Long before Queen Latifah became the Emmy-winning star of The Equalizer, she faced a side of fame few see—a side marked by vulnerability and fear. In a rare, candid conversation, the music and film icon revealed that for nearly a decade, she carried a firearm in public for her own protection.
“People think fame protects you,” Latifah said. “It doesn’t. It makes you a target.”
From Newark to the Spotlight
When Latifah, born Dana Owens, emerged in 1989 with her debut album All Hail the Queen, she became one of hip-hop’s first female powerhouses. Her confident, outspoken persona challenged the male-dominated industry, while her music offered a voice for women navigating the same world. But as her visibility grew, so did her exposure to risk.
“Back then, it wasn’t glamorous,” she recalled. “I was touring in unfamiliar neighborhoods, often paid in cash, surrounded by people I didn’t always know. There were moments I realized that if something went wrong, no one was going to protect me but me.”
A Turning Point
The decision to carry a gun came after a frightening incident in the early ’90s when her car was hijacked. “That night changed everything,” she said. “I remember thinking, I’m not going to let fear own me again. So I took matters into my own hands.”
For the next eight years, Latifah legally carried a firearm. “It wasn’t about being tough; it was about surviving,” she explained. “I was a young Black woman with visibility and no security. That combination can be dangerous.”
The Weight of Constant Vigilance
Living in a state of alertness left a mark. “It changes you,” Latifah reflected. “You start scanning every room, watching every car behind you. That kind of tension can wear on your spirit.” She credits her mother, Rita Owens, with helping her eventually put down the weapon. “She said, ‘You can’t live your whole life waiting for the worst thing to happen.’ And she was right.”
Latifah gradually found safety through therapy, meditation, and cultivating a trusted circle. “Healing isn’t instant,” she said. “But I wanted peace more than I wanted protection.”
Turning Experience Into Empowerment
Her journey through fear informs her work today. In Set It Off (1996), she portrayed Cleo, a character who reflected the resilience and frustration she had experienced. “That role was me,” she admitted. “It was everything I’d been feeling—anger, fear, pride. I poured it all out.”
Now, as the lead and executive producer of The Equalizer, Latifah channels that same energy differently. “Playing Robyn McCall feels full-circle,” she said. “I spent years learning how to protect myself. Now I get to show other women they can, too—without losing their humanity.”
From Fear to Strength
Looking back, Latifah doesn’t regret her choices but takes pride in her evolution. “I don’t walk around scared anymore,” she said. “I still stay aware—that’s just who I am. But I don’t live in fear. I live in strength.”
Summing up her journey, she added with calm conviction:
“I carried that gun because I didn’t feel safe. Now, I carry myself—and that’s more powerful than anything I could ever hold.”
If you want, I can also craft a shorter, punchy version for online readers that highlights the most striking moments of the interview without losing the nuance. It would read almost like a feature for a magazine or news site. Do you want me to do that?