# Video vixen

A video vixen (also referred to as a hip hop honey or video girl) is a woman who models and appears in hip hop-oriented music videos. The concept peaked in popularity from the 1990s to the early 2010s. Video vixens are often aspiring actors, singers, dancers, or professional models. Artists and vixens have been criticized for allegedly contributing to the social degradation of women of color.

## History

The video vixen is believed to have arrived around the late 80s when hip-hop was starting to take over as its own genre in the music industry. At this time, women were used to create appeal in music videos while in the background. It wasn't until the late 1990s, when the women came to the center of many videos. Some argue that the concept of the video vixen is a continuation of the Jezebel stereotype, portraying women as sexually promiscuous.
The role of video vixens in culture has been seen as controversial in recent years. Various academics have expressed concern over the subordinate, submissive, and sexual roles video vixens embody. Signs of male power and the use of derogatory language (i.e.,"bitch", "slut") by artists may contribute to the narrative that women are the inferior sex.
In 2004, Nelly's video for his song "Tip Drill" came under particular criticism for its depiction and sexual objectification of women. While some pointed out that the women who appeared in Nelly's video voluntarily chose to participate, others insisted that male rappers continue to sexually objectify hip hop models.
In 2005, former video vixen Karrine Steffans released her best-selling memoir Confessions of a Video Vixen, in which she depicts the degradation of women in the world of hip hop. Steffans shared her personal experience as a vixen, highlighting its intense culture. Other more prominent video vixens disagree with her account, explaining that her experience does not reflect the realities for many successful video vixens. Some video vixens report glamorous experiences in return for their work, who were somethings paid comparably to other famous artists. Another video vixen, Candace Smith, said in an XXL interview, "What I've seen on [hip hop music video] sets is complete degradation."

## Impact on Black community

Video vixens often depict Black women in roles of exaggerated sexuality, submissiveness, or aggression, aligning with historical stereotypes deeply rooted in societal prejudices. These misrepresentations may create a flat and limited view of black femininity. They may also set unrealistic beauty ideals and narrow standards. The influence of video vixens on the Black community extends beyond the entertainment industry, impacting how women are perceived in society. By consistently showcasing black women in these narrowly defined roles, music videos often perpetuate the objectification of black women, impacting societal perceptions and perpetuating misconceptions about their character, worth, and agency.
This idea also correlates with Nicole Heller's explanation of objectification and one-dimensional womanhood. These theories define the portrayal of black women in hip-hop as it aims to separate the female body from her personality in order to focus on her body. Prominent examples of this include Nelly swiping a card through the rear end of a vixen in his Tip Drill music video.
The video vixen is criticized for having a negative effect on women, as they are believed to set unrealistic beauty standards, and could have created the need to change themselves in order to fit said standards.

## Female rappers as video vixens

Women or female rappers such as Lil' Kim and Trina have been criticized by T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting who called them a "peculiar place of cultural antipathy".
Female rappers who have shown themselves off as "video vixens" include Nicki Minaj, Trina, Eve, Rasheeda, Foxy Brown, Remy Ma, Da Brat, Jacki-O, Shawnna, Gangsta Boo, LoLa Monroe, Diamond from the hip-hop group Crime Mob, and many others.
Some argue that these artists are empowered by their sexuality and reclaim their own individuality and self. For instance, Minaj is outspoken when it comes to empowering herself and other women and uses her body with the intent of overcoming male expression of female sexuality, using the catchphrase "it's Barbie, bitch!" to assert herself. Nicki Minaj's Anaconda music video is an example of female artists reclaiming their sexuality and power, while sampling Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and rapping over it with more empowered verses on femininity than the original.
Other artists such as Cardi B, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Queen Latifah also have work that subverts the video vixen stereotype.

## Notable video vixens

* Melyssa Ford
* Esther Baxter
* Karrine Steffans
* Tawny Kitaen
* LoLa Monroe
* K.D. Aubert
* Amber Rose
* Elise Neal
* Alexa Demie