Queen Latifah

Singer/rapper/actress Queen Latifah, who releases her second jazz album 'Trav'lin' Light' on September 25th, is also planning a return to rap. The star - real name Dana Owens - has been a regular in Hollywood of late, with high-profile roles in movies such as Hairspray and Chicago says current songs in the hip-hop industry are 'too superficial'. "I'd love to make another rap album," Latifah tells Billboard.com. "I have some music I've already been working on. But everything has to have its proper place; I don't really want to drop the rap album while ('Trav'lin' Light') is out. I really want to respect every genre for what it is, and I'd prefer to record a rap album and be out there promoting it." But the Queen is keen to return to her rap roots and record a new album - almost a decade after her last release. She tells Billboard.com, "I think there's a bunch of rap heads and hip-hop lovers who are my age. They just want good music that's not shallow. There's still room for me to do my thing." Latifah's last foray into the rap industry was 1998's ‘Order In The Court.’ “Trav’lin’ Light,” her new album due Sept. 25 from jazz label Verve Records, is the entertainer’s second foray into the jazz, soul and blues arena following her 2004 effort, “The Dana Owens Album.” The disc features covers of both standards and pop songs made famous by 10cc, Smokey Robinson, the Pointer Sisters and Donny Hathaway. She begins a tour to support the album on Sept. 29 in Dallas. View the list below. September 2007 29 - Dallas, TX - Majestic TheaterOctober 20071 - Iowa City, IA - Hancher Auditorium4 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino5 - Cleveland, OH - Playhouse Square6 - Skokie, IL - North Shore Center8 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Casino9 - Stamford, CT - Palace Theater 10 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre12 - Rehoboth Beach, DE - Rehoboth Beach Convention Center13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino14 - Bethesda, MD - Music Center15 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric Opera House17 - Wilmington, DE - Grand Opera House19 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues20 - Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center21 - Bethlehem, PA - Zoellner Arts Center24 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom (two shows) 26 - Troy, NY - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall27 - Kingston, NY - Ulster Performing Arts Center29 - Harrisburg, PA - The Forum30 - Newport News, VA - Ferguson CenterNovember 20072 - Atlanta, GA - Symphony Hall3 - Biloxi, MI - Beau Rivage Theatre4 - Lafayette, LA - Heymann Performing Arts Center6 - Naples, FL - Philharmonic Performing Arts Center7 - West Palm Beach, FL - Kravis Center West8 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall10 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live13 - Costa Mesa, CA - Segerstrom Concert Hall15 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theater16 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues17 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center19 - Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts20 - Palm Desert, CA - McCallum Theater