For locals, that comes with two queens who call Atlanta home: Tamisha Iman and LaLa Ri.
Tamisha Iman
With a notable pageant career and a busy local drag family behind her, seasoned veteran Tamisha Iman joins the Season 13 cast. The titleholder of Miss Black Universe 2000 and Miss Gay USofA 2005, she kept the announcement of her casting simple with a video post from VH1.: “The cat is out of the bag.”
The 🐈 is outta the 👜! Meet the Queen Tamisha Iman! Don’t miss the Season 13 premiere – NEW YEAR’S DAY at 8/7c on @VH1! #dragrace
Posted by Tamisha Iman on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
With Tamisha, look for her famous poise, beauty and body. Keep an eye out too for her renowned sewing skills to inspire awe on the runway.
LaLa Ri
With the longtime legend end of the Iman family spectrum covered, LaLa Ri brings a younger, edgier perspective to the competition. Project Q caught her in recent years as a guest in the casts of the Other Show, the Icon party series and Queerly Beloved Revue at My Sister’s Room, to name just a few.
An exceptional dancer with moves and energy to spare, LaLa can bring down the house on the show if given the chance.
She, too, was a queen of few words when announcing her appearance on the show. “Your favorite homegirl made it to #DragRace!”
Here’s her Meet the Queens video:
Atlanta Rules
The queens join a long list of Atlanta queens on the show. Nina Bonina Brown made a mark on Season 9. Atlanta native and Savannah living Dax Exclamationpoint took an early exit in episode 2 of Season 8. They followed Violet Chachki, who of course won Season 7. Trinity K. Bonet had an emotional journey to the ninth episode of Season 6, which was then a record for Atlanta queens.
Of course, there was also Nicole Paige Brooks (who left on Season 2, episode 2), Sonique (Season 2, episode 4), Phoenix (Season 3, episode 2) and Mariah Paris Balenciaga (Season 3, episode 6).
Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race each Saturday on VH1 beginning Jan. 1.