Queen Latifah on racism being 'alive and kicking' in America: 'If I hail a cab and it passes me for the white woman'

Queen Latifah has lamented the police brutality which has erupted in America in the past week and has said “racism is still alive and kicking”.

Speaking at the VH1's Hip Hop Honours event on Monday night, the 46-year-old rapper said it was imperative we changed deeply entrenched racist attitudes within society. Queen Latifah gave the example of a taxi driver passing her by for a white woman to illustrate her wider point.

The musician said she hoped the tension which has recently unfolded could be channelled in a positive way.

In the past week, two black men have been fatally shot by police in the US. Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old father of five, was selling CDs in Baton Rouge in Louisiana when he was shot by a police officer last Tuesday and Philando Castile, 32, was fatally shot by police a day later during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights in Minnesota. Five police officers were later killed after a man opened fire near a peaceful protest in Dallas.

“We all know that the world and our world is really tense right now,” Queen Latifah said.

”It's a lot of tension. It's a lot of angst. It's a lot of hurt. A lot of pain. I'm hoping that we can somehow manage to channel all of these emotions that we have in a positive way and really do something to change our world.”

“I don't care how much money or things I have, or Puff has, or Missy [Elliot] has, the ladies have, if I go outside and try to hail a cab and he passes me for the white woman standing right there - that racism is still alive and kicking. And we have to change that. And I'm not blaming the white lady, she needed a cab too. I'm just saying we gotta change this attitude.”

The VH1 Hip Hop Honors event recognises women in hip-hop and celebrates their accomplishments. Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pep attended the event and the show was opened by Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza and Darnell Moore.

“This movement is grounded in black peoples' dignity, justice and freedom. It's about love, not violence,” Garza said. ”Joy is also an important part of our movement.”

Michelle Obama commended Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot in a pre-recorded video broadcast at the event. Ms Obama thanked the pair for their support towards the White House’s “Let Girls Learn” initiative, which endeavours to bring education to young girls in underprivileged communities around the world.

“I’m so proud of the two of you because through your music and your activism - including your support of our 'Let Girls Learn' initiative - you all are empowering young women around the world to believe in themselves and fulfill their boundless promise,” Ms Obama said.

The deaths of Mr Sterling and Mr Castille follow a lengthy list of incidents of black people shot or fatally wounded by the police. A study by The Guardian found the police had killed at least 136 black people in 2016 so far. The same study found young black men were nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed by police officers in 2015.