The representation of women in the media has drastically changed over the years. In all outlets of the media women have shed more clothing and accentuated their physical attributes. This is particularly true in the music industry where women are judged harshly by their appearance and forced to use their bodies as sex symbols to boost intrigue and more importantly, record sales. In my examination I chose not to focus on female performers and artists but rather the females included in the music videos of male rap artists. In particular I chose to analyze the rapper 50 Cent’s music video for the song “Disco Inferno.” I selected this video for the fact that it is one of the most over-the-top examples of the role that these women play in popularizing an artist, his music, and his music videos. These women that accentuate rap videos, commonly referred to as video girls or video vixen, are the purest representation of female objectification and I intend to prove how their actions, that some argue are liberating, are actually used to achieve popularity and monetary gain by the male artists and the record labels.
I feel it is important to quickly point out the popularity of the song Disco Inferno. This song was included on 50 Cent’s 2005 album “The Massacre” and witnessed great success and popularity. The song was a Top 10 rank on 8 different U.S. Billboard Top lists including a number three ranking on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 list and a number one ranking on the U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 list.[1] The song includes many controversial lyrics, none as provocative, or as forward, as the chorus which goes as follows.
Lil’ mama show me how you move it,
Go ahead put ya back into it,
Do ya thang like there aint nothin to it,
Shake… shake… shake that ass girl[2]
The treatment of women in the lyrics is truly tame compared to the music video, in which a majority of the females are seen bent over from behind shaking for the camera. The video eventually progresses from shots of the video girls bouncing their butts or 50 Cent pouring champagne and liquor on a video girl’s butt, to a soft core pornography where the girls shed their tops and begin to pair off with other girls for make out sessions. From beginning to end this video is full of numerous video girls exposing themselves and accentuating their butts and breasts in a most open manner. I did not take a tally, but I think it is safe to say there are more shots of women that exclude their faces, in exchange for zoomed in shots of their butts or breasts, than clips of the women’s faces.
One particular quote from Ariel Levy’s book that I found to question the role of the video girl very well was a comment from Erica Jong, a sex-positive feminist, who states, “let’s not get so into the tits and ass that we don’t notice how far we haven’t come.” (Levy 76) This idea of sexual expression as a liberating force has been hotly debated and there are definitely people out there who argue for a video girl’s right to be sexy and flaunt her body. However the sexual expression is so blatantly objectification in some videos, especially Disco Inferno, that one could argue the role of the video girl is worse than that of the female porn star. One specific reason for this is that the video girl is represented as an object, a specific body part, or a form of entertainment for the rappers in these videos while a porn star at least at times attains satisfaction, whether real or feigned, for herself. Levy would assert that the video girl is doing nothing positive for the feminist movement, including the sex-positive faction, as they are basing their sexual expression and freedom to do so on the misconception that this is liberating for women.
Another interesting aspect of the profession of video girl, that I personally feel is important to take into account, is that it is extremely lucrative. Levy explores the idea of women using their bodies to make money in the chapter Female Chauvinist Pigs. The two people that Levy interviews in this chapter that would support this stance the most are Sheila Nevins the HBO executive and the woman Sherry. Nevins is a clear proponent of the ‘if you’ve got it flaunt’ state of mind, who thinks the issue is not women flaunting their bodies but the behind the scenes and neglected injustices in the office. Nevins’ opinion on women using their bodies as tools for profit is summed up in her remark, “As if women taking off their clothes is disgusting and degrading. Not being able to feed your kids, that’s disgusting and degrading.” (Levy 91) Sherry shares a similar opinion to Nevins as she is indifferent on how women succeed, “whether they’re using their minds to do it or using their tits.” (Levy 98)
I was able to find a unique expression of a video girl’s motivation for doing what she does in a review of the book, Confessions of a Video Vixen, by Karrine Steffans. Steffans is a former video girl and is considered top of the line when it comes to being able to sexually represent herself in order to promote an artist and his song or video. Steffans was motivated in this profession simply because she could receive thousands of dollars for a day’s worth of shooting. Steffans also comments on the aspect of this profession where the women are not only expected to perform and sexually represent themselves in the video, but also, after the shooting, to provide sexual favors for the artists. During her time as a video girl Steffans was known as “Superhead, the insatiable lover of many Hollywood stars, sports figures, and some of music’s most influential performers.”[3] The name Superhead leaves little to guessing what she was known for beyond the video shoots and acknowledges the role of sex as a tool for advancement in the video girl profession. While I believe that Nevins and Sherry might be comfortable with video girls getting paid well for their performance in the videos, I feel it is safe to say they would oppose the aspect of this profession where frequent sexual favors are not only expected but are also necessary for the advancement up the ranks and in turn greater pay. One short paragraph from the book review is worth sharing as it highlights the degree to which these video girls are expected to perform sexually both for the camera and then literally for the artists after the video shoots. The excerpted paragraph is transcribed below.
Here’s how she recalls first meeting Jay-Z, who took her for a ride in his Mercedes during a break from making a music video. “After a few moments of silence, Jay pulled out his penis, covered it with a condom, and placed his hand on the back of my head. We carried on in the car for a while and headed back to the set as if nothing had happened.” What a charmer.[4]
The way in which Steffans unemotionally performs sexual favors makes her appear as almost less than human. Steffans acknowledges that she was naïve and asserts in retrospect that “no one who values, loves, or knows herself would allow herself to be placed in such a degrading position.”[5] I believe Levy and Steffans would see eye to eye on this evaluation made in hindsight that Steffans was wrong in “using the oldest trick in the book” to sleep her way to the top.[6]
The profession of video girls is a truly unique. I chose 50 Cent’s Disco Inferno music video because it is one of the more outrageous, but this does not go to say it is the only one of its kind, because similar representations of women are a dime a dozen. Disco Inferno clearly illustrates how women in the media are objectified for the sole basis of gaining attention and in the pursuit of profit. Both the men and women that capitalize and participate in these activities are to blame. One would be hard pressed to find a clear point when the media shifted to the uber sexed up realm that is today, however with the continued pushing of the envelope with video girls these blatant representations of ‘sex selling’ in the media today will only continue.
[1] Disco Inferno (50 Cent Song), January 15, 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Inferno_(50_Cent_song)
[2] ELyrics.net, “Disco Inferno Lyrics,” http://www.elyrics.net/read/0-9/50-cent-lyrics/disco-inferno-lyrics.html
[3] Kam Williams, review of Confessions of a Video Vixen, by Karinne Steffans, AALBC.com Book Reviews. http://aalbc.com/reviews/confessions_of_a_video_vixen.htm
[4] Kam Williams, review of Confessions of a Video Vixen, by Karinne Steffans, AALBC.com Book Reviews. http://aalbc.com/reviews/confessions_of_a_video_vixen.htm
[5] Kam Williams, review of Confessions of a Video Vixen, by Karinne Steffans, AALBC.com Book Reviews. http://aalbc.com/reviews/confessions_of_a_video_vixen.htm
[6] Kam Williams, review of Confessions of a Video Vixen, by Karinne Steffans, AALBC.com Book Reviews. http://aalbc.com/reviews/confessions_of_a_video_vixen.htm
4 years ago
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