SPECIAL THANKS TO JASON WOODLEY AND MATT LAHBIBI AT PREMIER

Lil Jon featuring DeJa Skye? Yay-uh!, we see it. On the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the Fresno queen was met with enormous praise for her impersonation of the hip-hop giant, including Jon himself, joining an elusive line-up of Snatch Game winners such as Chad Michaels, Jinkx Monsoon, Bob the Drag Queen, Aquaria, Gigi Goode and Gottmik. “I was so gagged! When I didn’t win the challenge prior – which I thought I ate up and left no crumbs – I literally told myself, ‘What can I win then?'” DeJa tells GAY TIMES. “So with Snatch Game coming I said, ‘Fuck it, just have fun and hope you are safe.'”

Although DeJa landed in the bottom two in the first episode, the remainder of the competition saw her on an upward trajectory. As well as Snatch Game, DeJa decimated the Super Tease trailer, sung and danced the house down as a member of The Ru-Nettes and led a DragCon panel about the multi-faceted world of menzes to perfection. This week, however, her time came to an end as she failed to make the panel cackle with her roast of Ross Matthews – until her now-iconic “needs no introduction” bit, of course. “I’m better at improv than anything,” she explains. “I just couldn’t think of extremely funny things to say about everyone. But, I may have fumbled on this particular challenge but it does not take away my consistency in the competition.”

After her double exit with Jorgeous, we spoke with DeJa about her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14 including her triumphant turn on Snatch Game, why Lil Jon had a “lot to lose” by publicly praising her impersonation and why she felt “underestimated and overlooked” by the fanbase.

DeJa, you are officially a RuGirl! How does it feel to officially be part of RuPaul’s empire?

It feels surreal! Almost like a dream. It’s a show that got me into drag, so being part of the dynasty is just mind-blowing. I’m so humbled and cannot wait to do more in the franchise.

There was a lot of discourse in the werkroom about your status as the lip-sync assassin of the season. Let’s clear it up: are you, in the fact, the lip-sync assassin of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14?

Mama, I am the verified lip-sync assassin! RuPaul herself said it, and it is her show. I will say Jorgeous is hands down the best lip-sync dancer. So, I’d be completely fine sharing the title.

When you sashayed away with Jorgeous, it seemed like you were pretty content with your elimination. What was going through your mind after RuPaul gave you the chop?

I was. I always told myself throughout the competition, ‘When it’s my time I’ll know, and I’ll be completely okay with it.’ I got to leave with my best friend. At that point, I knew all three of us would turn it in our own way and it was simply up to Ru to decide who she wanted to stay.

Despite lip-syncing for your life in the premiere, you were on an upward trajectory in the competition. Being sent home right before the top five, how did that make you feel?

I would have loved to be included in the top five, and did think I deserved a spot. However, so did everyone else. It was a matter of they ran out of time and some of us had to go. I am so proud of myself for consistency throughout the competition. During the end, I definitely found my footing, but I guess it was just too little too late.