The trend of leaked sex tapes is becoming the new normal in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Since last year, Tiwa Savage, Oxlade and now Harrysong have had their sex tapes leaked or about to be leaked.
Following the outcomes of these unusual leaks, many male creatives now see it as their shot at fame.
There was once a time when the mention of leaked sex tapes of celebrities elicit some sort of remorse. Going by musician Harrysong’s demeanour towards his blackmailer over his sex tape, we may be settling into a new era where celebrities are indifferent to leaked sex tapes.
The ‘Beta Pikin’ singer had last week disclosed on social media that a ‘runs lady’ he had sex with is threatening to release his sex video. According to him, he had made some payments to keep his blackmailer mum but to no avail.
Similar to the route taken by Savage, which many termed as ‘owning the narrative’, his move to intimate the public is considered strategic. But while the consequences might not be similar to those of Savage, blackmailers are inherently keen on shaming their victims, with the public ready to feast on the content.
On the other hand, given the fast-paced world we live in today, Harrysong’s nonchalant attitude may work in his favour. But this boldness may arise from how male figures are viewed in leaked sex tapes.
For a long time now, the trend of praising men in sex tapes has been normalised. Men are usually praised for their agility and dominance in such short videos. Although objectified, it is done in a way that enlarges egos with a promise of no consequences.
This is different for female figures, however. When Savage’s video leaked, it elicited an array of reactions. But most dominant were those who called her out for even agreeing to film the passionate moment with her lover, calling the action ‘unladylike’. A better portion went on to accuse her of using the video for promotional purposes. She had just released her ‘Water & Garri’ EP at the time.
Harrysong has made it clear that the only person he owes an apology to is his wife. This may explain his concerns: protecting his family.
At the time of filing this report, Harrysong’s sex tape is yet to be released but anything can happen in the foreseeable future.
While it is easy to conclude that the damages caused by a leaked sex video are a permanent dent on the reputation of the celebrity, it is often female-specific.
Last February, up-and-coming Nigerian singer Ikuforiji Olaitan, popularly known as Oxlade, made social media rounds, but not for his music. His sex tape and two nude videos had been distributed by denizens across various social media.
Just happening months apart, one may assume that the backlash would be blistering, especially for the fact that it wasn’t rumoured; no statements were made before to influence the emotions of the public, yet, he earned the nickname Spiderman for the sex position he assumed. That video alone went on to inspire dozens of memes, all praising and idolising the singer.
While Tiwa Savage incurred losses after the leaked sex tape, it is the opposite for Oxlade, who recently signed a deal with the International record label, Columbia Records.
Arguably, society is slowly signalling to the male gender that it is okay to flaunt one’s junk in the glare of the public on social media. This notice should however be corrected if any form of nation-building is to be attained.
