Lately, there seems to be an infatuation with the girlfriends of hip-hop artists. These women have become overnight celebrities in their own right, whether it be through the art of a TMZ video or a Youtube upload that has virally spread around like an internet wildfire. Not that this is a new phenomenon. I remember the doubt that fans had when Ms. Melody, former wife of KRS-One, decided to put out a rap album. Despite any talent that she may have had (arguable or not), no one wanted to ever give Ms. Melody any props for being anything else but KRS’s wife.

But these days, the girlfriends of rap artists are getting media attention for being just that—girlfriends. No rapping, no singing, no nothing; just the high honor of being the chosen one in the sea of women in which artists dive. So the question becomes, can being someone’s girlfriend transcend you into stardom or will these girls get the short end of the stick when, and if, the relationship fizzles out?

Kanye West is one celebrity whose girlfriends always seem to get their 5 minutes of fame. His latest, Amber Rose, a shaved-head, light-skinned aspiring model with a fierce body and a permanent cigarette attached to her fingers, seems to be the most intriguing of all, especially as the lesbian rumors continue to pour in. Blogs also say that Amber is a former stripper, and if pictures soon surface, I predict her star will rise even more so. But it still remains to be seen whether Amber’s appeal transcends being Kanye’s girl. In the past, former Kanye girls have become partially successful—depending on how you look at it. Alexis Phifer, the most recent ex, is an aspiring clothing designer, and Brooke Crittendon is a current cast member of the BET reality series, Harlem Heights.

In the case of Joe Budden and his girl Tahiry, who was just recently photographed for the cover of King magazine, the scales seem to be tipping in her direction. Unbeknownst to Tahiry, she became the star of Joe Budden’s video blogs–the reality tv-type material that became popular on his Youtube channel. Since the couple started broadcasting their private lives on the internet, Tahiry has become the latest hip-hop darling. But while a possible reality TV and modeling career could be awaiting her, will she ever grow outside of the Joe Budden girl role?

In an era where the role of women in hip hop has been reduced significantly, it remains to be seen whether dating a rapper (yeah, I said it) is the fastest way to come up. Please, let the comments begin…because I smell a part 2 coming.

–KIM OSORIO

TAGS: Amber Rose, girlfriends, hip hop, hip-hop girlfriends, Joe Budden, Kanye West, Tahiry, women

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