Legendary Patti LaBelle says she channels her inner “gangsta” for upcoming role on ‘Star’

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Legendary singer Ms. Patti LaBelle, 73, has done it all during her 50-plus years in the industry. She’s a titan in the music industry, author, and entrepreneur — we can’t get enough of her pies from her food line Patti’s Good Life. But Ms. LaBelle says she’s got a “gangsta” side that will be coming out in her upcoming role on Star.

LaBelle plays Christine, Carlotta’s (Queen Latifah) fierce, but loving mother who comes back at a tough time in her daughter’s life. During her interview with theGrio’s Natasha Alford, she opens up about her role.

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“The character is like… ancient gangster,” she explains. “I was trying to get my daughter [Queen Latifah] to understand that I have the money to invest in that shop, but she never wanted to deal with me because I had dirty money.”

“I was trying to convince her this is what you need now, the shop burned down so what do you have? Nothing. I had to say a few choice things to her, she still didn’t really listen but I was as gangster as I could be,” she says with a smile.

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LaBelle is an inspiration to many black women and touched on how black women are breaking barriers.

“We have to and we’ve been doing it for such a long time — sometimes people don’t recognize that.”

She continues, “Oprah, she’s the idol. And everyone — not only black women, white women– would love to be in her shoes and know everything: her knowledge, her beauty, her everything… It’s phenomenal.

“I’ve been looking up to her for some time now,” she expresses. “I did her first show in Baltimore– when nobody would do her shows.  I was the first guest and she thanked me forever and ever. [Oprah started] from the bottom [and made her way] to the total top. And that’s something to admire.”

LaBelle says women like her and Michelle Obama, let us know we can do anything.

Season 2 of Star premieres Wednesday, March 28th.

Check out more highlights from our interview below!

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