stage on Saturday (August 5), the “Ladies First” rapper proved she still believed in female “U.N.I.T.Y.” when she performed the song alongside Monie Love, Remy Ma, MC Lyte, and more, as Treach from Naughty by Nature and Papoose rocked out from the side of the stage. DJ Premier, too, made sure to check out her performance.
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Later on, Naughty by Nature performed “Uptown Anthem,” “Hip Hop Hooray” and more as the Queen and others cheered on.
The impact of the Naughty by Nature performance cannot be overstated. In recent weeks, Treach revealed that the collective hadn’t been performing together due to what he’d called “scheduling conflicts,” but which actually suggested deeper tensions between the New Jersey natives. However, they’d seemed to put all that aside upon the Queen’s command, suggesting a larger reunion may be at hand.
Check out the videos from the performance below.
The Earth-shattering performance was part of a larger lineup that included Native Tongues legends De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and more.
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Ludacris, fresh from touring with Janet Jackson, put on an electrifying performance and Big Boi of Outkast made a surprise appearance during Latifah’s set, ensuring that the South had great representation for the special 50th Hip Hop Anniversary edition of the festival.
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Queens icons RUN DMC took the stage before Rock The Bells Founder LL COOL J closed out the night with The Roots and DJ Z-Trip running through a medley of his hits.
LL COOL J founded Rock The Bells in 2018 with a focus on uplifting the culture and elements of Hip Hop. The brand uses content, commerce, merchandise and various experiences, such as the upcoming inaugural festival, to remind fans where the genre came from.
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The name comes from LL COOL J’s 1985 hit “Rock the Bells” and the rap icon had to take ownership back after another company had used the name for its own festival in the mid-2000s.
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