Karrine Steffans, once known as one of the most famous “video vixens” of the 2000s, has made shocking allegations against some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z.
In an exclusive interview, Steffans—now a New York Times bestselling author under her real name, Elisabeth Ovesen—opened up about her time in the music video world and how women were allegedly used and passed around by powerful men in hip hop.
Steffans, who starred in over 20 music videos, including Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’,” claimed that she was once presented as a “gift” to Diddy by music producer Irv Gotti.
According to Steffans, Gotti would often send her to various industry elites to “take care” of them, as part of a disturbing trend of women being used as pawns for men’s pleasure and status.
One such incident allegedly took place when she was sent to Diddy’s home, where she claims the rapper made a simple sexual pass at her.
While recalling an encounter with Jay-Z, Steffans revealed a chilling story where, after filming the “Hey Papi” music video, she was invited for a drive with the rapper.
What seemed like a friendly ride took a dark turn when Jay-Z reportedly left her to prove her “worthiness” through a sexual act.
Despite the brief encounter, Steffans claims that Jay-Z never pursued her beyond that night, and they remained cordial but distant afterward.
Her book, Confessions of a Video Vixen, released in 2005, exposed the harsh reality of what many women in the industry experienced—being sexually exploited in exchange for fame or success.
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As the #MeToo movement brought awareness to Hollywood’s dark side, Steffans drew parallels, suggesting that hip hop had its own toxic culture that mirrored these troubling behaviors.
Steffans also recounted intimate relationships with other stars like Usher and Shaquille O’Neal, and even co-starred with Vin Diesel in A Man Apart.
While her revelations are eye-opening, Steffans stresses that her experiences are part of a much larger problem within the entertainment world—one where women often had to sacrifice their dignity for the pursuit of fame.
The attention surrounding these disturbing claims comes at a time when both Diddy and Jay-Z are under heightened scrutiny for their past behavior, adding more complexity to the ongoing conversations about power, consent, and exploitation in the music industry.