On A Pale Horse

Remember back in the day when you were branded what type of person you were by what music you listened to?
I went to this private (read snotty) high school where money mattered and if you looked strange you were mocked. Most of my friends went to (evil) public high school where crap like that existed but it didn't seem to matter as much. One crowd that I hung out with were the 'hairband headbangers' - yes I did own a Bon Jovi tape. The other crowd were the skaters & punks, I was a little ramp groupie on the weekend and a Aquanet abuser during the week. It was a double life that I hoped wouldn't slam into each other - damn that would have been embarrassing. But what would be even more shameful to admit was that I owned a New Kids on the Block tape and a Madonna tape. I swear it was only because it was good music to work out too! Even so I should have been proud to admit that my musical tastes could not be pigeonholed. But what the hell did I know. So as any Midwest suburbanite white chick would admit back then we all thought that Madonna was the greatest thing known to man - hell she came up with that whole weird dance thing, Vogue, right? What a genius pioneer!! It wasn't until I got into college and the gays set me straight. Madonna was cool BUT she ripped off the New York gays with that whole Voguing bullshit.

Willi Ninja (born William Leake) was a cult hero in the New York drag ball circuit and a master of the art of voguing. He dance talents were featured in the critically acclaimed movie "Paris is Burning" . In 2004, he opened a modeling agency called EON (Elements of Ninja) and on the side worked with top celebrities such as Naomi Campbell and Paris Hilton to perfect their runway/red carpet struts.

Willi passed away due to AIDS related heart failure.

April 12, 1961 - September 2, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1961 births, 2006 September deaths, AIDS, culture, heart failure

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