Mar 10, 2009

Candy Girls - First Ladies of Hip-Hop?

Video Girls.

Where do you even begin when it comes to the beautiful, scantily clad women that grace the videos of today's hottest stars. We've seen the likes of Karrine Steffans (Superhead anyone?), Melyssa Ford (tried to turn her video chick status into hosting a show on BET... where is she now?) and Buffy the Body (really the epitome of chicks with a fat ass getting a pass in life) but really have any of these women been able to flip their short lived video honey status into a lucrative career?

Someone that has taken the motto "if you can't beat them, join them" to a new level of what I like to call "If you can't join them, run them" is Danielle Crawley. As the owner of Bella Talent Agency based in Los Angeles (I wasn't able to find a website), Danielle is the manager of 4 chicks (she claims she has more girls but these are the ones that have been with her the longest) who are being marketed by E! Entertainment as the cream of the crop of "elite" and "glamorous" hip-hop "it girls".




While I do respect Danielle's hustle (as a black, female entrepreneur she was able to get a show on E!) it can't be overlooked that she got the show at the expense of these women who are portrayed as nothing more than hip-hop eye candy... and listening to her call these women "atmosphere" makes me want to laugh.

In a preview for the show which premiered on Sunday night after Keeping up with the Kardashians, Danielle can be heard saying to a client:

(click here for a preview of the show)


"If you want them within 30 minutes i want the best airplane you've got..."

Umm, this reminds me of something Heidi Fleiss would say. I didn't knock her hustle either but she wasn't trying to fake the funk on a tv show. She knew what she was doing and there was no shame in her game. I mean, prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. I do, however, have an issue with people trying to put up a front and over glamorize an industry that is anything but that for the many women that it chews up and spits out every year.


Are video girls really models? Actresses? I feel like it's using the word loosely... couldn't we all be considered actors if we play a role on a daily basis? How many people "pretend" or "act" when they're at work? Lol...


To sum up this show, Danielle has armed herself with her stylist best friend with the famous baby daddy (April "token white girl" Roomet has a son with Tyson Beckford), a personal asst (Kysha), and 4 chicks (Olivia - the innocent newbie that struggles with being mixed, Terricka - the slightly bitchy, even more ghetto single mother, Blanca - the Latina drunk that's new to the game and LA, and Brooke - the agency's top money maker and spoiled diva).


(L-R) Blanca, Brooke, Olivia, and Terricka


Will this show be entertaining? Yes. It comes on after Keeping up with the Kardashians (which I am a fan of) and will probably pull a following and get some decent numbers. Should it be taken seriously? Of course not. I'm sure people will watch this and take it to heart but I'd take this show with a grain of salt. It's a gimmick. Like the career span of a video chick is short lived I doubt this show will be around for long.


In the words of E! Network,

".....Candy Girls follows Danielle, who has built her company 'Bella' into one of the premiere talent agencies for the music industry’s casting needs. Every woman who wants to break into this industry knows Danielle is the best in the business and holds the key to the biggest jobs. For Danielle, between negotiating deals, entertaining famous clients, stomping out fires and doing reconnaissance on her girls, her hectic, non-stop lifestyle has her on the go 24/7. This year she will be sending her talent to events like the Grammy Awards, the Super Bowl, Magic Convention, NBA All Star Weekend, album release events and music video shoots for all the major labels. Through it all, Danielle must manage the lives and attitudes of her stunningly-beautiful divas –– working overtime to keep them out of trouble and make sure they are successful on the job. The series tracks Danielle’s efforts to manage some of the most sought-after women in the industry as they navigate a harsh and highly-competitive landscape. Her talent has formed a tight crew – they are all friends first, but at the end of the day it’s about getting paid and these women must balance their friendships when competing for the same opportunities. Adding to the pressure is that these women know full well that they have limited time to make a big splash in this industry before times take its toll on their looks and bodies."




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