Confessions of a Video Vixen

Karrine Steffans

Oct 2009 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this eBook

Part tell-all, part cautionary tale, this emotionally charged memoir from a former video vixen nicknamed 'Superhead' goes beyond the glamour of celebrity to reveal the inner workings of the hip-hop dancer industry—from the physical and emotional abuse that's rampant in the industry, and which marked her own life—to the excessive use of drugs, sex and bling.

Once the sought-after video girl, this sexy siren has helped multi-platinum artists, such as Jay-Z, R. Kelly and LL Cool J, sell millions of albums with her sensual dancing. In a word, Karrine was H-O-T. So hot that she made as much as $2500 a day in videos and was selected by well-known film director F. Gary Gray to co-star in his film, A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel. But the film and music video sets, swanky Hollywood and New York restaurants and trysts with the celebrities featured in the pages of People and In Touch magazines only touches the surface of Karrine Steffans' life.

Her journey is filled with physical abuse, rape, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness and single motherhood—all by the age of 26. By sharing her story, Steffans hopes to shed light on an otherwise romanticised industry and help young women avoid the same pitfalls she encountered. If they're already in danger, she hopes to inspire them to find a way to dig themselves out of what she knows first-hand to be a cycle of hopelessness and despair.

UPDATE: As the music industry started to have its own reckoning with men who've behaved badly, even criminally, Confessions has been discussed in some quarters as an early warning bell, with Karrine as a feminist icon who shined a light when no one wanted her to and championed sex positivity before it was embraced. Now she talks about what it has been like to watch the tide turn and the lessons still to be learned.

Ratings and reviews

I don't know what's up with these reviews. But I couldn't put it down. It was a bestseller for a reason. Pissed a lot of people off. I absolutely love it. Felt so bad for her. She just wanted to be loved. Still trying to figure out the man with the bookbag!!

I Remember When I Read a Sample in a Hip-Hop Magazine way Before Google Play Books and Miss Steffans Was Already Famous as a Model Who Appeared in Videos. She Was Made More Famous From The Awesome Lyrics of Jadakiss in The Lox Song-Blood Pressure "Got a Chick Named Superhead She Give Superhead, just Moved in The Buildin', even Gave The Superhead" and I Read The Book and Was Shocked With Her Past Relationship and Was Happy She Survived Through It All and Is Getting That Money.

It seemed to me that Karrine certainly enjoyed her party life and probably grew out of it or her responsibilities with her son caught up with her. It is a credit to her that she did not abandon him and that she is taking the time to warn other girls of the perils of this environment and industry. The scene seemed to still be glorified though...the cars, the stars, the restaurants, etc.

About the author

Karrine Steffans is a former hip hop music video feature star who made the transition into film as an actress co-starring opposite action star Vin Diesel and veteran actor Lorenz Tate in the hit film, A Man Apart. She lives in southern California with her son.