Kevin Aviance

Known for his imposing stature, dark skin, and cleanly shaven scalp, drag performer Kevin Aviance rose to cult status inside the underground gay dance circuit of the late 1990s by issuing singles on the Wave label and carting his stage act across the country. Drawing his chief inspiration from Grace Jones while also naming Boy George as a reference point, he carved out his identity chiefly inside New York’s energetic gay nightlife, aligning himself with scene stalwarts such as Junior Vasquez at the turntables. Before long the fierce reworking of “Din Da Da” called “Cunty” and the bondage-accented “Rhythm Is My Bitch” had lodged themselves in the collective memory, prompting the release of his first full-length effort, Box of Chocolates.