RuPaul made a name for himself in the late 80s and early 90s in the New York City club scene. He became a local celebrity who laid the foundation for him to achieve nationwide success. That successcameintheformofhis hit 1993 single “Supermodel (You Better Work).” The song catapulted RuPaul, who soon after became the first drag queen to ever become a spokesperson for a major cosmetics company with MAC Cosmetics, got his own talk show on VH1, and a morning radio show on WKTU.
In 2009, RuPaul premiered his reality competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race. The show has since become a popular phenomenon, with 14 seasons and 10 spinoffs in over 8 countries.
In the modern era, where the internet can bring marginalized communities into the spotlight, drag has found a fan base that’s become larger than life. Over 50,000 people attended RuPaul’s DragCon in LA this Spring, with 150 drag queens around the world in attendance.
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