Crystal LaBeija: The Queen Who Reinvented Ball Culture | MASTERS OF DRAG | AMERICAN MASTERS

Crystal LaBeija: The Queen Who Reinvented Ball Culture | MASTERS OF DRAG | AMERICAN MASTERS | PBS

Рет қаралды 208,216

2 жыл бұрын

Official website: www.pbs.org/americanmasters | #AmericanMastersPBS
A proud Black trans woman, a drag mother and, a pageant girl, Crystal LaBeija was the cause of an iconic moment in drag history that paved the way for house culture, voguing, Paris is Burning, and the TV series Pose.
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Пікірлер: 317

@jaynellioriginal5160 2 жыл бұрын

“ I have a Right to show my color” I know that’s right ❤️

@NicoleReign 2 жыл бұрын

It literally blew my mind how that man could say some racist ass shit like that, and all of them better than me bc he would have been out cold on the floor

@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy 2 жыл бұрын

♥️ ♥️

@charbadarc4167 2 жыл бұрын

It's a fairly common phrase in the u.k. Showing your true colours means showing what you really think.

@jaynellioriginal5160 2 жыл бұрын

@@charbadarc4167 it’s a common phrase for a lot of people of color. Considering all darker ethnic groups are ridiculed for their skin color all ACROSS the world ♥️

@jaynellioriginal5160 2 жыл бұрын

@@charbadarc4167 I get what your saying but considering what was happening at this specific time and date, it’s my believe she was referring to the color of her skin.

@doeeyes2 2 жыл бұрын

Aja did a great job teaching the kids about the one, the only, Crystal LaBeija on Snatch Game. Also, Rupaul's first drag experience was watching Crystal Labeija perform.

@erinjoy5625 2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow, this is really cool to have learned. I just stumbled across this chanel but so happy I did, think I may fall down a rabbit hole here to learn more about this. I find all of it to be very interesting

@antonioflowers 2 жыл бұрын

FYI.. Pepper LaBeija was also in the pageant. She was the girl next to Crystal when she was announced third runner up!!!

@hisst4rss Жыл бұрын

omggg what!!

@thedarthflagger 4 ай бұрын

Miss Emory who was runner up to Harlow

@starelise1387 12 күн бұрын

That’s not pepper

@JadeLeaf1980 Жыл бұрын

It mystifies me how so little can be known about someone so important they literally changed tHe face of drag history and gave birth to modern drag culture. Crystal is so iconic and famous yet even few photos of her remain. And if it weren’t for that documentary, there’d be even less evidence of how truly exquisite she was. How can someone so stunning have barely any remaining photos kicking around? Did someone suppress all documentation of her or something or did she ask for her life and not of her photos to be suppressed? Truly baffling...someone that stunning surely should be in photo archives somewhere.

@sabarca714 2 жыл бұрын

Than you for taking the time to honor and remember a person who demonstrated goodness and truth in her actions.

@tc2334 Жыл бұрын

Thank you PBS and Peppermint for this. I remember back in 2010 when I got involved with a house when I was dating my ex bf. They vogued. They did drag, but most importantly: they loved and supported each other. They worked to pay bills for each other. They cooked for each other and really took care everything for everybody.

@mcj5306 2 жыл бұрын

I LOVE Peppermint!! And I LOVE that Crystal is getting her flowers even after all these years. It took bravery to be yourself back in the 60’s and because crystal fought for her voice to be heard all of us have benefited. **We LOVE U GIRL

@Snax_Musician Жыл бұрын

First heard about Crystal from Pepper in Paris Is Burning: 'But I'm not the founder. CRYSTAL was the founder. I just rule it now...with a soft glove' :) If it weren't for Pepper, The Queen, and the children keeping her story alive, we wouldn't even know about Crystal. Bless 'em.

@andeleon6838 4 ай бұрын

Peppermint presented this so well! ❤

@melancolie83 Жыл бұрын

Ok so what I had heard about Crystal's name is that the Puerto Rican queens started to call her "la Bella" (meaning "the Beautiful"), and with their Puerto Rican accent, it sounded like "la Beija". Which to me, as a Spanish speaker, makes more sense than "la Belleza" becoming "la Beija".

@phalou Жыл бұрын

Oh my god, I’m obsessed with ballroom culture and never knew that.

@Parisroam Ай бұрын

Idk about that one. There’s not a J sound when you pronounce it in a rican accent

@devontehuntley6274 2 жыл бұрын

It's sad we barely know much about this person such as when she was born (I'm assuming sometime in the early 1930s), her real name, and even her death seems a mystery. She's reported to have died in 1982 and by the Paris Is Burning movie, she's no longer around. It's not mentioned she died, but Peppa Labeija is running the house and she mentions how Crystal "use" to run it. But Crystal is mentioned being around in 1993 in some article which makes no sense. I hope some new info on Crystal emerges in the future. Lots of people had to have known her for her biography to be so bear we barely know anything on her other than her role in that documentary movie. Peppa didn't really mention much of her in the interviews I can gather of her, which I found odd. For some one as popular and a stigma to the drag community as Crystal, how is more not known about her???

@cammik2229 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. There are definitely people out there who know her story and are still around i.e Junior Labeija but I have a feeling she liked to live privately during her latter years. It's also possible that her family who may have not been accepting of her lifestyle, cut everyone off after she died. I'm not sure if you've seen P.S Burn This Letter Please, it's a documentary on queen's from this era, but there were many sad stories where families of the deceased cut them off from the drag world as they never accepted it.

@anthonyL1995 2 жыл бұрын

She sadly was an alcoholic and bitter. She was alive during the filming of Paris is Burning but didn't do ballroom anymore.

@gothycouch 2 жыл бұрын

She was alive in paris is burning she just wasn’t in the ballroom scene

@SteadilyAscending 2 жыл бұрын

@Lunar tears May that energy you sent out return to you swiftly🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

@blankspace8758 2 жыл бұрын

Is still alive?

@WriterVicYates 2 жыл бұрын

I didn’t know Crystal was the architect for House culture. Thank you for this educational video ❤️

@daphnesawyer8555 2 жыл бұрын

I love seeing peppermint thriving in the mainstream ❤️

@annissa5356 2 жыл бұрын

It’s PBS, girl. Lol +The mainstream is pushing this, so of course!! It’s a definite agenda.

@rumblefish9 2 жыл бұрын

Where is Aja though

@vincentfreddoyle7555 Жыл бұрын

@@rumblefish9I believe she left the house of labeija

@Mikinaak2023 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for bringing her life up. If it wasn't for her speaking her outrage of the incongruencies of those times. I am in awe that she went from that indignity to providing a safe haven for the abused and discarded LGBTQ youth and young adults and channeling it into the art form it is evolving to to date. I glad she showed her colours. She had every right to. RIP Legendary Queen Crystal LaBeija.

@carlosabrigojr3482 11 ай бұрын

We need a biopic of The Fabulous Crystal Labeija!!

@kp-mp8tm 5 ай бұрын

you won't be able to get an authentic backstory for her as no one is alive to tell her story firsthand. Everyone alive would've known a bit about her from their encounter with Pepper as some of her kids and grandkids (ballroom chosen kids) are alive

@UnshelledTwo4 2 жыл бұрын

Her mouthing “Oh my god. Bitch no.” I liveeeeeee ugh I love our history. Queer history is black history!! Edit: Peppermint killed this. So happy to see her!

@thedarthflagger 4 ай бұрын

I thought it was omg, oh please lol

@rebekah1180 2 жыл бұрын

The part in the documentary The Queen, with Crystal, was small but one of the most memorable. One of the best documentaries I’ve seen.

@ladyofthecreek279 2 жыл бұрын

Great film, I've seen it several times.

@TheSReaction 2 жыл бұрын

It was ICONIC!!! Me and my gay coworker would use some of her quotes and no one would know what the hell was going on lol.

@missvalerie4040 2 жыл бұрын

Crystal is a legendary icon. She made a beautiful impact on this world. Rest In Peace Love.

@markmares94 2 жыл бұрын

We are here because of Black Trans Women!!!! I bow to thee ❤️❤️❤️

@GDL364 2 жыл бұрын

They cross dressed not trans.

@vincentfreddoyle7555 Жыл бұрын

@@GDL364 0:06

@Rebecca-yv7dk 2 жыл бұрын

I love her passion. He said you're showing your color??!!! Bisssshhhhh! I'm so proud of her for standing her ground and being proud of her colour. Good for her

@lehliladevandria5712 2 жыл бұрын

I have been trying to rehearse her Iconic speech from The Queen. This will give me the life I need.

@atis9061 2 жыл бұрын

She had a thrilling life, regardless of all the struggles. She was blessed

@oralogarro9932 Жыл бұрын

Me and my friends met her once and was very nice and kind and thank us for coming. ♥️♥️♥️🙏

@cherishoneal9108 2 жыл бұрын

Crystal’s outburst just goes to show that even in lgbt circles, racism is still prominent.

@DancingDeity Жыл бұрын

I have only been in the vogue scene for a little bit but you can tell a lot of people have a eurocentric mindset as they favor those who appear to be so. I've gotten negative energy from white gays, white cishet women and asian women (especially the ones who visit from Asia) in the scene. People really need to check themselves and understand why this environment exists.

@tyralikadiamondstar8960 2 жыл бұрын

It's so good to learn about people before me that fought for us to be heard. I'm glad to hear about the houses was start by mother Crystal lavasia

@GoRicky15 2 ай бұрын

Without Crystal, there are no Balls, no Vogue, and no Drag Race. Crystal created it all

@jaywholoveseveryone1721 2 жыл бұрын

Peppermint, you are a GREAT speaker and this video on the late, great and EXTRAVAGANT Queen Mother Crystal LaBeija was very informative and delightful. 💖💖💖 I often wonder what she would think of today's world.

@josemiguelvelez Жыл бұрын

I thought the same thing! If she, and everyone from LGBTQ history could see how far we’ve come (and how far we have to go)!

@jaywholoveseveryone1721 Жыл бұрын

@@josemiguelvelez 💖

@andreajones-sojola3106 23 күн бұрын

I love your delivery of this history!

@1mochadelightable 2 жыл бұрын

I had the honor to see her MC a show at the Apollo. I was 7yrs old👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

@Kiro6666 2 жыл бұрын

Crystal was to fucking fierce she slay slay for life and she is among the most famous superstar of all time

@nim3408 2 жыл бұрын

I was 12 years old then and 'Miss FANNIE"S Ball' in St. Louis was my introduction!

@Joadeos 2 жыл бұрын

That's awesome! Where was the ball held?

@leareed3749 2 жыл бұрын

RIP mother LaBeija.

@fulanideedee8709 2 жыл бұрын

I've only seen a few likenesses of Crystal and they look extremely different. In the movie, The Queen, she looks light-skinned w/a fuller face and stronger chin but in the photo w/her hair pulled back, she looks brown skinned w/a a thinner face, softer chin and more prominent cheekbones. No shade or judgment, its something interesting. I honestly would've never thought that they were the same person.

@JamesSmith-pp5vp 2 жыл бұрын

In the pageants she, and other black and brown women, wore lighter makeup to increase their chances of winning. It's also likely that she had some work done between those photos.

@fulanideedee8709 2 жыл бұрын

@@JamesSmith-pp5vp Yeah, I heard that and was wondering about it. But dang, she put lighter make up on her entire body? Wow, that's dedication to the craft.

@fulanideedee8709 2 жыл бұрын

@@JamesSmith-pp5vp ...and yes she could have lost weight, illness could've altered her appearance, as well as plastic surgery.

@tatsf 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this piece of community history! Having been around the house/ball culture as a pup in NYC in the 70s I know that it's often a part of LGBTQ history that is both important and almost unknown by many outside of it. Great job Peppermint, and thanks for mentioning House of Wong that almost never gets mention but we were adjacent to back then!

@MireyaInParis 2 жыл бұрын

Great information and herstory telling. Thank you.

@stephengattica3 2 жыл бұрын

wow thanks .in the early 80s remember reading about her in a magazine, she will great for snatch game

@flavorwise3511 2 жыл бұрын

Loved that! Thank you, Peppermint!

@heyheyhey40 2 жыл бұрын

Great educational video! And Peppermint did a great job reading the prompter.

@luvzfrance24 11 ай бұрын

I wish there was video footage or pictures from that first ball. How historic!

@unbought6058 2 жыл бұрын

OMG, thanks for explaining this. I have seen the clip hundreds of times and never understood what was going on.

@lucio.martinez 2 жыл бұрын

I'm always in awe to hear how the older queens, took in the young and vulnerable ones.

@tysonb3568 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for narrating this Peppermint!

@jasjongalvan1544 2 жыл бұрын

Im glad to learn this history.

@sedecim 2 жыл бұрын

Peppermint !!!!! Wow on PBS! Yazzzzzzz. Queen

@molara415 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video luv!

@timmy13duffy 2 жыл бұрын

All LOVE to you and these beautiful people!!!

@OGseoulite 2 жыл бұрын

I absolutely adore the fact Perppermint is that one telling her story

@SuperSkinandHairCare 2 жыл бұрын

You betta work and teach the children, Peppermint!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

@justMarqi 2 жыл бұрын

She’s an icon. She’s the moment.

@DrBeeSpeaks 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, this culture is also prominent in Chicago.🥰 Many bold trailblazers back in the day! ❤️

@tonganqueenb5517 2 жыл бұрын

What a fabulous legacy. Long live the house of Labeija!

@Kiki-D-Kimono 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for educating our children. That

@moonpiemoonpie 2 жыл бұрын

This was excellent!

@KL-zt6jx 2 жыл бұрын

This is a great episode. Drag history is so interesting. (Kinda makes me sad that I'm not living in the US.)

@petrvilimek6041 2 жыл бұрын

Which means you can technically open the doors for queens where you live

@canaryinacoalmine7267 2 жыл бұрын

Ball culture is not necessarily drag. Do not let the people at Drag Race fool you. Drag Race is guilty of ripping off Ballroom.

@KL-zt6jx 2 жыл бұрын

@@canaryinacoalmine7267 That's true. I should have said ball culture, since that encompasses way more.

@brayanisrael9175 2 жыл бұрын

@@KL-zt6jx drag came from ballroom, ballroom didnt come from drag. Just like all apples are fruits, but not all fruits are apples 😊

@pelayo341 2 жыл бұрын

@Brayan Israel it's literally stated in this vídeo that Crystal started the ballroom scene after a failed career in drag pageants

@deonwhite201 17 күн бұрын

Bravo 🙌 I just scribed thank you 🙏 for sharing

@charlieveguilla7034 2 жыл бұрын

This is so badass story I love it

@sweett3469 2 жыл бұрын

Ms.Peaches was our Queen from Baton Rouge!!! She was too fierce !!! Love the Queens!!!!!

@rodneycorbit3259 2 жыл бұрын

You're a very GOOD storyteller!! Pepmnt!!

@Crazypixiness 2 жыл бұрын

Love to learn about this!

@suradechpongganta7450 2 жыл бұрын

This is truly and purely THE education.

@dbmnfinity1 2 жыл бұрын

VERY well done!

@stuntycuntyqueen8246 2 жыл бұрын

They kill me with they’re in accurate HISTORY !

@otohime8516 2 жыл бұрын

I love Crystal Labeija

@jiljilrojamani526 Ай бұрын

1967 and crystal had the courage to stand against them all 😮❤ wow , a warrior

@markwright349 2 жыл бұрын

Great Job 👍

@t.c.amosiv3283 2 жыл бұрын

Yesss!!!! History!!!!

@eddodelafuente8838 2 жыл бұрын

Guurl la Peppermint looks AAAAMAZING!!! Gorgeous As Heaven!!! Living for you guurl! 💋

@ariahill2345 2 жыл бұрын

She was a real QUEEN ❣️

@AurelioVidal 10 ай бұрын

I love this! ♥️

@jahjah1769 2 жыл бұрын

This host is really good at presenting

@thedarthflagger 2 жыл бұрын

"A house is a gay street gang" Dorian corey

@ringsofblayze4026 2 жыл бұрын

💅🏾

@ruthhaywood3473 Ай бұрын

Girl u did this video. 👏

@emaadkhan5168 2 жыл бұрын

such an information video!

@brucecoleman4228 2 жыл бұрын

I dont think she reinvented it. She INVENTED IT!!!

@zshzanTila 2 жыл бұрын

she's incredible

@deanolaurence3932 2 жыл бұрын

I wish we knew more about crystal

@indashadewithguccipaid510 2 жыл бұрын

We need more stories on Chrystal we want more pictures stories she would be in her 80s now I know somebody got pics and stories

@reneesimone5713 2 жыл бұрын

You need your own talk show your excellent!

@tricksgrl2 2 жыл бұрын

Peppermint has a great voice for documentaries and the like

@aaliyahleveau7205 2 жыл бұрын

This is so beautiful.

@bookworm5433 10 ай бұрын

I love it.

@kalimahwmuhammad 2 жыл бұрын

Ok I love this

@pendavis455 Жыл бұрын

I would like to make a correction. Crystal did not die in 1982. She was still around in the 90's living in The Bronx.

@musiqkidchristian 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Mother!!!

@e.q.k.vision294 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting

@cornrows07 2 жыл бұрын

She was a true beauty 💕

@myrgo1648 2 жыл бұрын

I saw The Queen and didn’t even know who Crystal was at the time but I called her as the winner. I was disgusted when she didn’t win!

@JR-mi8ry Жыл бұрын

OMG how awesome

@BlakeGildaphish76 2 жыл бұрын

It's just so fucked up that within one of the most notoriously hated communities, Black and Latino people were/are still ostracized by white counterparts. i grew up believing that, AT LEAST, there is tolerance within gay community. There's no black, no white, no brown and no yellow. JUST GAY. Apparently, that was wishful thinking. i get the impression that there will always be an issue with race as far as most white people are concerned, no matter the community. And that's probably the saddest thing of all. It makes no sense whatsoever that we are still fighting for the same things that was fought/marched for in the 50s, 60s and 70s. i am almost 40 years old and convinced that things will never change. At least not in my lifetime.

@Alusnovalotus 2 жыл бұрын

There isn’t. The parts can be rearranged but what they are molded by stayed the same. Until now. Through pain, comes growth. We shape our own reality. One day all this will be looked at with shock by those that will come after us and society will be completely different. But we gotta act in our present to give them that future. ✌🏽

@morellawalker373 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, I'm really sorry you don't think things have gotten any better. I grew up in the South in the 60s, and I think less people are racist and biased with each generation. Unfortunately the ones who are are very vocal and visible. But overall, things are much better than when I grew up!

@tabbazzseaye7549 2 жыл бұрын

Crystal LaBeijia passed away in '93

@rbeygarcia Жыл бұрын

No, darling. What they called her was ‘La Vieja’ which means ‘The Old Lady’, ‘Crazy Lady’, ‘The Spinster’, ‘Battle Axe’, etc. There is a famous house song called ‘Vieja Loca’ which referred either to a Crazy Old Lady or a Crazy Old Queen.

@Kiro6666 Жыл бұрын

The iconic image