It's a battle of the verses. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most sickening original song verses written for challenges on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and its spinoffs.
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00:00 "I see you watching how I sashay, and the other girls best get out of my way."
00:03 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most sickening original song verses
00:09 written for challenges on RuPaul's Drag Race and its spin-offs.
00:13 "Here's the team, I put in work, baby."
00:15 Number 10, Trinity K. Bonet, "Show Up Queen."
00:20 "Let me introduce myself, I'm TKB, I'm a bad mama, drama from the side."
00:24 All-Star 6 put a unique twist on the songwriting challenge,
00:28 asking the queens to inspire with a positive message pop song.
00:31 Trinity K. Bonet rose to the occasion with her standout verse.
00:34 After introducing herself, she opens up about coping with depression
00:38 and the importance of knowing your health status.
00:40 "I'm a lead, I'm a fight, I'm a speaker for what's right,
00:43 positivity is this when you know your status right."
00:47 This calls back to when she bravely spoke about being HIV positive on Season 6.
00:51 TKB delivers powerful lyrics from the heart in a complete 180 from her rap performance on her
00:56 original season. Her verse on "Show Up Queen" is arguably one of the most meaningful in Drag Race
01:01 herstory, and it represents an incredible All-Stars glow-up.
01:05 "If you blink, I'm gonna end up with the crown."
01:07 Number 9, Bebe Zahara Bonet, "Drag Up Your Life."
01:10 When the winner of Drag Race Season 1 returned for All-Stars 3,
01:16 she didn't even need real words to craft an iconic verse.
01:19 "Yeah, I'm pussy, bitch, ooh la la la la la la, say boy, say boy."
01:24 Have you ever really lived until you've shouted "Drag-a-ca-ca-ti-ti-ta-ta" at the top of your
01:30 lungs? Bebe's verse only racks up the brilliance and absurdity from there, transitioning into a
01:35 French interlude punctuated by unbeat smacks. By the time the Season 1 winner ends with five
01:40 more non-sequiturs and some manic laughter, you'll want to rewind and experience the magic again.
01:51 The impact of this All-Stars verse is undeniable,
01:54 as it was referenced in the Season 14 rootical "Moolah Roo."
01:58 Number 8, Evie Audley, "Queens Everywhere."
02:03 Season 11's winner clinched the title with only one challenge victory,
02:11 but she certainly deserved a second for her verse on "Queens Everywhere."
02:15 Evie Audley brings the lyricism with a triplet flow,
02:18 standing out from the four-count rhythm of typical Drag Race verses.
02:21 She also highlights her impressive contortionist skills and her tendency to pick fights in "Untucked."
02:31 Her best line comes at the end, though, mocking the idea that a drag superstar need ever be humble.
02:37 Evie's performance enhances her verse even more, the winning formula for Drag Race
02:44 apparently crawling up fiercely from the edge of the stage.
02:48 Number 7, Widow Von'Du, "I'm That Bitch."
02:55 Season 12 gave us one of the best Drag Race songs in the first episode with "I'm That Bitch."
03:05 Nicki Minaj herself was the guest judge,
03:08 and even she gave her stamp of approval to Widow Von'Du's epic verse and live performance.
03:16 Widow's jump splits and mid-back bend rapping made her verse an all-time great across the series.
03:22 The bars hold up on their own, too,
03:24 with clever lines about being a big queen that don't fall into the usual cliches.
03:28 While Widow Von'Du gave in to her inner saboteur and ultimately left in seventh place,
03:33 there's no denying that she ate the first rap challenge.
03:36 Number 6, Trixie Mattel, "Kitty Girl."
03:45 Lines about RuPaul, crowns, and runways are expected in Drag Race verses,
03:49 so Trixie Mattel threw fans a curveball, literally.
03:52 Her witty All-Stars 3 finale verse uses a trio of baseball metaphors,
03:59 calling herself the MVP of the season and making a crack about going to third base.
04:04 From there, the seasoned country songwriter only amps up the wordplay,
04:08 showcasing her lyrical genius by cleverly rhyming the name of fellow finalist Shangela with Pamela,
04:13 Anderson, and Tarantula.
04:15 Trixie's verse on "Kitty Girl" begs the question,
04:20 in addition to her makeup line, luxury motel, and DJing career,
04:24 could she put a rap-country fusion album in the works, too?
04:27 Number 5, Isis Couture, "Bonjour, Hi."
04:32 Canada's Drag Race has given us some amazing verses,
04:39 but none can compare to season 2 winner Isis Couture's performance in "Canada vs. the World."
04:44 Her frosty lyrics and delivery on "Bonjour, Hi" don't merely stand up to repeat listens,
04:49 they get better and better.
04:50 After a straightforward first line, Isis launches into a set of intricate four-way rhymes.
04:59 The verse really shines when she puts a pop melody over the song's bubbly backing track.
05:04 "Fashion, beauty, runway, pose" is guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
05:08 "Fashion, beauty, runway, pose, Isis nails it on the nose."
05:11 This performance is a crystallization of Isis' hyper-polished energy,
05:16 showing exactly why she won Canada's Drag Race season 2.
05:19 "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, all these girls have got to go."
05:22 Number 4, Bimini, "UK Hun."
05:25 Bing, bang, bong, sing, sang, song.
05:31 The United Kingdolls girl group from Drag Race UK season 2
05:35 transformed these nonsensical words into pop perfection.
05:39 And it is Bimini's closing verse that serves as the linchpin,
05:42 bringing the Eurovision-inspired bop together.
05:45 Right from the first line, the Queen promises to "release the beast" and undoubtedly delivers.
05:54 Throughout the verse, Bimini addresses gender-bending,
06:00 challenging the "system" and enjoying lentils.
06:04 A callback to when they started the season by declaring,
06:06 "I'm vegan."
06:07 The performance is one of the best in Drag Race herstory,
06:10 with gravity-defying stunts and the cheeky closing quip,
06:13 "Somebody do a death drop or something."
06:15 Number 3, Shea Coulee, "Category Is."
06:20 When it comes to raw talent,
06:26 few Drag Race contestants can compare to All-Stars season 5 winner, Shea Coulee.
06:31 Her rap verse on season 9's "Category Is" is a masterclass in serving confidence
06:36 with the skill to back it up.
06:37 Shea switches up her flow multiple times,
06:40 including an impressive speed-rapping section.
06:42 You'd think that the lyrical highlight of the song would be the Tina Turner reference,
06:52 but just a few lines later, Ms. Coulee outdoes herself.
06:55 "I'm sick of being dope, and I'm real fierce too.
06:57 Chicago in the house, girl, what you gonna do?"
06:59 Her final line runs seamlessly into the chorus,
07:02 allowing RuPaul to finish the verse for her.
07:05 Icon behavior.
07:06 "I approve this message and all I'm gonna say is,
07:08 I'm Shea Coulee and I always,
07:10 "Sing it to the runway, you're on your own."
07:12 Number 2, "Alaska," "Red U, Wrote U."
07:15 "Hey girls, my name's Alaska.
07:17 I got a tiny little question to ask ya."
07:19 "Red U, Wrote U" was the first finale diss track in Drag Race herstory,
07:23 and arguably, no other megamix has topped it since.
07:27 Alaska's opening is everything a verse should be.
07:30 Snappy, funny, and vicious.
07:32 "Give me a challenge and I'll crush your oar.
07:35 Changing the game like my name's RuPaul."
07:37 Her verse spawned dozens of imitators,
07:39 with "Snatching the Crown" and RuPaul quotes becoming cliches in later seasons.
07:44 Nothing compares to Alaska's delivery on the original though,
07:47 with aggressive growling and her signature vocal fry.
07:50 "Mess with me and you'll wind up in a casket.
07:53 I'm Dorothy, your total. Get in the basket!"
07:55 The sparse beat of "Red U, Wrote U" serves as a backdrop,
07:58 allowing Alaska's lyrical prowess and captivating performance to take center stage.
08:03 It's no surprise that she clinched the crown shortly after delivering such an iconic verse.
08:07 "Legacy, remember my name,
08:09 'cause you're gonna see me hanging in the hall of fame."
08:12 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
08:16 "Detox," "Red U, Wrote U."
08:18 She made everyone shout, "Hold it, X!"
08:21 "Naomi Campbell, let these hoes to the crowd, Nick!"
08:25 "Mo Hart," "London."
08:27 There's no denying that Mo raps like a pro.
08:30 "Livin' my best life, growing up on TV. Look, mom, international queen!"
08:34 "Denali," "Phenomenon."
08:35 She's icy spicy, but for you, she's too pricey.
08:38 "I'm icy spicy, for you I'm too pricey.
08:40 Going for the gold, so I'ma get a little feisty."
08:42 "Got Mc," "Lucky."
08:44 Mick became a rapper just in time for the finale.
08:46 "Mama Ruth said that we're all born naked.
08:48 Got Mc says love you, but I don't fake it."
08:49 "Roxy Andrews," "Red U, Wrote U."
08:52 She proved that a bad verse can be as iconic as a great one.
08:55 "Was a bitch on season five, I'm gonna make it right.
08:58 Give me a so unchallenging, I'll give you what you like."
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09:16 Number one, Katya, "Red U, Wrote U."
09:18 "Vitrina, Petrovna, Zamolochikova, but your dad just calls me-"
09:26 Uniqueness defines Katya's iconic verse on "Red U, Wrote U."
09:29 Most Drag Race verses begin with an introduction,
09:32 but only Katya's intro doubles as the best joke of the entire song.
09:36 "Katya!"
09:38 The rest of the verse follows suit, with unexpected gags about being a Russian hot mess
09:43 that only Katya could deliver.
09:45 Who else could conceive of combining the dictator Vladimir Lenin
09:48 and the novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky into one utterly perfect bar?
09:52 "Lenin in the streets, Dostoevsky in the sheets, baby, are you ready for this cold war?"
09:56 Katya embodies every word of her verse during her performance,
10:00 hoisted up in a split by backup dancers and exaggerating her rolled R's.
10:04 After hundreds of original verses,
10:06 no Drag Race queen has ever managed to top that of Ekaterina Petrovna Zamolochikova.
10:12 "Katya Zamo-lo-chik-o-va!"
10:17 Which queen's verse lives rent-free in your head?
10:19 Let us know in the comments.
10:21 "Not like my comedy, I'm killing on this rhyme."
10:23 Do you agree with our picks?
10:24 Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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