Drive-Thru Dialogue  with Aja LaBeija

From Drag Race and Drag Race All Stars to HBO Max’s Legendary, Aja has made an indelible mark in the world of art, drag, and activism. She left drag after her appearance on Drag Race and debuted her work as a rapper and joined the ballroom scene as a famed member of House LaBeija, founded by Crystal LaBeija, whom Aja portrayed during Snatch Game. Her personal identity has been an evolution, celebrating her artistic queerness and coming out as trans. Inspired by Kylie Sonique Love’s win on All Stars as the first-ever trans woman to take home a crown for the US version of the show, she returned to drag.

Most recently, the House of LaBeija partnered with Taco Bell for its YouTube series, Drive-Thru Dialogue, which features real conversations with underrepresented voices discussing the most pressing topics for our community – all from a Taco Bell drive-thru with Aja and LaBeija House Mother Samil.

During Pride, there is much discussion about the corporate celebration of our Pride. Is it a money-grabbing tactic or true allyship? For Aja, it is clear.

It is important to partner with allies of the LGBTQ+ community that want to help raise awareness to the mass audiences on the challenges we are continuing to face. With larger corporations like Taco Bell, we are able to work together to push the envelope and insert these “tougher” conversations, which are typically unexplored or underrepresented in mainstream media. We collaborated on an episode of Drive Thru Dialogues which is a Taco Bell social content series on Tik Tok featuring our conversation recognizing House Mothers, and all chosen mothers, in hopes of making Mother’s Day and other holidays more inclusive. I look forward to building a  world where these topics are normalized and invite you to follow along with the Drive-Thru Dialogues series on Taco Bell’s Tik Tok @tacobell.

She has had the unique opportunity to have made herstory in two trailblazing genres – on the Drag Race runway and in the Legendary ballroom. Her Pride is evident.

I’m proud to be a part of the LaBeija legacy! Today, the House of LaBeija is as loud and proud as it was in 1972 and the vision of our founders is clearer than ever. As the oldest and most revered house in New York’s drag and ballroom scene, we pioneered a lot of firsts – protested against the white, Eurocentric beauty standards, paved the way for voguing and the first to host benefits to raise awareness during the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Aja is this month’s GED drag centerfold, though her artistry expands on the drag world to celebrate an art form founded in history with an eye on the future of LGBTQ+ representation:

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

How did you come up with your drag name?

Everyone was pronouncing my name wrong, so I ended up just going with the way people said it. I made up this whole narrative about how it was part of a Bollywood movie to make it seem interesting, but honestly, it was just that nobody knew how to say my name.

Guilty pleasure?

My guilty pleasure is indulging in an extremely nerdy activity like Pokémon. As a trans woman who lives a particularly glamorous life being that I am into beauty and fashion, people don’t really expect me to have a nerdy side, but I am so into video games, anime, etc.

Favorite part about doing ballroom?

One of my favorite things about being in ballroom is that I can represent who I really am and what our culture is all about. I am fortunate to be in a position to partner with a brand like Taco Bell and speak about what goes on in our daily lives. By leveraging Taco Bell’s platform like Tik Tok for Drive Through Dialogues, I can push for more representation and empower others to be their authentic self, even as ballroom is becoming more mainstream, while continuing to reach a wider audience. In ballroom I am not considered a drag queen, I am considered a fem queen.

Least favorite part about doing drag?

My least favorite part about drag is how popular it has become. It’s like everybody does drag now. Everyone’s mom, cousin, uncle, and grandmother are doing drag. I am all for it but I just wish that people would do drag because they wanted to and not because they saw it as a cheap way to get famous. But at the end of the day, we see through all the façades and we know who really wants to partake and who is just doing it for the influence!

Craziest drag story?

My craziest drag story is that one time I was flying from Los Angeles to Tampa Florida after filming the promotion teaser for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3 and I was going to land late for my gig so I had to do my make-up on the plane, and it was just so chaotic. Everyone was looking at me like I was insane, and I already suffered from really bad anxiety so I was just having sweats and my heart was racing the whole time. I hated it.

Most un-drag thing you do?

Honestly, I don’t really feel like I do anything that draggy in the first place. Ever since my transition I feel like my style of drag has become very much an extension of my womanhood and I feel like the only drag thing I really do is lip-synch performance.

Strangest hobby or talent?

My strangest hobby? I have so many. I don’t really think I’m that normal of a person so there’s that. A lot of people do know this, but some people may not, but I am a medium. So, I have a few spiritual abilities that I’ve been aware of since I was a child and when I am not on tour, I am a leader of a spiritual community here in New York and I have created a queer safe space for other people to participate and not feel alone.

What celebrity most needs a drag makeover?

I feel like most celebrities are low-key drag queens.

Favorite nightlife hotspot?

Despite what people may think, my favorite nightlife hotspot is home. I don’t really like to go out that much, but if I’m in the room I am the life of the party. However, I don’t really like to go out in my free time, I like to feel luxurious and indulge in peace and quiet.

Favorite non-profit?

Everyone should definitely check out the Brooklyn Ghost Project which caters to the trans community.

Favorite binge food?

I am a slut for cereal. Reese‘s Puffs and Oreos are fab.

Go-to cocktail?

If it’s the right place I can go for a Cosmo at any time. But if the bartenders look like they don’t want to deal with a high-maintenance girl, I’ll just get a vodka sprite.

What would the name of your biography be?

Ibutola. Which is my Yoruba name.

Favorite song to perform?

“White Couture” by Aja.

Favorite moment from Drag Race?

My favorite moment from Drag Race would have to be when I stunt it on all the girls in All Stars and they had to pretend that my outfit wasn’t Studio 54 just to eliminate me even though they knew damn well it was.

What’s your favorite pickup line?

Tell me I’m beautiful. That’s all. I don’t care about anything else.

How much Taco Bell do you eat in a month?

I’d say it happens at least once a week. The munchies direct me.

What do you love most about chatting with queer youth?

I love to share my experiences with people who may be going through similar things and hopefully I can help them get a sense of direction in their life. It’s unfortunate but if I am able to go through trials and tribulations I can assist others to go through them as well.

What is your coming-out story?

I literally don’t have a coming out story, I’ve never been afraid to be who I am or say who I am, which is very privileged. I just simply exist, and I’ll let you know who I am.

What do you love most about being a part of Drag Race history?

Knowing that my artistry has influenced many younger artists and continues to be a style that people like to emulate.

Where can we find and follow you?

Follow me on Instagram @ajathekween and Twitter @ajaoxum.