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Top 10 RuPaul's Drag Race Lip Syncs

"Don't be a drag, just be a Queen."

By WatchMojoPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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These queens really knew how to sashay, shantay, and slay that runway. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the "Top 10 RuPaul’s Drag Race Lip Sync Battles."

For this list, we’re taking a look at the most memorable lip-sync showdowns from this reality competition show. As RuPaul would say, “Good luck and don’t f$%k it up!”

The synthetic claws came out when rivals Raven and Tyra Sanchez battled it out. Both were equal parts sickening and shady, and each had a real chance at the crown, so when it came down to the final lip sync, neither held back. Raven stuck with her signature style of sexy twirls and her poses, whereas Tyra walked right up to the judge’s table to give them all a close-up look of her unclockable beat. What really sold this lip sync was the queens’ impeccable outfits. Tyra’s green and baby pink poolside fantasy was the cherry on top for expertly crafted eleganza of the season, while Raven’s black corset look was so good, it inspired Naomi Smalls to copy it years later.

When Jinkx finally landed in the bottom so close to the finale, things were looking kind of rough. She’d shown her quirky comedy chops in previous challenges, but could she lip sync? Detox had already sent home two queens with her slapstick lip-sync skills. It was looking like team Rolaskatox, made up of Detox, Alaska, and Roxxxy, were a shoe-in for the top three. Luckily for Jynkx, “Malambo No. 1” was the perfect song for her to show off a little bit of her shtick, and having ditched her huge hoop skirt before the runway, she was able to pop her hips, twirl, and nab that shantay.

Milk’s avant-garde drag style and goofy personality left us gagging in Season Six, challenging the judge’s expectations with her boy-drag, and unique facial hair choices. Trinity, on the other hand, with her lackluster acting skills, seemed to fade into the background week after week. When they went head-to-head in the lip sync, it seemed more than a little likely that Milk would come out the victor, but when the music started, all bets were off. Milk busted out an off-color bunny hop boogie, but nothing could top Trinity’s sexy hip-hop movements that worked perfectly with the song.

What better way to bring the drama than a battle between the forces of good and evil? The pair’s opposing drag styles caused some serious friction in Season Four, with the conflict reaching its climax to the tune of “It’s Raining Men.” To top it off, they were wearing contrasting angel and devil outfits, which perfectly highlighted their mutual animosity. The lip sync itself was anyone’s game right up until the end, leaving us holding our breath to see who would shantay. Thankfully, Willam was caught cheating and was disqualified, leaving them to prance it out another day.

Season Seven’s Hello Kitty challenge threw a lot of queens through a loop, notably Kennedy and Katya, but when it came to the lip sync, we’re glad it did. Never before had two queens this flexible come together for a lip sync. It was clear right from the jump that both queens badly wanted that shantay, and the competition was tight right up until Kennedy jumped right off the stage and into the splits, only to be matched by Katya moments later with her own stationary split. What made this lip sync so good is the level of talent and energy that both queens were serving, but in the end, Kennedy just went that extra mile.

Manila’s quirky Big Bird dress may have seemed like the perfect garment for the main stage, but it wasn’t quite enough to save her from the bottom two. It did, however, work perfectly with her off-the-wall lip sync. She started out pretty tame, swooning along to the maudlin lyrics, but when the song hit the bridge, Manila unleashed her inner Gila monster and slayed that lip-sync. Her dance was kooky, funny, and honestly a little bit scary, but most importantly, it was memorable. Meanwhile, Delta Work stood in the same spot and sang along to her bracelet...? Interesting choice, Delta...

Dida Ritz might not have been the best at serving looks on the runway, but this lip sync showed us all why she made it on the show. With one of the most high energy performances, Dida stomped, shook, and strutted out a powerhouse number, closing the show with one of the best performances ever seen on RDR, let alone lip syncs. This was made all the better by the fact that she performed Natalie Cole’s hit song “This Will Be” to the hoots and cheers of the diva herself. Even with that weird wig, Dida demonstrated what drag was all about, and The Princess never stood a chance.

After Mimi Imfurst’s controversial wrestling move, no one seemed to mind when these queens got touchy-feely on the main stage. When the two threw down on the runway, it didn’t take long for clothes to come off, letting them show off their sickening silhouettes rivaled only by Violet Chachki. The performance quickly became more of a light wrestle than a lip sync, and we’re surprised that nothing came a little untucked given just how naked Carmen got. It was the hottest, most sexually confusing moment in Drag Race HERstory, and one we’ll never forget.

Nine out of ten drag race queens agree: Roxxy Andrews has got the look. Nearly all of her outfits are handcrafted down to fine details, and she knows exactly what it takes to serve it up with her thick and juicy curves. When she squared off against dancing diva Alyssa Edwards, it was hard to see how Roxxxy could pull it off, and when she pulled off her wig (a big lip-sync no-no from Season Two onwards) the judges held their breath. But as we mentioned before, Roxxxy knows what she’s doing, and revealed a second, more whip-friendly wig beneath. Legendary.

But before we get to our top pick, here are some Honorable Mentions:

  • Raven vs. Nicole Paige Brooks
  • Kenya Michaels vs. Latrice Royale
  • Chi Chi DeVayne vs. Thorgy Thor

Who else but Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese could take the number one spot? These two longtime adversaries had a lot to prove when it came to their main stage performance. Alyssa pulled out all the stops, kicking and twirling in an act that could only come from years of professional dancing experience. This was all while wearing an outfit that Santino described as the ugliest dress he’d ever seen, whereas Coco’s mango pantsuit almost saved her from the bottom two—almost. Her look really shone in the lip sync, where the billowy sleeves danced along perfectly with the song, highlighting her perfect lyrical knowledge and ultimately beating out Alyssa’s exceptional moves.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite RuPaul's Drag Race lip sync? For more top 10s that put a sway in your step, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.

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