Oxlade, Tiwa Savage And The Sex Tape Fad

Amid the steady rot and decay that has continued to eat away at society, the sex tape trend seems to be something that celebrities have embraced. For the not-so-popular ones, it is a launching pad to fame, a formula that started many years ago.

The question however is, just because it is now seen as the norm, should we then allow this moral decadence to go unabated or put a stop to it before it becomes too late?

Oxlade is currently trending after the release of his sex tape

It is imperative to travel back in time to take a look at the origin of this 'practice' and how it has shaped the world of entertainment on a global scale.

A Vice Takes Its Hold On Hollywood, Others

Her name may not really ring a bell nowadays but there was a time Pamela Anderson was the embodiment of the perfect Hollywood diva, reeking of sex appeal and alluring looks.

Pamela Anderson

A Canadian-American actress, model, and activist, this femme fatale is known for appearing in the late '80s to 90's series Baywatch.

Anderson and her then-husband, Tommy Lee had some of their 'bedroom antics' placed online in 1998, becoming one of the earliest internet celebrity sex tape scandals.

In December 2001, Chu Mei-feng, a Taiwanese TV journalist had a 47-minute video CD released by a local paparazzi magazine. In the clip, she was seen having sex with a man identified as Tseng Chung-ming (a married man).

Efforts were made to pull the magazines from the market but the video clip quickly spread all over the internet.

Kim Kardashian

The third instance is the one most of us know; Kim Kardashian, during her days as a relatively unknown individual, made a sex tape with her then-boyfriend Ray J in 2003 and the rest, they say, is history.

While some of the aforementioned persons faded into oblivion, with many forgetting their exposed escapades, others went on to become the celebrities that we identify today, thanks to their daring acts that paved the way for their prominence.

Nigeria Buys Into the Trend

It is common knowledge that Africans (particularly Nigerians) just love to copy almost anything from the western world. Unfortunately, that also includes some of the controversies that so often trail celebrities.

In October 2021, award-winning Nigerian artiste Tiwa Savage raised an alarm, revealing that someone was threatening to release her sex tape if she failed to pay an undisclosed amount of money.

Tiwa Savage

It wasn't long after (October 19, 2021, to be precise) that the clip was released on the internet. As expected, fans couldn't get enough of it, with innumerable comments flooding social media platforms.

Now, Oxlade, another budding artiste, has joined the list of celebrities who have the words 'sex tape' affiliated with their brand after his 'other room skills' were put on display in the viral video for all to see.

While both singers are being bashed and celebrated for their acts, things will undoubtedly return to normal and they will go about performing in different gigs like nothing happened. But should it be so?

Virtue Vs Vice

Not long ago, some teen boys were in the news for killing a young girl for ritual purposes, and the tragic development has sparked a debate over how such acts of inhumanity could have taken root in the children in society. While we are yet to understand that, this sex tape issue is one that should also be taken seriously as the future of the youngsters (who look up to such celebs as role models) is at stake.

We live in a digital age and almost anyone can get their hands on a smartphone. In that tiny device could be the tools that could make or mar a person forever.

Day after day, the fine line between good are bad is blurred and many things considered taboos have become widely accepted because we have to be "civilised".

While many opine that there is nothing wrong with recording sex with one's partner, others see no reason for the act. They say something private and intimate like that is only meant to be shared between those involved.

No one can and should be arrested if it is that person's desire to record such intimate moments but knowing that there will always be a possibility of it making its way online should perhaps deter that line of action.

If I know that making something will negatively affect the way people see me and I can't completely rule out the fact that one way or another, as long as it exists, someone else will ultimately get their hands on it, shouldn't I discard the idea of making it?

Considering the above, why then have we continued to see scenarios where celebrities are faced with threats of their sex tapes being released? Why make a sex tape at all?

The fact remains that the celebrity sex tape fad is a two-way thing; the person involved is recorded with or without his or her knowledge and against his or her wish, the video makes its way online. 

The second perspective is that the recording is intentional and is aimed at further promoting the person's brand. It proved to be successful with Kim Kardashian and others, so why not them?

To Deal Or Not To Deal With The Rot

Now that it has been established that children are being exposed to stuff they shouldn't be on the internet, how then do we tackle the issue of celebrity sex tapes becoming the norm? Should we fold our arms and leave everything to chance? Or should we nip the vice in the bud?

If we are to do something about it, then those celebs should be deterred from engaging in such acts. One way of doing this is to clearly outline the consequences of indulging in it and ensure that those found culpable are made to face the music if they err.

Failure to do anything about the issue will create an impression in the minds of the young ones (if that is not already happening!) that it is not a vice and soon we will begin to see underlings make sex tapes of their own to achieve fame and prominence.

Conversely, we could all just let sleeping dogs lie. After all, everything for dis country na cruise. Those who will be influenced will be and those who end up being society's ideal models will be. So, why bother?

As I write the last words of this article, I have a feeling that society is already at a tipping point; a precipice where we all have to decide that not everything goes. But then again, I may be wrong.