Born in San Diego, Ru was the only boy in an all female household. Ernestine Charles predicted her son would be a star after she christened him RuPaul André Charles. RuPaul won Best Afro and Best Dancer at Gompers Junior High School. At fifteen, Ru moved to Atlanta with his sister and brother-in law and attended the Northside High School of Performing Arts.

For the 5 years after receiving his drivers license, Ru drove cross-country over 50 times transporting very expensive automobiles for his brother-in-law's car brokerage company.

Ru acknowledges an appearance on the Atlanta public access television program, "The American Music Show," as his first professional appearance in show business.

RuPaul was the lead singer of the band "Wee-Wee Pole" for one year. Spring 1984, RuPaul moved to NYC, but after 7 months of "crashing" on couches and sleeping in parks he returned to Georgia.

In 1985, RuPaul recorded his first album "Sex Freak." The album "RuPaul is Starbooty" followed in 1986. RuPaul supported himself as a go-go dancer at a club called "Weekends" in Atlanta for 2 years.

November 1987, RuPaul moved back to NYC, and 2 years later, Ru was crowned the Queen of Manhattan. November 1992, RuPaul's worldwide hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)" was released.

RuPaul made his first motion picture appearance in Spike Lee's "Crooklyn" in 1994. Since then, Ru has appeared in over 17 motion pictures. RuPaul's duet "Don't Go Breaking my Heart" with Elton John peaked at #7 on the European charts.

RuPaul was signed as the first spokes-model for M.A.C Cosmetics in 1995.

RuPaul has also endorsed: LA Eye works, Bailey's Irish Cream, NEC Computers, Rockport Shoes, WebEx, Virgin Cola and Jack in the Box. RuPaul was host of both "The RuPaul Show" on VH1 and the WKTU morning drive radio show. RuPaul published an autobiography entitled, "Lettin' It All Hang Out".

RuPaul released two albums in 1997, "Foxy Lady" and the holiday extravaganza, "Ho Ho Ho."

August 1998, Ru moved back to Southern California. November 2000, Madame Tussauds unveiled RuPaul's portrait in their all new Times Square museum.

2004, after a four year absence from public life, RuPaul returned with a sizzling new album entitled "RuPaul Red Hot." November 2004, the first single, Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous, peeked at #2 on the Billboard Dance Charts and went on to become the theme to NBC’s hit reality show: The Biggest Loser. March 2005, subsequent singles also cracked the top ten: WorkOut peeked at #5 while People are People peeked at #9.

August 2005, Integrity Toys launched The RuPaul Doll. The collection of six, chronicles significant benchmarks in RuPaul’s illustrious career. The RuPaul Doll has gone on to do blockbuster business and quickly became most coveted among doll collectors around the world. www.therupauldoll.com

The RuPaul Red Hot tour made stops around the world including Halifax, Moscow, Paris, Manila, Puerto Rico, Toronto and even Lubbock, TX.

November 2005, RuPaul began principal photography for the feature film Starrbooty: Reloaded. RuPaul wrote, produced and stars in the title role of this film. June 2006 sees the release of RuPaul.

ReWorked, a collection of new dance remixes from RuPaul’s recording career. My goal is to first have a blast at what I’m doing and then to entertain people and hopefully someone will also be inspired by my experience.

What people may not know: RuPaul is the world’s most famous drag queen. A drag queen / cross-dresser / transvestite is a person who dresses in the clothes primarily associated with the opposite sex. A transsexual is someone who feels they were born in the wrong body. RuPaul does not live in drag. It takes RuPaul three hours to get into drag. Ru is 6 ́4" tall (without heels).

RuPaul is a pop-music aficionado who owns over 5,000 CD’s. Ru is an avid player of games, including Charades, Password and Taboo.

RuPaul is quoted as saying: "You’re born naked, and the rest is drag." "What other people think of me is none of my business." "I moved to New York with a pair of high heals and a dream." You can call me He, you can call me She...hell, you can call me Regis and Kathie Lee...I don’t care...just as long as you call me.

"Every time I bat my eyelashes it’s a political statement. "Learn to love yourself cause if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna, ́love somebody else?"

"Everybody Say Love!" - "You better work, bitch!"