Queen Latifah claims her father bought her a gun when she was five-years-old so that she would have protection.

The rapper turned actress made the startling revelation when explaining what life was like growing up in New Jersey. "He bought us these guns! I was about five. Real guns. He bought me a German Luger (pistol) and he bought my brother a .38 Snub (nosed revolver)," she told Jay Leno in an interview.

"My brother was into the cowboy thing, so that kind of worked a little better for him. It was so cool. That didn't last long, my mother snuck in and threw those guns right out the door. My mother had some sense, (she said), 'Get those guns away from my babies! What on earth Lance?'"

Latifah is currently starring in Joyful Noise which premiered earlier this week. Check out the pics from the night below.

Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox and Paula Patton glam it up at 'Joyful Noise' premiere...