Queen Latifah lauds Jackson contributions

LOS ANGELES, July 5 (UPI) -- Rapper-actress Queen Latifah says she will remember the late U.S. singer Michael Jackson for influencing her and her brother when they were young.

The actress, whose voice is featured in the animated movie "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," said she remembers how influential Jackson was to her when she first heard his Jackson 5 song "Dancing Machine," the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

"Michael just -- there'll never be anyone like him. He just introduced us to the world, just an international megastar. And a heart of gold. And just, you know, brought attention to things going on around the world and to being an African-American man," she said of Jackson, who died June 25.

The rapper, whose real name is Dana Owens, said her forthcoming album "Persona" will represent her various personality aspects and musical tastes.

"It doesn't have a specific theme -- each (song) was so different from the next, me being the common denominator," she told the Times.

"My acting, singing and rapping identities all came together under one roof as well as my taste in different kinds of music."