[youtube id=”KG44JJ6Ihyo”] Malcolm McLaren’s “Deep In Vogue” was inspired by NYC’s voguing scene and Jennie Livington’s Paris Is Burning. McLaren had a VHS copy of  Livingtson’s documentary about the voguing and house scene in NYC’s underground Black and Latin gay communities two years before its official release. Willi Ninja was a prominent member of Harlem’s drag ball scene as the founder of the House Of Ninja. He collaborated with McLaren on “Deep In Vogue” and he was featured in Livingston’s film. The song is from McLaren’s fourth studio album Waltz Darling recorded with Bootsy Collins’ Bootzilla Orchestra. Livingston directed the video and Ninja danced in it while Lourdes handled the sung vocals. “Deep In Vogue” was just one year ahead of Livingston’s documentary and Madonna’s “Vogue” as the first mainstream exposure of the art.
