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{{Short description|American writer (born 1978)}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|8|24}}{{sfn|Steffans|Hunter|2005}}
{{infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
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| birth_place = {{nowrap|[[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]]{{sfn|Steffans|Hunter|2005}}}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|8|24}}<ref name=COAVV/>
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| birth_place = {{nowrap|[[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]]<ref name=COAVV/>}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|Writer|actress|model}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|Writer|actress|model}}
| years_active = 1996–present
| years_active = 1996–present
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| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| notableworks = ''[[Confessions of a Video Vixen]]''
| notableworks = ''[[Confessions of a Video Vixen]]''
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Darius McCrary]]|2009|2011}}<ref>[http://madamenoire.com/239201/im-not-me-without-him-karrine-steffans-speaks-on-her-strange-relationship-with-lil-wayne-and-leaving-her-husband/ "I’m Not Me Without Him: Karrine Steffans Speaks On Strange Relationship With Lil Wayne And Leaving Her Husband"] by Jazmine Denise Rogers, ''[[MadameNoire]]'', December 3, 2012</ref>
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Darius McCrary]]|2009|2011|reason=divorce}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://madamenoire.com/239201/im-not-me-without-him-karrine-steffans-speaks-on-her-strange-relationship-with-lil-wayne-and-leaving-her-husband/|title=I'm Not Me Without Him: Karrine Steffans Speaks On Strange Relationship With Lil Wayne And Leaving Her Husband|publisher=[[MadameNoire]]|date=December 3, 2012|author=Jazmine Denise Rogers}}</ref>
| partner = [[Kool G Rap]] <br> (1995–1999)
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| children = 1
| website = {{URL|karrineandco.com/}}
| children = 1
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| website =
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'''Karrine Steffans''' (born August 24, 1978<ref name=COAVV>Steffans, Hunter (2005)</ref>) is an American author, most notably of the ''Vixen'' series of books. She has worked as an actress and as a [[video vixen]], having appeared in more than 20 music videos, many by multiplatinum-selling rap artists.<ref name="Inquirer">[http://articles.philly.com/2005-09-29/news/25429326_1_xzibit-hip-hop-past-life Hip-hop bed-hopper tells all – Those wild days of drugs and promiscuity are behind her]; ''[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]''; September 29, 2005</ref> In 2007 and 2008, Steffans visited a number of college campuses to speak about her involvement in the hip-hop industry and its expectations of women.<ref>[http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=438 "Former 'video vixen' discusses women in hip-hop culture"], by Thabie Sibanda, ''[[Daily Sundial#Media|Daily Sundial]]'', November 25, 2008</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hip Hop Panel Wraps Up University Lecture Series|work=University of South Florida News|date=November 19, 2007}}</ref>
'''Karrine Steffans''' (born August 24, 1978{{sfn|Steffans|Hunter|2005}}), also known as '''Elisabeth Ovesen''',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/elisabeth-ovesen-karrine-steffans-pregnancy-1234722368/|title=Elisabeth Ovesen, Formerly Karrine Steffans, Announces Pregnancy|newspaper=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> is an American author, most notably of the ''Vixen'' series of books. She has worked as an actress and as a [[video vixen]], having appeared in more than 20 music videos. In 2007 and 2008, Steffans visited a number of college campuses to speak about her involvement in the hip hop industry and its expectations of women.<ref name=Sibanda>{{cite news|url=https://sundial.csun.edu/7383/archive/formervideovixendiscusseswomeninhiphopculture/|title=Former 'video vixen' discusses women in hip hop culture|newspaper=[[Daily Sundial#Media|Daily Sundial]]|date=November 25, 2008|author=Thabie Sibanda}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=438|title=Hip Hop Panel Wraps Up University Lecture Series|website=University of South Florida News|date=November 19, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321152329/http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=438|archive-date=March 21, 2012}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Steffans was born in [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]], and moved to Florida when she was 10 years old. She has written about her troubled childhood: she grew up in poverty, suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of an alcoholic mother and indifferent father, and was raped when she was 13. She ran away at 16, and began working as an [[exotic dancer]]. She lived on the streets for a month. She lived in New York and Arizona, and then moved to Los Angeles in 1999. She currently resides near Hollywood.<ref name="Inquirer" /><ref name="Former Hip-Hop Dancer Tells All">[http://www.csudh.edu/bulletin/past%20issues/BULLETIN_V7_83.pdf Former Hip-Hop Dancer Tells All]; [[California State University]]; ''CSUDH Bulletin''; March 21, 2007</ref> When she was 17, Steffans moved in with rapper Nathaniel Wilson, better known as [[Kool G Rap]], with whom she had a son. Their relationship was "tumultuous", and Steffans says she left for Los Angeles to protect her son after physical abuse landed her in the hospital.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/28/AR2005072802242.html "A Bawdy Lifestyle, and How to Shake It"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', July 29, 2005</ref>
Steffans was born in [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]], and moved to Florida when she was 10 years old. She has written about her troubled childhood: she grew up in poverty, suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of an alcoholic mother and indifferent father, and was raped when she was 13. She ran away at 16, and began working as an [[exotic dancer]]. She lived on the streets for a month. She lived in New York and Arizona, and then moved to Los Angeles in 1999. She currently resides near [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]].<ref name=Sibanda/> When she was 17, Steffans moved in with rapper Nathaniel Wilson, better known as [[Kool G Rap]], with whom she had a son. Their relationship was "tumultuous", and Steffans says she left for Los Angeles to protect her son after physical abuse landed her in the hospital.<ref name=washingtonpost.com>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/28/AR2005072802242.html|title=A Bawdy Lifestyle, and How to Shake It|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=July 29, 2005|author=Nia-Malika Henderson}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==

===Model===
===Model===
Steffans' relationship with Kool G introduced her to the growing [[Hip hop music]] industry. After moving to Los Angeles, friends she had made in the industry through acquaintances of Kool G began showing her the ropes. She made her [[hip hop model|video model]] debut at the age of 21, appearing in [[Jay-Z]]'s "[[Hey Papi]]" video in 1999. Steffans has also worked in videos with [[R. Kelly]], [[LL Cool J]] and [[Mystikal]].<ref name="Inquirer"/><ref name="Former Hip-Hop Dancer Tells All"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> In April 2006, Steffans appeared on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' in a segment titled "Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls' – Guests discuss the objectification of women". Steffans discussed how she had suffered sexual abuse as a child, and how she allowed herself to be sexually exploited in order to obtain work in music videos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Smart-Women-on-Stupid-Girls_1|title= Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls' – Guests discuss the objectification of women|work=[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]|date=April 10, 2006|accessdate=July 17, 2011}}</ref><ref>The Oprah Winfrey Show; April 10, 2006 Monday – 4:00&nbsp;pm EST BNO; Transcript: "Stupid Girls; former video dancer Karrine Steffans and singer Pink discuss the objectification of women"; Producer [[Ellen Rakieten]]</ref>
Steffans' relationship with Kool G introduced her to the growing [[hip hop music]] industry. After moving to Los Angeles, friends she had made in the industry through acquaintances of Kool G began showing her the ropes. She made her [[Video vixen|video model]] debut at the age of 21, appearing in [[Jay-Z]]'s "[[Hey Papi]]" video in 2000. Steffans has also worked in videos with [[R. Kelly]], [[LL Cool J]] and [[Mystikal]].<ref name=Sibanda/><ref name=washingtonpost.com/> In April 2006, Steffans appeared on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' in a segment titled "Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls' – Guests discuss the objectification of women". Steffans discussed how she had suffered sexual abuse as a child, and how she allowed herself to be sexually exploited in order to obtain work in music videos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Smart-Women-on-Stupid-Girls_1|title=Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls'|work=[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]|date=April 10, 2006|access-date=July 17, 2011}} Monday – 4:00 pm EST BNO; Transcript: "Stupid Girls; former video dancer Karrine Steffans and singer Pink discuss the objectification of women"; Producer Ellen Rakieten</ref>


In 2004, after her appearance in ''A Man Apart'', Steffans modelled for ''[[Smooth (magazine)|Smooth]]'' magazine's 'Hollywood Swimsuit' issue, and appeared on its cover<ref>''[[Smooth (magazine)|Smooth]]'' [http://smoothmag.com/magazines/smooth/smooth-22 Issue #22 cover]</ref> the following year in conjunction with the release of her first book.<ref name=COAVV/> In 2007, Karrine Steffans appeared in an exclusive photo-layout and on the cover of ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine, [http://www.king-mag.com/online/?p=3289 September 2007]</ref>
In 2004, after her appearance in ''A Man Apart'', Steffans modelled for ''[[Smooth (magazine)|Smooth]]'' magazine's 'Hollywood Swimsuit' issue, and appeared on its cover<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://smoothmag.com/magazines/smooth/smooth-22|title=Issue #22 cover|magazine=[[Smooth (magazine)|Smooth]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104213821/http://smoothmag.com/magazines/smooth/smooth-22|archive-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref> the following year in conjunction with the release of her first book.{{sfn|Steffans|Hunter|2005}} In 2007, Karrine Steffans appeared in an exclusive photo-layout and on the cover of ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://king-mag.com/shell-whip-your-head-boy/|title=She'll Whip Your Head, Boy!|magazine=[[King (magazine)|King]]|date=July 3, 2007|author=S. Malcolm}}</ref>


===Actress and rap career===
===Actress and rap career===
In 2003, Steffans appeared in the [[action movie]] ''[[A Man Apart]]'', starring [[Vin Diesel]].<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> In 2007, [[Datwon Thomas]] the Kingpen and [[DJ Rhude]] released a [[mixtape]] called ''Freaky Flows'', with a [[spoken word]] introduction and epilogue by Karrine Steffans, made available for free through ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.king-mag.com/online/?p=4177 "Sex is a mixtape"] ''King'' magazine, 2007</ref>
In 2003, Steffans appeared in the [[action movie]] ''[[A Man Apart]]'', starring [[Vin Diesel]].<ref name=washingtonpost.com/> In 2007, musicians Datwon Thomas and DJ Rhude released a [[mixtape]] called ''Freaky Flows'', with a [[spoken word]] introduction and epilogue by Karrine Steffans, made available for free through ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://king-mag.com/sex-is-a-mixtape/|title=Sex is a mixtape|magazine=King|date=November 6, 2007|author=S. Malcolm}}</ref>


===Author===
===Author===
Karrine Steffans' first three books, ''[[Confessions of a Video Vixen]]'' (2005),<ref name="NYT Confessions">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/books/bestseller/0724besthardnonfiction.html |title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 24, 2005}}</ref> ''The Vixen Diaries'' (2007),<ref name="NYT Diaries">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/books/bestseller/1014besthardnonfiction.html |title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction |work=The New York Times |date=October 14, 2007}}</ref> and ''The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want'' (2009),<ref name="NYT Manual">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/books/bestseller/besthardadvice.html |title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Advice |work=The New York Times |date=July 24, 2009}}</ref> have all made [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]]. She dedicated her first book to her son, and she donates part of the proceeds from the book to the [[Boys and Girls Club of America]]. According to ''[[Essence Magazine]]'' editor [[Michaela Angela Davis]], Steffans is reaching people "who may have dismissed earlier protests against rap's misogyny". Steffans has spoken to young women at colleges about the lesser-known dangers of the entertainment industry.<ref name="Former Hip-Hop Dancer Tells All"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/>
Karrine Steffans' first three books, ''[[Confessions of a Video Vixen]]'' (2005),<ref name="NYT Confessions">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/books/bestseller/0724besthardnonfiction.html|title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 24, 2005}}{{Subscription required}}</ref> ''The Vixen Diaries'' (2007),<ref name="NYT Diaries">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/books/bestseller/1014besthardnonfiction.html|title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 14, 2007}}{{Subscription required}}</ref> and ''The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want'' (2009),<ref name="NYT Manual">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/books/bestseller/besthardadvice.html|title=Best Sellers: Hardcover Advice|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 24, 2009}}{{Subscription required}}</ref> have all made [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]]. She dedicated her first book to her son, and she donates part of the proceeds from the book to the [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]]. According to ''[[Essence Magazine]]'' editor [[Michaela Angela Davis]], Steffans is reaching people "who may have dismissed earlier protests against rap's misogyny". Steffans has spoken to young women at colleges about the lesser-known dangers of the entertainment industry.<ref name=Sibanda/><ref name=washingtonpost.com/>


Upon publishing her cautionary memoir ''Confessions of a Video Vixen'', Steffans departed on a promotional tour and has been interviewed by many journalists, including [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]], [[Geraldo Rivera]], and [[Donny Deutsch]].<ref>[http://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/speaker/karrine-steffans.aspx Karrine Steffans Biography]; ''[[HarperCollins Speakers Bureau]]''; December 12, 2006</ref> Entering ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list at number seven and peaking at number five,<ref name="NYT Confessions"/> ''Confessions'' stayed on the list for over twenty weeks in hardcover<ref>{{cite web |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E0D81131F935A15750C0A9609C8B63 |title=Best Sellers |work=The New York Times |date=March 26, 2006}}</ref> and returned to the best seller list a year and a half later in paperback.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/books/bestseller/1119bestpapernonfiction.html |title=Paperback Nonfiction |work=The New York Times |date=November 19, 2006}}</ref> ''The Vixen Diaries'', published by Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group USA (formerly Warner Books), entered ''The New York Times'' Best Seller's list at number six in the fall of 2007.<ref name="NYT Diaries"/>
Upon publishing her cautionary memoir ''Confessions of a Video Vixen'', Steffans departed on a promotional tour and has been interviewed by many journalists, including [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]], [[Geraldo Rivera]], and [[Donny Deutsch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/speaker/karrine-steffans.aspx|title=Karrine Steffans Biography|website=[[HarperCollins Speakers Bureau]]|date=December 12, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818090044/http://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/speaker/karrine-steffans.aspx|archive-date=August 18, 2009}}</ref> Entering ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list at number seven and peaking at number five,<ref name="NYT Confessions"/> ''Confessions'' stayed on the list for over twenty weeks in hardcover<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/books/arts/best-sellers-march-26-2006.html|title=Best Sellers|work=The New York Times|date=March 26, 2006}}</ref> and returned to the best seller list a year and a half later in paperback.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/books/bestseller/1119bestpapernonfiction.html|title=Paperback Nonfiction|work=The New York Times|date=November 19, 2006}}</ref> ''The Vixen Diaries'', published by Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group USA (formerly Warner Books), entered ''The New York Times'' Best Seller's list at number six in the fall of 2007.<ref name="NYT Diaries"/> ''The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want'' entered the How-To/Self-Help ''New York Times'' Best Seller list in July 2009 at number seven.<ref name="NYT Manual"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31851977|title='Vixen Manual' Bares Tricks to Snare a Man|publisher=[[MSNBC]]|via=[[The Today Show]]|date=July 13, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604020402/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31851977/ns/today-books/t/vixen-manual-bares-tricks-snare-man/|archive-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1DD1730F930A25754C0A96F9C8B63|title=What's On Today|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 13, 2009|author=Nida Najar}}</ref>
''The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want'' entered the How-To/Self-Help ''New York Times'' best sellers list in July 2009 at number seven.<ref name="NYT Manual"/><ref>[http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31851977/ns/today-books/t/vixen-manual-bares-tricks-snare-man/ ‘Vixen Manual’ Bares Tricks to Snare a Man]; [[MSNBC]]'s ''[[The Today Show]] – Today Books''; July 13, 2009</ref><ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1DD1730F930A25754C0A96F9C8B63 What's On Today]; The ''New York Times''; July 13 2009; Nida Najar</ref>


Steffans started her own publishing imprint, ''Steffans Publishing'', in 2008. She has occasionally guest-written columns for ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.king-mag.com/online/?p=10512 "Do you want to hear a story?"] ''King'' magazine, February 2009</ref> In March 2010, Steffans announced on her website that she had signed two deals with [[Fox Television Studios]]. In one deal, her book ''The Vixen Manual'' was ostensibly [[Option (filmmaking)|optioned]], while the other involves the writing and production of a scripted television series.<ref>[http://karrine.com/News/Entries/2010/3/1_Steffans-McCrary_Pens_Deals_w__Fox_Studios.html Karrine Steffans announcement]; Karrine.com; March 1, 2010</ref>
Steffans started her own publishing imprint, ''Steffans Publishing'', in 2008. She has occasionally guest-written columns for ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://king-mag.com/karrine-steffans/|title=Karrine Steffans|magazine=King|date=February 3, 2009|author=S. Malcolm}}</ref> In March 2010, Steffans announced on her website that she had signed two deals with [[Fox Television Studios]].


In July 2012, ''Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1)'' was published, with Karrine Steffans as [[Book editor#Print media|editor]]. The book is described by its publishers as "an anthology" that consists of "a series of essays depicting regrettable sexual experiences wherein the consumption of alcohol was involved, either before, during, or after."<ref>''[https://www.amazon.com/Drink-Fuck-Sleep-Volume-1/dp/0615562361/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1361615262&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=drink+fuck+sleep Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1)]'', Amazon.com</ref> In February 2013, ''How To Make Love to a Martian'' was published in exclusively [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]] form. Steffans describes the book as relating the story of her "unorthodox relationship" with [[rapper]] [[Lil' Wayne]].<ref>[http://karrineandco.com/martian/ About the book: "How To Make Love To A Martian"] Steffans website</ref>
In July 2012, ''Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1)'' was published, with Karrine Steffans as [[Book editor#Print media|editor]]. The book is described by its publishers as "an anthology" that consists of "a series of essays depicting regrettable sexual experiences wherein the consumption of alcohol was involved, either before, during, or after."<ref>{{cite book|title=Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1)|isbn=978-0615562360 |last1=Steffans |first1=Karrine |date=May 4, 2012 |publisher=Steffans }}</ref> In February 2013, ''How To Make Love to a Martian'' was published in exclusively [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]] form. Steffans describes the book as relating the story of her "unorthodox relationship" with [[rapper]] [[Lil' Wayne]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}


In 2015, ten years after the release of her first book, Steffans published ''Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later'', with a foreword by ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine founder Datwon Thomas.<ref name=ten>''[https://www.amazon.com/Vindicated-Confessions-Video-Vixen-Years/dp/1940363829 Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later]'', Amazon.com</ref> Speaking about the legacy of her output, Steffans said, "I realized recently that I'm surrounded by young women who have never had a [[sexual revolution]]. So I became almost this figure, this [[Joan of Arc]] [for them]".<ref name=bb>[http://www.billboard.com/karrine-steffans-superhead-vindicated-confessions-of-a-video-vixen-ten-years-later-interview "Former Video Vixen Karrine Steffans on Kissing and Telling 10 Years After Her Tell-All Memoir: 'The Truth Is Never Regrettable'"] by David Peisner, ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', July 31, 2015</ref>
In 2015, ten years after the release of her first book, Steffans published ''Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later'', with a foreword by ''[[King (magazine)|King]]'' magazine founder Datwon Thomas.<ref>{{cite book|title=Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later|isbn=978-1940363820 |last1=Steffans |first1=Karrine |date=June 2, 2015 |publisher=BenBella Books }}</ref> Speaking about the legacy of her output, Steffans said, "I realized recently that I'm surrounded by young women who have never had a [[sexual revolution]]. So I became almost this figure, this [[Joan of Arc]] [for them]".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/6648386/karrine-steffans-superhead-vindicated-confessions-of-a-video-vixen-ten-years-later-interview/|title=Former Video Vixen Karrine Steffans on Kissing and Telling 10 Years After Her Tell-All Memoir: 'The Truth Is Never Regrettable'|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=July 31, 2015|author=David Peisner}}</ref>


==Selected bibliography==
==Selected works==
* {{citation | last1=Steffans | first1=Karrine | year=2005 | title=Confessions of a Video Vixen | last2=Hunter | first2=Karen | publisher=Amistad |location = New York | isbn=978-0-06-084242-0}}
* {{cite book|last1=Steffans|first1=Karrine|year=2005|title=Confessions of a Video Vixen|last2=Hunter|first2=Karen|publisher=Amistad|location=New York|isbn=978-0-06084-242-0}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine | year=2007 | title=The Vixen Diaries | edition=revised | publisher=Grand Central Publishing |location = New York | isbn=978-0-446-58226-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Steffans|first=Karrine|year=2007|title=The Vixen Diaries|edition=revised|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|location=New York|isbn=978-0-44658-226-1|url=https://archive.org/details/vixendiaries00stef}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine | year=2009 | title=The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce, and Keep the Man You Want | publisher=Grand Central Publishing |location = New York | isbn=978-0-446-58227-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Steffans|first=Karrine|year=2009|title=The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce and Keep the Man You Want|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|location=New York|isbn=978-0-44658-227-8|url=https://archive.org/details/vixenmanualhowto00stef_0}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine | year=2011 | title=SatisFaction: Erotic Fantasies for the Advanced & Adventurous Couple | publisher=Grand Central Publishing |location = New York|isbn=978-0-446-55320-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Steffans|first=Karrine|year=2011|title=SatisFaction: Erotic Fantasies for the Advanced & Adventurous Couple|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|location=New York|isbn=978-0-44655-320-9}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine (editor) | year=2012 | title=Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1) | publisher=Steffans Publishing |location = Sherman Oaks, California|isbn=978-0615562360
* {{cite book|editor-last=Steffans|editor-first=Karrine |year=2012|title=Drink, Fuck, Sleep (Volume 1)|publisher=Steffans Publishing|location=Sherman Oaks, California|isbn=978-0-61556-236-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Steffans|first=Karrine|year=2013|title=How To Make Love to a Martian|publisher=Steffans Publishing|location=Los Angeles|isbn=978-0-61576-890-8}}
}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine | year=2013 | title=How To Make Love to a Martian | publisher=Steffans Publishing |location = Los Angeles | isbn=978-0-615-76890-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Steffans|first=Karrine|year=2015|title=Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later|publisher=[[BenBella Books]]|isbn=978-1-94036-382-0}}
* {{citation | last=Steffans | first=Karrine | year=2015 | title=Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later | publisher=[[BenBella Books]] |location = | isbn=978-1940363820}}
==See also==
*[[Hip hop models]]


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb name|1153349|Karrine Steffans}}
*{{Official website|http://www.karrineandco.com/}}
* {{iafd name|id=KarrineSteffans|gender=female|name=Karrine Steffans}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Steffans, Karrine}}
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[[Category:Women bloggers]]
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[[Category:United States Virgin Islands actresses]]
[[Category:Caribbean women writers]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
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[[Category:American female models]]
[[Category:Hip hop models]]
[[Category:Hip-hop models]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
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[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
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[[Category:People from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:African-American writers]]
[[Category:American writers]]
[[Category:African-American female models]]
[[Category:African-American models]]
[[Category:African-American female dancers]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:American dancers]]
[[Category:African-American dancers]]
[[Category:African-American actresses]]
[[Category:American actresses]]

Latest revision as of 21:36, 18 December 2024

Karrine Steffans
Born (1978-08-24) August 24, 1978 (age 46)[1]
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands[1]
Occupation
Writer
NationalityAmerican
EducationHorizon High School
Years active1996–present
Notable worksConfessions of a Video Vixen
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2009; div. 2011)​
[2]
PartnerKool G Rap
(1995–1999)
Children1

Karrine Steffans (born August 24, 1978[1]), also known as Elisabeth Ovesen,[3] is an American author, most notably of the Vixen series of books. She has worked as an actress and as a video vixen, having appeared in more than 20 music videos. In 2007 and 2008, Steffans visited a number of college campuses to speak about her involvement in the hip hop industry and its expectations of women.[4][5]

Early life

[edit]

Steffans was born in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and moved to Florida when she was 10 years old. She has written about her troubled childhood: she grew up in poverty, suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of an alcoholic mother and indifferent father, and was raped when she was 13. She ran away at 16, and began working as an exotic dancer. She lived on the streets for a month. She lived in New York and Arizona, and then moved to Los Angeles in 1999. She currently resides near Hollywood.[4] When she was 17, Steffans moved in with rapper Nathaniel Wilson, better known as Kool G Rap, with whom she had a son. Their relationship was "tumultuous", and Steffans says she left for Los Angeles to protect her son after physical abuse landed her in the hospital.[6]

Career

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Model

[edit]

Steffans' relationship with Kool G introduced her to the growing hip hop music industry. After moving to Los Angeles, friends she had made in the industry through acquaintances of Kool G began showing her the ropes. She made her video model debut at the age of 21, appearing in Jay-Z's "Hey Papi" video in 2000. Steffans has also worked in videos with R. Kelly, LL Cool J and Mystikal.[4][6] In April 2006, Steffans appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in a segment titled "Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls' – Guests discuss the objectification of women". Steffans discussed how she had suffered sexual abuse as a child, and how she allowed herself to be sexually exploited in order to obtain work in music videos.[7]

In 2004, after her appearance in A Man Apart, Steffans modelled for Smooth magazine's 'Hollywood Swimsuit' issue, and appeared on its cover[8] the following year in conjunction with the release of her first book.[1] In 2007, Karrine Steffans appeared in an exclusive photo-layout and on the cover of King magazine.[9]

Actress and rap career

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In 2003, Steffans appeared in the action movie A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel.[6] In 2007, musicians Datwon Thomas and DJ Rhude released a mixtape called Freaky Flows, with a spoken word introduction and epilogue by Karrine Steffans, made available for free through King magazine.[10]

Author

[edit]

Karrine Steffans' first three books, Confessions of a Video Vixen (2005),[11] The Vixen Diaries (2007),[12] and The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want (2009),[13] have all made The New York Times Best Seller list. She dedicated her first book to her son, and she donates part of the proceeds from the book to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. According to Essence Magazine editor Michaela Angela Davis, Steffans is reaching people "who may have dismissed earlier protests against rap's misogyny". Steffans has spoken to young women at colleges about the lesser-known dangers of the entertainment industry.[4][6]

Upon publishing her cautionary memoir Confessions of a Video Vixen, Steffans departed on a promotional tour and has been interviewed by many journalists, including Bill O'Reilly, Geraldo Rivera, and Donny Deutsch.[14] Entering The New York Times Best Seller list at number seven and peaking at number five,[11] Confessions stayed on the list for over twenty weeks in hardcover[15] and returned to the best seller list a year and a half later in paperback.[16] The Vixen Diaries, published by Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group USA (formerly Warner Books), entered The New York Times Best Seller's list at number six in the fall of 2007.[12] The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want entered the How-To/Self-Help New York Times Best Seller list in July 2009 at number seven.[13][17][18]

Steffans started her own publishing imprint, Steffans Publishing, in 2008. She has occasionally guest-written columns for King magazine.[19] In March 2010, Steffans announced on her website that she had signed two deals with Fox Television Studios.

In July 2012, Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1) was published, with Karrine Steffans as editor. The book is described by its publishers as "an anthology" that consists of "a series of essays depicting regrettable sexual experiences wherein the consumption of alcohol was involved, either before, during, or after."[20] In February 2013, How To Make Love to a Martian was published in exclusively Kindle form. Steffans describes the book as relating the story of her "unorthodox relationship" with rapper Lil' Wayne.[citation needed]

In 2015, ten years after the release of her first book, Steffans published Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later, with a foreword by King magazine founder Datwon Thomas.[21] Speaking about the legacy of her output, Steffans said, "I realized recently that I'm surrounded by young women who have never had a sexual revolution. So I became almost this figure, this Joan of Arc [for them]".[22]

Selected works

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  • Steffans, Karrine; Hunter, Karen (2005). Confessions of a Video Vixen. New York: Amistad. ISBN 978-0-06084-242-0.
  • Steffans, Karrine (2007). The Vixen Diaries (revised ed.). New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0-44658-226-1.
  • Steffans, Karrine (2009). The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce and Keep the Man You Want. New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0-44658-227-8.
  • Steffans, Karrine (2011). SatisFaction: Erotic Fantasies for the Advanced & Adventurous Couple. New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0-44655-320-9.
  • Steffans, Karrine, ed. (2012). Drink, Fuck, Sleep (Volume 1). Sherman Oaks, California: Steffans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-61556-236-0.
  • Steffans, Karrine (2013). How To Make Love to a Martian. Los Angeles: Steffans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-61576-890-8.
  • Steffans, Karrine (2015). Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later. BenBella Books. ISBN 978-1-94036-382-0.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Steffans & Hunter 2005.
  2. ^ Jazmine Denise Rogers (December 3, 2012). "I'm Not Me Without Him: Karrine Steffans Speaks On Strange Relationship With Lil Wayne And Leaving Her Husband". MadameNoire.
  3. ^ "Elisabeth Ovesen, Formerly Karrine Steffans, Announces Pregnancy". Vibe. December 28, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Thabie Sibanda (November 25, 2008). "Former 'video vixen' discusses women in hip hop culture". Daily Sundial.
  5. ^ "Hip Hop Panel Wraps Up University Lecture Series". University of South Florida News. November 19, 2007. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d Nia-Malika Henderson (July 29, 2005). "A Bawdy Lifestyle, and How to Shake It". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ "Smart Women on 'Stupid Girls'". The Oprah Winfrey Show. April 10, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2011. Monday – 4:00 pm EST BNO; Transcript: "Stupid Girls; former video dancer Karrine Steffans and singer Pink discuss the objectification of women"; Producer Ellen Rakieten
  8. ^ "Issue #22 cover". Smooth. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014.
  9. ^ S. Malcolm (July 3, 2007). "She'll Whip Your Head, Boy!". King.
  10. ^ S. Malcolm (November 6, 2007). "Sex is a mixtape". King.
  11. ^ a b "Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction". The New York Times. July 24, 2005.(subscription required)
  12. ^ a b "Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction". The New York Times. October 14, 2007.(subscription required)
  13. ^ a b "Best Sellers: Hardcover Advice". The New York Times. July 24, 2009.(subscription required)
  14. ^ "Karrine Steffans Biography". HarperCollins Speakers Bureau. December 12, 2006. Archived from the original on August 18, 2009.
  15. ^ "Best Sellers". The New York Times. March 26, 2006.
  16. ^ "Paperback Nonfiction". The New York Times. November 19, 2006.
  17. ^ "'Vixen Manual' Bares Tricks to Snare a Man". MSNBC. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011 – via The Today Show.
  18. ^ Nida Najar (July 13, 2009). "What's On Today". The New York Times.
  19. ^ S. Malcolm (February 3, 2009). "Karrine Steffans". King.
  20. ^ Steffans, Karrine (May 4, 2012). Drink Fuck Sleep (Volume 1). Steffans. ISBN 978-0615562360.
  21. ^ Steffans, Karrine (June 2, 2015). Vindicated: Confessions of a Video Vixen, Ten Years Later. BenBella Books. ISBN 978-1940363820.
  22. ^ David Peisner (July 31, 2015). "Former Video Vixen Karrine Steffans on Kissing and Telling 10 Years After Her Tell-All Memoir: 'The Truth Is Never Regrettable'". Billboard.
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