I step on the long black runway wit Smokey dark eyes, juicy red lips, bouncy long curls, and a pink and silver designer two piece swimsuit that fits to every curve of my body. Posing in my T stance, I’m blinded by the flashes of the camera and intoxicated by the screams of the audience. I take my first step down my first runway and “Jah” the model is born.

So you want to be a model? Let’s be more specific; So you want to be an urban model? Well you better think twice. It's not all lights, camera, action. The glamorous lifestyle you imagine is hardly what you get. When you think of a model you think of that exciting existence that includes money, fame, fashion, beauty, and access to just about anything you could ever desire. The reality of it is that modeling is work, just like any other career. The problem with that concept is that everyone in the urban industry does not treat it that way. Why should they when there is alcohol, drugs, sex, music artists, beautiful women, and parties all in the core of the industry?

 I finished my fourth show with a well known swimsuit designer at club Vue in NYC. I gathered my things and tucked them under the bathroom sink.  Since there wasn’t anywhere to keep our stuff, I prayed none of the other models or women in the club would steal my shoes or makeup. I walked out the bathroom and was an instant celebrity in the club. I did an on camera interview for a mix DVD, a photo opt, and mingled with everyone who was anyone. The editor for a national urban magazine was in attendance and the last time we spoke at a casting in his office he told me to work on my stomach and keep in touch.  I decided to go speak to him and continue to show my interest in his magazine. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and held his hand firmly around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I stepped back in an effort to avoid his lingering hand and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. We held a small conversation with me urging him to reconsider shooting me because my stomach in my opinion was good enough to shoot in bikinis (I just did a fashion show in a two piece and looked fabulous). He quickly changed the topic and invited me to the after party, which I politely declined and told him I had to get back to New Jersey before the trains stopped running.  He then informed me he also lived in New Jersey and would make sure I got home. Needless to say I still declined.

The key to the success in any career is networking. It is important to meet new people and continue old relationships in hopes for future business. In the modeling industry this all takes place in the most unprofessional settings ever. At networking events in clubs or parties filled with liquor, casting directors, agents, models, and of course wanna be agents. Smooth Magazine model, Marisa Ross says that these wanna be agents “try to be professional but are trying on the low to get you to chill with them.”  How can you tell the difference between a wanna be agent and a real agent? There is no difference. Usually the real agents are trying to chill with you on the low also.

I typed in my email and password to login into myspace. It was becoming a rather lucrative marketing tool for my career and my friend list was way over 13 thousand.  It gave me the opportunity to promote myself as a model, gain a fan base, and network with people who would be able to help me.  I scanned my new messages to check for anything important and saw one from one of my agencies. I sent the owner a message a couple days ago to remind him I was interested in attending as many castings as possible at the time of my Christmas break from college and to send me whatever castings he could. This particular agency specializes in castings for rap and R&B music videos. I open the message and it reads, “When are we gonna hang and get drunk?”

Just like there are two types of agents, there are two types of urban models. The professional morally correct model or the “superhead”- get to the top by any means necessary model. “The stereotype that video models sleep with rappers exists for a reason,” says Ross. The urban industry is small and is run by men. So go ahead and carry yourself professionally, and hold your standards high. Go to castings, networking events, and jobs with a business attitude. See if they call you back for further work. Chances are they are going to go with the girl who looks just as good as you but who isn’t as head strong. They will pick the model that they can get to do the job and also give them a extra job on the side, if you know what I mean.

I skipped class today to make it on time for a casting to be on a platinum selling rapper’s album jacket.  When I arrived there were about 8 other girls there and I was consumed with a burst of excitement when I realized this was all my competition. I knew I would get picked without a doubt.  The casting director came and looked over our portfolios. Half of the girls didn’t even bring their books, but I did and handed it to him. He looked them over and gave them back when the rapper walked in. He introduced himself and held small conversations with everyone but held a particularly long one with a model who was also a stripper. She just had to make it known that she was one of the dancers at his party a few weeks ago. I guess she thought it would give her a better chance of getting the job.  The rapper left and we were all sitting around for over an hour with no word from anyone so I decided to go find the casting director to find out if we were done. “Yeah, he went to a studio session, so you’re welcome to stay and wait for him to get out or you can leave. We have your photos and contact info.” I sat around for a few more minutes trying to understand why he would want us to wait for him.  The rapper came back with a few friends and bottles of liquor and the lights slowly dimmed down. I looked around at all the other girls who seemed to be excited about the new setting. I grabbed my purse, portfolio and left. I didn’t get the job, but a couple of the girls who stayed in that room did.

No one really associates the word “pimp” with modeling but it’s so closely related. Models don’t even realize how much they are being pimped when it comes to working for free or even little pay. They will tell you there is no pay but great exposure, or it will benefit you to do the job. Usually that is what they tell you when they just don’t want to pay you because the budget for the models is staying in their pocket.  To be an extra in a music video for one day pays on average $50, and an extra in a movie for one day is $150. People are making a profit off these models and they are too caught up in being on TV or in print to realize it. These jobs just don’t pay enough to make a living off of, so after you do a couple music videos, calendars, and national magazines........then what? Is it really worth it?

Again I skipped class to be an extra in a new artist’s music video. I was positive the video would get played on BET because the artist was on a major label. When I got on set there were a bunch of models preparing for the house party scene. We got dressed in our mini skirts and tube tops or dresses, did our own hair and makeup and stood around a freezing house for hours.  They wouldn’t allow us to eat the catered food for the artist and crew, but after hours of sitting around with no food they ordered us the most disgusting bean burritos and room temperature bottled water. When they started shooting we basically had to push our way up front to even get close to the camera. I didn’t get any camera time and we were all paid $50.  I skipped class and wasted my whole day for no exposure and hardly any pay.

The media has always depicted black women as overly sexualized objects. We continue to play right into that stereotype by allowing and encouraging it.  It’s bad enough already that men are degrading women but women are becoming a part of the destruction as well.  Women need to realize the way we are being used and stand up against it. All it takes is a drive and a dream to take another path.  Being that number one video vixen isn’t being a successful black woman. It makes you a victim; A victim of ignorance.

“Graduates, you may now flip your tassels. You are now Rutgers Alumni” Dean Amber announces.  I reach up and grab the red and black strings hanging from my cap and pull them over to the left side. Jameelah Kareem, the successfully educated, aware and empowered black woman is born".

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