Why Women Should Stop Expecting Private Exploits to Launch Them In to Fame

By Veronica Hilbring (@Veronicolumn)

With every new reality show comes a new opportunity for a cast member to cash in on their newfound fame. I’m certainly not against any person who wants to find new streams of income. I mean, we all have to eat right? But how low are we willing to go to get it?

This week Winter Ramos, (Love & Hip Hop: New York) is on what seems like a press tour to promote her book, Game Over. In her book, she describes her exploits with some of Hip-Hop’s biggest stars including Swizz Beatz, Dame Dash and others.

Have we not learned anything from Karrine Steffans? Sure, her memoir, Confessions of a Video Vixen  got her booked everywhere from the Tyra Banks show to Oprah. But where is she now? Last I checked she was somewhere longing for Lil Wayne’s love and affection. She subsequently released more books but all have failed to reach the heights of Confessions.

Winter is hoping that this book will somehow propel her into book stardom. But instead, she’ll be on a few rumor reports while the show is airing and an after-thought once Love & Hip Hop: ATL premieres. The brutal fact is: No one wants to hear the sexual exploits of a woman in hip-hop.

That formula has been done so many times before. The cancellation of Start Wives Confidential should have reminded her of that. Every time there’s a sex scandal, infidelity in the marriage of a public figure, etc, there’s always the ensuing book deal that follows. People are actually buying these books. I guess it’s for the same reason that bragging about being a drug dealer is still popular: people love the drama and salaciousness of it all.

Sadly we live a world where double standards are so pervasive; they seem like the law of the land. A man would be able to continue his career without people even mentioning his exploits, i.e. Tiger Woods, President Clinton. But for Women like Winter, it will always be a factor in any future endeavors that she will make in the hip-hop industry. That is, if she is even able to continue working in Hip-hop without being blackballed.

Hip-hop is a male-dominated industry and women already have to work twice as hard to even be considered a factor. Winter reportedly has worked as an assistant to rappers Fabolous and Cassidy and as a creative costume designer.

Why not write a book about how you were able break into that field?

She claims her book is a cautionary tale for the next generation of girls trying to get into the industry. But if that’s the case, then why does she feel the need to mention the names of her famous partners? Her book would be just as effective. It doesn’t appear that she is trying to warn young girls of anything. It sounds more like she’s trying to capitalize off the famous men from her past.

I just hope she has a backup plan.

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