Profile of Felipe Rose on Famous Like Me

Felipe Rose (born January 12, 1954 in New York City) was a founding member of the disco group the Village People. His mother is Puerto Rican and his father a Native American (Lakota Sioux).

Felipe was raised in Brooklyn. He displayed an interest in the arts during his childhood. His mother was his main inspiration since she herself had been a dancer for the Copacabana during the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1970, when Felipe was 16 years old, he won a scholarship to study dance with the Ballet de Puerto Rico under the guidance of Pasqual Guzman. He participated in a dance-drama recital of Julia de Burgos at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with the Ballet Company. The New York Post called his performance "Poignant and Compelling".

Soon, Felipe started to venture the nightclub scene. His aunt had introduced him to other influences in dance and recommended that he honor his fathers heritage by dressing in his tribal regalia thus, the "Indian" attire. Felipe was working as a dancer and a bartender in a New York Go-Go club, dressed as an Indian when he was discovered by French producer Jacques Morali and songwriter Henri Belolo and thus became the first recruit for the Village People. Both Jacques and Henri were fascinated by Felipe's Indian attire. They saw the potential in organizing a singing group where each individual would wear a different costume and have a particular identity. While the producers were busy recruiting and preparing the other members of the group, Felipe was sent to Paris where he choreographed a native dance number for the Crazy Horse Saloon. When Felipe returned to the U.S., he suggested that the other members of the group wear uniforms representing different "manly" occupations in New York's Greenwich Village.

In 1977, the Village People had their first hit with "San Francisco", although this song became a hit only in the United Kingdom. Then in 1978 they had their first hits in the U.S. with "Macho Man" followed by "Y.M.C.A." Some consider this event the beginning of the Disco Era.

In the 1980s, Felipe sang and danced for the Latin music maestro Tito Puente and he also starred in a regional theatre production of West Side Story.

In 1996, Felipe started the Tomahawk Group, an entertainment and recording company. The company handles the Village People's releases and songs. The company is also in charge of the group's many engagements. Felipe has been the producer of various artists.

In 2000, Felipe began to work on his solo career. His single "Trails of Tears" was nominated for 3 NAMMY Awards (Native American Music Awards) for Best Historical Recording, Song of the Year and Best Producer.

In 2002, Felipe was the opening act of the 5th Annual Native American Music Awards celebrated at the Marcus Amphitheatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That year he won a NAMMY Award for the Best Historical Recording. Also in August of 2002, Rose moved to Richmond, Virginia, which he describes as "the next Southern town on the rise". Ironically, when he chose to join a gym, he chose the Richmond Athletic Club rather than the more obvious YMCA.

On January 12, 2005, Felipe donated the gold record for the hit song "Y.M.C.A." to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

Felipe has appeared in the following movies: Can't Stop the Music (1980), The Best of the Village People (1993), and Feathers and Leathers: The Story of the Village People (1999). He also participated in the 2000 documentary, Village People: The E! True Hollywood Story.

Felipe Rose and the Village People have raised millions of dollars for many charities. Among them are the Native American College Fund and various AIDS charities. Felipe is a member of the Board of Directors of Sixuvuis, Ltd, the Village People's corporate entity, he's a member of the Advisory Board of the Native American Music Association, a member of LARAS-Latin Grammy's and of the Winter Music Conference.

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