Entertainment
Page 7 The Compass Oct. 2005
Video vixens, female artists, and their role in
the African-American Community
Keisha Hill
Staff Writer
Today’s youth seems to watch
endless hours of videos. They see the
likes of Buffie the Body, Esther Baxter,
Ki-Toy, Mely ssa Ford, and Gloria Velez
dressed in exquisite designer clothing’s,
Uke Salvatore Ferragamo and Roberto
Cavalli. In most cases, these women are
wearing almost nothing at all. They are
draped in diamonds that dance when
lighting hits it just right. Their hair is
coiffed to perfection, and their scantily
clad bodies are some of the best in the
business. While the Cameras roll, these
women are the undying affection for the
music industry’s leading men.
Many of the images that we see of video
girls living a lifestyle similar to that of
the rich and famous are considerably
different in reality. Most of these women
will never touch the glamorous life or
live like British royalty. For starters,
most video girls are not the feature
(meaning they are not the major feminine
focus in the video), therefore, they may
be paid as little as $100 for a day that
can run 8 hours or can last up to 18
hours. Many will not be paid at all. If
you are lucky to be in the few that are
actually the crfeme de le creme, you can
make a minimum of $3000 for a daily
shoot. Interestingly you will find more,
of these ladies scraping together outfits
to be an extra in the latest 50 Cent video
than you will find, one that has her own
glam squad taking her from ashy to
classy! Most of the women that “drop
down to get their eagles on” are old news
by the time the director yells, “Cut!”
that make their bodies do things, I will
probably never in my lifetime be able
to do, here is where I first saw rapper/
actor Nelly’s now infamous “Tip Drill”
video. By no means am I a prude; yet I
found this video to be extremely
Vulgar in content, as N611y proudly
showed the world why he never leaves
home without his credit cards (and he
was not making any purchases with his
platinum card). It seems the more
disrespectful rappers are to women in
their videos, the more props it seems
to get in the street. We may not know
what the definition of a tip drill is, but
we surely wiU remember NeUy sliding
a credit card down a gleeful, well-
endowed sister’s backside.
I once consider myself to be
savvy and open to new concepts and
ideas. That is until I stumbled upon late
night television’s series of soft pom-like
videos on BET’s “Uncut,” Videos that
are overflowing with half naked women
Undoubtedly Nelly is not the only artist
that has had sexually laden lyrics and
videos that assuage the silent desires
of the public. Most male artists know
and buy into the adage, “the raunchier
the message, the more likely it will be
turned into five figures and better when
I go to the bank.” But the men are not
the only ones throwing their hats in the
sex filled arena. Femme fatale rap
divas Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, and Trina
introduced us to hardcore lyrics as they
let the world know how they intended
to stack their dough. The ladies of hip-
hop dared to be wild, and turned sexual
braggadocio into financial
lucrativeness. At the end of the day,
the entertainment industry is not
concerned with how skimpy the thong
may be - they are focused on how
green the paper is.
A 2003 study conducted by the
American Journal of Public Health
found that 44 percent of young girls
surveyed who watched hip hop videos
were more susceptible to contracting
a sexually transmitted disease in
comparison to 33 percent that did not
watch as many videos. Additionally,
young African American girls that are
entrenched in the hip hop video world
are more likely to get in trouble with
the law, and participate in a lifestyle
of drugs and other detrimental
behaviors.
Russell Simmons, founder of def jam
records, has been quoted saying,
“Although these records and videos
are offensive, young girls can learn a
lot about the mind-set of the young
guys they’re going to school with.
Now that the truth is out there more,
young girls can learn how to deal with
guys.” Spoken like a true
businessman, however, I am sure his
ideology would change greatly if one
of his daughters came home proudly
announcing that she wanted to forego
that Phat Farm and Baby Phat empires
to become a video vixen.
Hip-hop has evolved to touch all
points of the globe. It has expanded
past the days of such lyrical pioneers
and legends like Rakim and Big
Daddy Kane. What we put out in the
universe is what other cultures assume
we are, and in too many instances their
perception of African American
women is that they are nothing more
than overly sexed individuals. Gone
are the days of subtlety and class. In
its place are the constant reminders of
a billion dollar business that only
seeks fame and fortune.
Artists claim the women in the videos
are there under their free will. To this I
must agree, because no one is forcing
these women to gyrate, frolic, and sell
their souls to the entertainment industry
devil.
Magic Johnson, internet message boards
and newscasts were flooded with chatter
about their scene-stealing show the
ladies provided millions of viewers.
But at some point, the male-dominated
industry should check its moral fiber. It
is hard for me to fathom why African
American men are so eager to relinquish
their attachments and cease being their
sisters’ keepers. Why can’t African
American women get the same love, they
give to their Air Force One’s, white tees,
and 22" rims?
w
However, criticism cannot be reserved for
only video girls, hip hop divas, and the
men throughout the industry. We should
all question the state of urban music
when you have R&B songbirds like
Destiny’s Child giving lap dances on this
year’s BET Awards show. In fact, their
burlesque performance overshadowed
the reunion of one of hip hop’s greatest
groups. The Fugees. The morning after
the bumping and grinding had ceased,
internet message boards and newscasts
were flooded with chatter about how the
trio’s sexually charged performance with
rapper Nelly, actor Terrence Howard, and
former NBA star turned entrepreneur
My memory is singed with images of
media darling Beyonce as the camera
zoomed in on her body as it pulsated and
refused to miss even the slightest pelvic
thrust. Never again will I be able to Usten
to “Cater 2 U”, and feel the trio’s
sincerity without seeing rap mogul Jay
Z’s significant other profoundly shaking
her buttocks in a very married Terrence
Howard’s face. In an interview with Matt
Lauer on NBC’s Today Show, the ladies
called it “seduction”. I have always been
told if it walks like a duck and quacks
like a duck, then guess what? It is just
that-a duck. And this duck is quacking,
“Sex sells.”
By the end of their performance, the
soon-to-be defunct group had succeeded
in enhancing and heightening a media
frenzy that already surrounds them.
Considering Destiny’s Child is currently
touring the country on their last tour as
a group, this was a great marketing ploy.
Ticket sales likely increased based upon
that performance alone, with eager men
hoping and praying they will be chosen
from an audience of thousands for their
brief encounter with superstars, and
Oblivious to everyone is the fact that
there are many young girls wanting to
emulate the group’s lead singer, Beyonce
Knowles.
However the question, still
rerpains, just who is to blame for the
stereotypical and falsely represented
images of African American women to
the world? Are record label executives
(many being fathers of daughters
themselves) to blame for their strong
encouragement and insistence that an
artists sell and promote sex via lyrics and
video imagery? Or is it the responsibility
of the artists to stand up and be role
models, and uplift their race and respect
their women? Or does the blame lie on
the women that fall prey to the
disillusionment that they will be rich and
famous for their backsides that Shacks
to the latest hot track? Or should we
hold BET responsible for its constant
promotion of lackluster creativity as the
world sees Black women as sexually
charged objects instead of strong queens
that are the foundation of the African
American family?
I am not sure who is to blame, but I
sincerely hope mothers are teaching their
daughters that being a corporate
executive carries more significance than
being eye candy of the month. I hope
fathers are teaching their sons that there
is more to Black women than what their
bodies can offer. At some point, I hope
the creativity bug bites artists, directors,
and label executives while reality sinks
its teeth in the women, which allow
themselves to be pawns in the g«ne of
entertainment.
1
Outside of an artist’s actual lyrics,
videos have become the most vocal outlet
for the degradation of African American
women, and the praising of negative and
materialistic lifestyles. Is it too much
to ask for the termination of both of these
detrimental behaviors? African
American women deserve to be depicted
in a better fashion than what black
entertainment is currently providing. It
takes a village to raise a child, and it is
time that we cease television raising ours.
Fantasia Reveals, Illiteracy Secret
By Shanna Williams
Staff Writer
/a
Top R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums
By Nija BLAQUE
Staff Writer
1.
Fantasia Barrio, the
American Idol winner of two
years ago, unveils a secret she
has kept for years. Although her
experiences range from
illiteracy to rape. Fantasia’s
faith in God, has kept her the
strong woman she is today.
Before her fame
Fantasia never held a job,
because she was illiterate, and
could not count money.
Fantasia also reveals being
raped as a freshman in high
school, and says she blamed
herself, because of the way she
dressed.
Growing up Fantasia
would hide behind her country
accent for not pronouncing her
words correctly. Meanwhile
music directors will believe
Fantasia’s excuses not realizing
that she was actually illiterate.
She has a difficult time reading
simple things and she can barely
make out or pronounce
unfamiliar words.
In her book “Life Is Not
a Fairy Tale,” which Fantasia
dictated to a freelance writer, the
singer reveals that her mother is
also functionally illiterate. The
book also includes details about
her poor childhood and how her
faith in God was the only thing
that kept her hopeful.
Fantasia is working
with a tutor to improve her
reading and writing skills. She
hopes her story will inspire
others who struggle with reading
and writing.
After winning
American Idol, Fantasia is
embarking on an acting career
and is publishing her memoirs,
which reveal dark secrets from
her past. In spite of being a high
school dropout and struggling
single-mother, the 21-year-old
has a highly successful career.
Fantasia’s success includes her
debut platinum-selling album
and her American Music Awards
nominations.
Fantasia knows the
struggle of the life she was living
with a deep and dark secret
inside her for years. What makes
her a phenomenal woman is that
she is willing to spesJc the truth
about her illiteracy to the world.
Because of her courage,
she can help children or adults
understand that being illiterate is
a problem that can be solved. If
Fantasia can overcome these
obstacles by revealing her
secrets, then she has already
freed herself.
STREET HEAT
O
■ (Swishahouse/
The Peoples Champ - Paul Wall ■
Atlantic/Asylum)
2. Late Registration - Kanye West - (Roc-A-Fella/Def
Jam)
3. Charlie, Last Name Wilson - Charlie Wilson - (Jive/
Zomba)
4. Welcome To Jamrock - Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
(Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong)
5. Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 - Young Jeezy
(Corporate Thugz/Def Jam)
6. The Massacre - 50 Cent (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope)
7. PCD - The Pussycat Dolls (A&M/Interscope)
8. The Emancipation of Mimi - Mariah Carey (Island)
9. Thoughts of a Predicate Felon - Tony Yayo (G-Unit/
Interscope)
10. Diary Of A Summer - Jim Jones (Diplomats/Koch)
11. Monkey Business - The Black Eyed Peas (A&M/
Interscope)
12. Purified - CeCe Winans (PureSprings Gospel/INO/Sony
Music)
13. Trauma - DJ Quik (RBC/Mad Science)
14. Wanted - Bow Wow (Columbia/Sony Music)
15. Chapter 3: The Flesh - Syleena Johnson (Jiye/Zomba)
16. Lyfe 268-192 - Lyfe Jennings (Columbia/Sony Music)
17. The Way It Is - Keyshia Cole (A&M/Interscope)
18. Day By Day - Yolanda Adams (Elektra/Atlantic)
19. The Minstrel Show - Little Brother (ABB/Atlantic)
20. TP.3 Reloaded - R. Kelly (Jive/Zomba)