The 'Drag Race' Season 16 Queens Create a Chaotic Pregame YouTube Playlist

Drag Race Pre

In queer culture, there are countless time-honored traditions: being your English teacher's favorite student, knowing all the words to at least one Nicki Minaj song, not being able to sit in a chair like a normal person. Not to mention the ways we bond as a community: boozy drag brunches, Fire Island tea dances and Real Housewives watch parties.

But one revered, ceremonial ritual that has been passed down for generations (and by that I mean since 2005) is forcing your friends to watch increasingly obscure YouTube videos at a pregame. While you sit around sipping White Claws and downing tequila shots before heading to the bar, someone suggests playing a music video on the TV. And so it begins. Soon everyone is requesting their favorite niche video and a queue of deranged minutia stored solely in the brains of queer people has been compiled. You might start fairly mainstream. The "California Gurls" music video. Beyoncé's Super Bowl half-time show. Grape Lady Falls. But before long you're watching Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2016 runway, Gia Gunn quote compilations and old Abby Elliott skits.

Related: 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' Take New York. Next Stop: the World.

While interviewing the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16, I asked them what their go-to pregame YouTube videos were. The answers were chaotic, to say the least. Here are their 14 selections, constructed into a deliciously deranged pregame playlist by yours truly.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 16 Queens Pregame YouTube Playlist

"Goddess" by Sasha Colby (Geneva Karr)

Starting simple we have Sasha Colby's lip sync from the RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15 finale, which proved yet again she was winning the crown (if there was any doubt before). "I really really love Sasha Colby," said Geneva Karr. "The 'Goddess' one. It has so many pageant elements in it, but it's also so fierce and sexy."

"Aqui Yo Mando" by Kali Uchis (Morphine Love Dion)

When asked which video she'd be playing, Morphine Love Dion said, "Either a Kali Uchis music video or my video to "Sour Candy" by Lady Gaga where I danced." Here's a particularly fun Kali Uchis video to get this pregame bopping.

"Your Love" by Nicki Minaj (Plane Jane)

Another rule of the gay pregame YouTube playlist is that it must include at least one Nicki Minaj video, which Plane Jane has graciously provided. "I'm making everybody watch the Nicki Minaj 'Your Love' music video because it changed my life."

"Juicy" by Hershii LiqCour-Jete (Hershii LiqCour-Jete)

Perhaps it's a slight party foul to make everyone watch a video of yourself at the pregame, but who are we to judge? "I'm making everbody probably watch me," said Hershii LiqCour-Jete, and I found this one on YouTube.

"Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs (Megami)

"The 2009 MTV VMAs. Gaga doing 'Paparazzi.' Iconic moment in gay history. That's the first thing going on," said Megami. Incredible selection. Shocking that there isn't a better version of this available on YouTube though, especially now that MTV hosts Drag Race. It's basically a hate crime.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 9

"Applause" by Lady Gaga (Q)

Obviously Gaga is an icon of the music video form, so it makes sense for one of hers to make this list. Q opted to slot in "Applause."

Elphaba "Defying Gravity" riff compilations (Amanda Tori Meating)

And now we're wandering into a slightly more deranged corner of YouTube, that of the musical theater girlies. Amanda Tori Meating said, "Elphaba riff compilations, and I'm like 'LOOK AT HER!' Shoshanna Bean. She is mother."

"The Star Spangled Banner" by Ashley Dunbar (Sapphira Cristal)

And while we're on the subject of great singers, Sapphira Cristal, herself an incredible voice, said, "This video of my friend from high school who sings, and it's her singing the national anthem when we were like fresh out of high school. She has a beautiful voice." That friend would be Miss Ashley Dunbar, and let me tell you, this is one of the best versions of the national anthem I've ever heard.

Trixie & Katya (Mirage)

"It's going to be Trixie and Katya," said Mirage, and you know what? That's completely okay. We need some comedy in the mix, and this really gives people the opportunity to go snag another High Noon without missing much.

VEEP in 22 Minutes (Plasma)

"There's a YouTube video called 'Veep in 22 minutes' and I swear by the show Veep on HBO with Julia Louis Dreyfuss. I would make everyone watch that," said Plasma. She then pivoted quickly to the Hershii playbook of Always Be Promoting though. "AND THEN in a few months I would make them watch one of the music videos I'm working on right now. Dropping soon!"

South Central Baddies (Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige)

Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige really said, let's add some spice to the mix. We don't need everyone getting along. We can only hope that watching the baddies fight will encourage a little drama at the pre.

10 Minute Meditation (Nymphia Wind)

But then after the drama, we can all come together in a moment of stillness. "I'm gonna make everyone watch some meditation video," said Nymphia Wind.

"Feels Like a Fem Queen" by Kevin Jz Prodigy (Xunami Muse)

But the Uber is on the way, so after that meditation, we gotta pump up the crowd a bit. Everyone do a quick tequila shot, pound a Red Bull and grab a roadie while this Xunami Muse-requested bop is playing.

"Goddess" by Sasha Colby (Dawn)

And to complete the circle, and honor Mother, Daughter and House of Colby, Dawn is having us rewatch "Goddess" because really there's never a bad time to do so.

Next, Everything you need to know about RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16