Newark must celebrate rich history of African-American women’s music – Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill…
By Isiah Christie
Newark, New Jersey is known for being an industrial and urban hub, due to its proximity to the bustling New York City, volume of factories and diverse demographics. But what many overlook is its significance in the cultural landscape – it’s easy to overlook because of what surrounds it, from New York City to Philadelphia to the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) area. But the city has been responsible for some of the United States’ most legendary African-American singers, especially its powerful women of image – and such significance must not be undermined.
Perhaps the greatest of Newark’s African-American women in music was Whitney Houston. Born in Newark in 1963, Houston grew up in the city – and through its brutal race riots of 1967, at that – before moving to East Orange, New Jersey, while attending school and beginning a musical career. Early on, Houston started as a backup singer to her mother’s band as well as several other acts, including Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls. Half-a-decade later, after joining Arista Records and gaining some commercial power, Houston released her self-titled debut album in 1985. This kicked off a seven-album discography that is regarded as one of the greatest in R&B (Rhythm and Blues) and pop history, and she is statistically considered the twelfth-best-selling musician of all-time. She is also the best-selling artist from New Jersey and the second-best-selling from the North East United States, behind Mariah Carey.
Queen Latifah is another example of a noteworthy African-American woman artist from the area, this time a representative of hip-hop. Much like Houston, Latifah was born in Newark but grew up in nearby East Orange, still attending Catholic school in her birth city. She joined the Flavor Unit crew, based in New York City and Northern New Jersey, and gained popularity and a signing to Tommy Boy Records through the collective. Her debut album “All Hail the Queen” is regarded as a significant stepping stone in women’s hip-hop, and she was later especially known for her hit single “U.N.I.T.Y.”, off her third studio album Black Reign.
And although she was based in East Orange, Ms. Lauryn Hill – who is regarded as one of the greatest dual hip-hop and R&B artists of all-time – is another one of New Jersey’s greatest representatives and is often synonymous with the state’s musical scene. Ms. Hill began her music career in Columbia High School of Maplewood, operating alongside Prakazrel “Pras” Michel and Wyclef Jean in what would eventually become the group Fugees. This eventually led to two studio albums before an unceremonious breakup of the group, kickstarting Ms. Hill’s solo career. This resulted in the critically acclaimed solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”, which is considered one of the greatest New Jersey albums of all-time and is the fourth-highest selling R&B albums ever. “Miseducation” also featured current Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in its skits, with him portraying a teacher that taught students about the importance of love. This was long before Baraka’s political tenure. At the time, he was only twenty-eight years old and worked as an eighth grade teacher.
Newark’s place in the grand scheme of women’s music – especially within the African-American community – is clearly significant and must be appreciated for its progression. New Jersey’s range of talent in the arts runs much deeper than some assume and claim, and it is clear – with hundreds of millions of albums sold between just these three mentioned artists alone, the influence and representation of Newark, the Brick City, is undeniable.
