I watched a programme on BBC3 the other day called Hiphophoneys which followed presenter Nel Hedayat as she delved into the dark world of video modeling in the UK and America.
Now the show was very interesting because it kind of showed the difference between those who have made it in the industry and those who have not; and well the contrast could not have been more different.
Firstly we had the professional dancer who looked to come from a well to do family, over in American trying to be a triple threat (dancer, singer and actress ala J-LO!) all the way to the single mother trying to be the lead video girl in the K.I.G video and the one trying to get bum implants even though her bum looked a pretty reasonable size to me! Lol -plus everything in between!
Now the presenter of the programme initially came from the stand point that these women are being sexually exploited; that with the boundaries of today’s videos going to the extreme, in order to make it you got to sell your soul and/or be almost naked shaking your bits!.
I can’t say that I totally agree or disagree… I mean hearing the men talk about these women as if they are rubbish using terms such as ho´s etc and saying that some of the women only want to sleep with the singers/rappers/celebrities (him being a willing recipient) etc was not easy viewing, but at the end of the day he himself said that a crap song can be made less crap thanks to the video models therefore I think it’s a two way street (both using each other in the chase for fame and glory).
I mean we have all read or heard of Karrines Steffan´s Video Vixen,right? we have all seen music videos, we all know the difference between classy and trashy and the women in the programme were all grown ups; therefore if they choose to make video modeling their career of choice then who are we to judge? Even if they spend their money and get no money back in return (hardly any get paid for their trade and one promoter admitted duping women into thinking they would)… Some careers are worth that and sometimes you got to pay out before you reap the rewards
I think what the show highlighted was that there is unlikely to be a shortage of women willing to get their video light… there was even a women who was sexually assaulted whilst taking part in a photo shoot (I think) and she was talking about still pursuing her dream of being a video model because she did not want to let her perpetrator win, and make her stop doing something that she loves.
Me personally I don’t like any video light; however there are plenty of women who do and I have seen many a girl in my time skinning out (popping their bums in the club) for the video light never knowing where that video will end up.
It is what it is really and I don’t think any BBC show could put anyone off the idea that when you make it you can make it big ala Angela Lola in America (the show did not paint such a grand picture for UK models though), you get to hang out with the biggest stars, have money and then go onto pursue your real dream of being a rapper or a reality TV star…
If you have not seen the show check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x1wz7/Music_Money_and_Hip_Hop_Honeys/
Check out some interesting responses to the programme:
So BDSSer´s what do you think? Hiphophoney a career?
