Issue date: 10/15/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment

We have heard the rumors. Catch phrases like "Superhead" & "Kidnapped wife of Kool G. Rap" have been attributed to her. Tales of her sexual exploits with recording artists, actors, and athletes have been spread throughout the media. Her name is Karrine Steffans and her book, Confessions of a Video Vixen, is an explosive memoir about her relationships with some of the most famous men in the entertainment industry.
Karrine begins her story chronicling the abuse and neglect she felt from her family, which leads her to become a runaway. At the age of 17, she finds herself flat broke and homeless, so she begins to dance for a living. One night, she is introduced to a man who would change her life. His name is Kool G. Rapp, one of the founders of New York's Gangster style of rap.
As her story progresses, she tells of their relationship and the extreme abuse she suffered. After years of enduring repeated slaps, punches, and beatings (even while she was pregnant), she finally finds the courage to flee to Los Angeles. Once there, she connects with other artists in the industry which leads her to all types of high profile opportunities, personal and professional.
Karrine Steffans undoubtedly has scribed a hit. While not a great work of literary non-fiction, she engages her readers with her open writing style. I found at times that this book was near impossible to put down. I simply had to know what was going to happen next. She seduces readers by dropping names and events all the while explaining her thoughts and feelings through hindsight. Superficially, Confessions of a Video Vixen appears to be a longer version of a supermarket tabloid, full of gossip. However, under the surface, it is a cautionary tale warning against the lure of the limelight.
Confessions of a Video Vixen is sold at Morgan State University Bookstore.

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