Хип-хоп видеоларындағы әйел моделінің бейнесі

Female models who appear in hip hop music videos and performances
the movie

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. From the 1990s to the early 2010s, the video vixen image was a staple in popular music, particularly within the genre of hip hop. The video vixen first came around in the late 1980s when the hip hop culture began to emerge into its own lifestyle, although was most popular in American popular culture during the 1990s and 2000s. Many video vixens are aspiring actors, singers, dancers, or professional models. Artists and vixens have been criticized for allegedly contributing to the social degradation of black women. Latinas are also degraded and hyper sexualized in hip hop music videos because they are seen as objects of sexual desire in rap music videos.

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. This statement is made by music video director Dr. Teeth, who in the documentary also mentions how these women "had the curves, she had the face, and she looked like the chick that was around the way that you could get at." These authors believe that these depictions place male artists in positions of power which they say contribute to the representation of males as the dominant gender. Models are depicted as sexual objects. Signs of male power and the use of derogatory language towards women such as "bitch" and "slut" by artists contributes 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 people 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 hip hop music video model Karrine Steffans authored the book Confessions of a Video Vixen, in which she depicts the degradation of women in the world of hip hop. The book's publisher describes it as "part tell all, part cautionary tale". The book went on to be a best seller in the US. Karrine Steffans was one of a few women who decided to share her personal experience as a vixen with the world. Her book was set as the standard vixen experience by society because it was believed to confirm people's speculations about the industry. Steffans is just one example of a vixen however and because of this vixens such as Gloria Velez and Melyssa Ford had a problem with her book. They explained how their experience was not the same as hers and how she was essentially a nobody until the book was released. Her referencing other vixens was seen as an act of forcing her narrative onto their experience.

In the world of music videos, the representation of black women as video vixens has been a complex and evolving narrative, deeply intertwined with societal perceptions and historical contexts. Historically, black women have faced distinct challenges within the industry, where their portrayal often reinforced negative stereotypes or hypersexualized images. These portrayals frequently depict black women in roles that emphasize exaggerated sexuality, submissiveness, or aggression, aligning with historical stereotypes deeply rooted in societal prejudices. These misrepresentations create a narrow and limited view of black femininity, painting black women as objects of desire or as individuals solely defined by their physical attributes. These portrayals also set unrealistic beauty ideals and narrow standards, often emphasizing physical attributes over other qualities, leading to the marginalization and erasure of the multifaceted identities of black women. Such portrayals not only diminish the diverse identities and experiences of black women but also contribute to the normalization of these damaging stereotypes within broader popular culture. This influence extends beyond the entertainment industry, affecting how black women are perceived and valued in society. The overemphasis on hypersexualized images of black women in music videos not only shapes perceptions within the black community but also impacts wider societal perceptions, contributing to the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes and limiting opportunities for nuanced representations. Consequently, these representations can negatively impact the self perception and self worth of black women, as they navigate societal expectations and confront the pressure to conform to narrowly defined beauty and behavioral norms perpetuated by these portrayals in music videos. The topic of video vixens has created a lot of debate on the representation of Black women, such as author Faatimah Soloman's argument that it has contributed to the hyper sexualization of black women. She explains in her article "The Exploitation Of Women Of Color In Music Videos Needs To End" how black women are deemed sexual beings due to their physical features. Video vixens are believed to be the reinforcement of these negative stereotypes placed upon black women. They are often referred to as stereotypical tropes because of their glamorization of embodying the stereotypes typically placed on women of color. She expands her argument by mentioning how these stereotypes lead to exclusion of Black women in relation to their "social and intellectual contributions", often because they are only praised for their bodies. Heller mentions how Nelly swiping a card through the rear end of a vixen in his Tip Drill music video visually represents the ideology of the Black woman's body being a commodity.

Women or female rappers such as Lil' Kim and Trina got 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. On the other hand, these artists use their bodies and sexuality to reclaim their own individuality and self. For instance, Minaj talks about how she is aware of her position as a black woman/female rapper, and she is outspoken when it comes to empowering herself and other women. She also uses her body with the intent of dominating over the male expression of female sexuality, and she talks about how "it's Barbie, bitch!" has become her catchphrase to assert herself and her existence. In parallel to that, the role of women in the hip hop world wasn't limited to only being video vixens. Two artists in the early era of hip hop, rapper Roxanne Shante and rap group Salt N Pepa, were well known for rapping about defending the image of women. Moreover, according to Heller, they asserted their sexuality without being in a position of hyper sexuality themselves.