Part of the cultural legacy of the famous Queen Latifah It is being exhibited these days in the well-known Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, located in Cleveland (Ohio, United States). Specifically the Honda CBR900RR Fireblade which was part of his video clip “UNITY”. The song from his third studio album Black Reign also earned him the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1995.
A video clip with a strong emotional charge
As detailed in the specialized publication Essence, this song “became an anthem for women demanding respect and standing up to sexism and harassment”. Furthermore, for Latifah it has a very special meaning since her brother, Lancelot Jr., died at the controls of a motorcycle that she had bought him just a few months before the video clip was recorded. That is why throughout it, the artist includes a dedication to his memory.
Another relevant piece of information on this matter is the ignition key that the singer and actress is hanging during the filming of the video clip. It is said to be the same as the motorcycle with which his brother lost his life. She later wore it again throughout the filming of the television series Living Single, where she played the role of Khadijah James, an editor and director of the fictional urban independent magazine Flavor.
Queen Latifah’s Honda CBR900RR Fireblade
Apparently, that Honda CBR900RR Fireblade was not just another part of the set of the video clip itself, and if it was at the time, the Japanese mount ended up being part of the singer’s personal garage. So much so that 20 years after its commercial launch, Queen Latifah could be seen riding this same motorcycle in the vicinity of West Hollywood, as reported by the Daily Mail at the time.
We don’t really know what has happened to the bike in recent years, since the images published by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame show us that it is somewhat lacking in love. The rust on the seat post and chain reveals a motorcycle that, most likely, has been stored for a long period of time. In any case, we are left with Latifah’s words in a recent interview where she stated:
“Motorcycles and music have been the two constant loves of my life since I was a child. Both have accompanied me in some of my happiest moments and have been a source of strength and comfort in the most difficult times. The opportunity to share the motorcycle from my “UNITY” video with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum is incredibly meaningful to me, especially as I celebrate the great honor of being inducted this year.”
He concluded: “If you had told a young Queen Latifah, on the set of that video, that one day this motorcycle would be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, she would never have believed it. And yet, here we are.” It does so along with other objects belonging to the 18 honored members, including Luther Vandross, Celia Cruz, Billy Idol and Liam Gallagher.
The exhibition, which opened on November 9, will be followed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
