Queen Latifah Turns 55! Do You Remember Her Early TV Career?

55 years ago today, Dana Elaine Owens was born — though you more likely know her under the moniker she’s used to become a household name: Queen Latifah. After getting her start in the ’80s a precocious teen rapper (and landing her first top 10 Billboard hit, “Ladies First,” at the age of 19), Latifah began an acting career, racking up Emmys, Golden Globes, and even an Oscar nomination in the process.

But years before she headlined classic musicals like Chicago, rom-coms like Last Holiday, dramas like Set It Off, or TV staples like The Equalizer (now in its fifth season),  Queen Latifah got her start on the small screen, showing up on sitcoms starring fellow musicians, and a Fox ensemble comedy that some think provided a spark of inspiration for Sex and the City.