Return Of The Gangsta

They killed the video scene so we blew ’em up. They got low and let y’all live. Now they’ve upgraded and are back doing it even bigger. Meet the first inductees to XXL’s Eye Candy Hall of Fame. Fix your face, lady!

Liris “Black Barbie” Crosse

Class: ’98

Age: 24

Undergrad: One of XXL’s original Eye Candies. Entering rap’s video game with The Lox’s “If You Think I’m Jiggy” and Cam’ron’s “Horse & Carriage,” Liris wrapped a shimmering gold dress around her fatty to put the bootylicious video model into business with Jay-Z’s “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up).”

Summer Break: ’Bout those big checks, the Baltimore native hit Hollywood and blazed movies (The Best Man), dramatic series (The Wire), commercials (Sony MiniDisc) and print (British Cosmopolitan), even being nominated for Honey magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award alongside Alek Wek and Naomi Campbell.

Master’s: Between balancing a hectic schedule of film acting, website launching (Liriscrosse.com) and creating a hip-hop version of The Vagina Monologues with creator Eve Ensler, the 5’9” thoroughbred managed to floss her strut in visuals for Mase’s “Welcome Back” and Lloyd Banks’ “On Fire.”

Letter of Recommendation: E for eyes: “Her eyes are worth a million dollars,” says video director Dave Meyers. “And the enjoyment she has [delving] herself into each role makes her a pleasure to work with.”

Acceptance Speech: “I’m probably one of the first women who broke down the barriers to putting voluptuous women of color in music videos,” Liris affirms, adding, “My body would be perfect for Baby Phat.”

Miya “Jordan” Granatella

Class: ’02

Age: 23

Undergrad: ‘02’s Eye Candy of the Year runner-up, Miya ran the year by gracing vids for the career hits of Cam (“Oh Boy”), Fat Joe (“What’s Luv?”) and Styles P (“Good Times”) with alluring eyes, edible lips and an ass only God could’ve created.

Summer Break: Most thought the Jersey beauty got low in ’03, but most of her videos suffered weak rotation. Cam and Master P’s “Bout It Bout It... Part III” never hit the mainstream, Keith Murray’s “Yeah Yeah U Know It” and “Candi Bar” suffered due to his Def Jam drama, and Miya’s best acting performance, in Gang Starr’s “Nice Girl, Wrong Place,” never saw the light of day. The important thing is her checks cleared.

Master’s: Undisputedly doing the most in ‘04, Love has posed-off in Jay-Z’s “Change Clothes,” massaged Eminem in “My Band” and played Twista’s “Overnight Celebrity,” for a career total of 40 videos. Ready for retirement, she’s ready to begin her music career with either Desert Storm or Dip Set.

Letter of Recommendation: L for lips: “Her lips are like two ripe strawberries,” praises director Eric White. “And she works the camera with ’em. She knows how to look innocent and naughty at the same time.”

Acceptance Speech: “When directors need sexy they call me. I was born on the last day of Scorpio and first day of Sagitarius. Scorpios are sexy and Sag’s are free-spirited and down for whatever, you take the sexiness from a Scorpio and the freak of a Sag and you got me—a problem!”

Gloria “Glory” Velez

Class: ’00

Age: 25

Undergrad:XXL’s first-ever Eye Candy of the Year (’00). After Glo was seen all in white, bouncing in Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’,” it was a wrap! Ja Rule holla holla’d before Hov but DMX came after with “What You Want,” where Velez gave Sisqò the ride of his life. Eye Candy was never the same.

Summer Break: After killing Jagged Edge and Nelly’s “Where’s The Party At?,” Glory began focusing on her rap career, split-signing with Cash Money and Rodney Jerkins’ Darkchild. Unhappy, she bounced for independence, heating ’04 with her own American Dream Tour.

Master’s: After tragedy struck last April when her boyfriend/manager was busted for cocaine distribution, the pimpstress recovered from her heartbreak (“He was the first man to invest in my career”), and began recording with Lil’ Flip, shooting Playboy TV, hitting the Celebrity Catwalk with Anna Nicole Smith and finishing her next mixtape, Failure Is Not An Option, with DJ Envy.

Letter of Recommendation: S for Sex Appeal: “She’s completely sexy, head to toe,” says video director Mr. X. “It’s the attitude, the body, her face, the way she moves. It’s a package deal.”

Acceptance Speech: “You shouldn’t be ashamed of being a video girl,” says Velez. “I went to the highest level a video girl can go. So now I’m not doing any videos unless I’m rapping in it.”´