These days, the name RuPaul is synonymous with “icon,” whether you’re talking about fashion, music or the drag community. It’s no surprise that the RuPaul’s Drag Race host has 11 primetime Emmy Awards to his name and has helped push hundreds of drag careers to the next level.
As Ru’s own career and empire continues to skyrocket, it’s also worth looking back on his eclectic past.
After years of turning looks and faces in the New York City drag underground, RuPaul splashed into pop culture consciousness with his 1992 song “Supermodel (You Better Work),” which hit No. 45 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Dance Club Songs chart. A regular visitor to the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, Ru has put a number of titles on that particular tally, from “Sissy That Walk” to “Read U Wrote U” to “Kitty Girl” to “I’m That Bitch” to “Catwalk,” several of those in collaboration with the various queens competing on the smash hit reality shows RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag Race All Stars.
Additionally, the celebrity drag queen has released more than a dozen studio albums, published several books, become a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics, hosted The RuPaul Show on VH1, won the aforementioned Emmys, and earned countless other accolades, including a 2022 Tony nomination as one of the producers of A Strange Loop, a nominee for best musical.
If we know anything about RuPaul, it’s that words can’t do his presence justice — photos, on the other hand, just might. Below, take a scroll though the drag icon’s life in photos, from 1979 to today.
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A Photo Timeline of RuPaul’s Career
Take a scroll though the 56-year-old star's life in photos, from 1979 to today.
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1990
RuPaul at the Roxy in New York City in 1990.
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1992
RuPaul attends Henri Bendel’s anniversary celebration, hosted by Jean-Paul Gaultier and Susan Falk on April 10, 1992, in New York City.
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1993
RuPaul (second from left) with Dave Grohl, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana at the 10th annual MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 2, 1993, in Los Angeles.
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1993
RuPaul performs during the Gay Rights March on April 25, 1993, in Washington, D.C.
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1993
RuPaul performs at the World Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois, on June 8, 1993.
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1994
RuPaul and Elton John perform at the 1994 Brit Awards held at Alexandra Palace on Feb. 14, 1994, in London.
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1995
RuPaul at the Kids for Kids benefit carnival on Oct. 1, 1995, in New York City. The carnival, which was funded by Harper’s Bazaar magazine, was the third held by the Pediatric AIDS Foundation to raise funds for research.
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1995
RuPaul attends the opening of his store in London on April 19, 1995.
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1996
RuPaul and Diana Ross film a music video together on Santa Monica Boulevard on Jan. 7, 1996, in West Hollywood.
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1998
RuPaul attends the premiere of “An Unexpected Life” on June 15, 1998, in Hollywood.
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1999
RuPaul attends the 10th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Gala on March 28, 1999, in New York City.
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2003
RuPaul and Tammy Faye Bakker Messner at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 15, 2003, in Park City, Utah.
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2004
RuPaul performs at Wigstock on Aug. 21, 2004, at Tompkins Square Park, in New York City.
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2005
RuPaul launches his doll created by Jason Wu at Arcadia Gallery in New York City on Aug. 4, 2005.
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2009
RuPaul takes the stage during the taping of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 2 on July 31, 2009, in in Culver City, California.
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2011
RuPaul, Elton John and Michael Stipe attend the 19th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center on Feb. 27, 2011, in West Hollywood.
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2014
RuPaul attends The Instagram Art of Mathu Anderson opening on Nov. 13, 2014, in Los Angeles.
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2017
RuPaul and Lady Gaga on season 9 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
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2017
RuPaul attends the Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 25, 2017 in New York City.
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2018
RuPaul is honored with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 16, 2018 in Hollywood, Calif.
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2018
RuPaul (C) and cast and crew accept the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ onstage during the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 17, 2018 in Los Angeles.
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2018
RuPaul during the ceremonial ribbon cutting at RuPaul’s DragCon NYC 2018 at Javits Center on Sept. 29, 2018 in New York City.
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2019
RuPaul (C) and the team behind RuPaul’s Drag Race pose with awards for Outstanding Competition Program in the press room during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 22, 2019 in Los Angeles.
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RuPaul appears in new Netflix show AJ and the Queen, which premiered on Netflix in January 2020.
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2021
RuPaul hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live on Aug. 25, 2021.
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RuPaul