Pepper LaBeija
Encyclopedia
Pepper LaBeija born William Jackson, was an American
drag queen
performer and designer featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning
and in the 2006 documentary How Do I Look
directed by Wolfgang Busch
. LaBeija was the head of the notable ball culture
House of LaBeija.
Malcolm Mclaren
quoted him in his famous 1989 song and music video Deep in Vogue
, a tribute to the New-York gay balls of the eighties, sort of runway competitions that involved dance, fashion and attitude.
LaBeija suffered from diabetes for many years and had both feet amputated before dying of a heart attack
in Manhattan
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
performer and designer featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning
Paris is Burning (film)
Paris Is Burning is a 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African American, Latino, gay and transgender communities involved in it...
and in the 2006 documentary How Do I Look
How Do I Look
How Do I Look is a LGBT Historic Art Documentary, released in 2006 as a documentary film directed by Wolfgang Busch, assistant directors are Kevin Omni and Luna Khan. Distributed by Art From The Heart; USA , 80 minutes...
directed by Wolfgang Busch
Wolfgang Busch
Wolfgang Busch, born on November 6th, 1955 in Heppenheim, Germany, is a humanitarian award winning documentary filmmaker, director, producer, cinematographer, editor and special events coordinator, and is also a social and artistic activist for the LGBT community who has used his skills to lead...
. LaBeija was the head of the notable ball culture
Ball culture
Ball culture, the house system, the ballroom community and similar terms describe the underground LGBT subculture in the United States in which people "walk" for trophies and prizes at events known as balls. Those who walk often also dance and vogue while others compete in various genres of drag...
House of LaBeija.
Malcolm Mclaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
quoted him in his famous 1989 song and music video Deep in Vogue
Deep in Vogue
"Deep in Vogue" is a 1989 dance single by Malcolm McLaren and the Bootzilla Orchestra featuring Lourdes and Willie Ninja. The song was lifted from his fourth album Waltz Darling. The single was McLaren's fourth entry on the dance play charts and his only number one. "Deep in Vogue" was number one...
, a tribute to the New-York gay balls of the eighties, sort of runway competitions that involved dance, fashion and attitude.
LaBeija suffered from diabetes for many years and had both feet amputated before dying of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.