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'Black Madam': Portraits of an alleged butt-enhancement killer

Differing portraits of "Black Madam" emerged yesterday, as two area photographers offered verbal snapshots of the singer sought by police in connection with an illegal buttocks-enhancement procedure that turned lethal last week.

A woman known as the Black Madam shown during a music video shoot. (Jim
Graham / For the Daily News)
A woman known as the Black Madam shown during a music video shoot. (Jim Graham / For the Daily News)Read more

Differing portraits of "Black Madam" emerged yesterday, as two area photographers offered verbal snapshots of the singer sought by police in connection with an illegal buttocks-enhancement procedure that turned lethal last week.

In November, Jim Graham met Black Madam when she came to his Old City studio to film her latest video, he said. "She was very professional, very creative, very in control the entire video shoot," he said.

But Jessica Lark, based in Limerick, had a negative experience. Lark said that Black Madam stiffed her out of more than $2,500, used her photographs without permission and threatened to "use voodoo" on her children when she was confronted about her debt.

"She was trying to Lady Gaga it and take over the world in one fell swoop," Lark said.

More commonly known by her stage name Black Madam, Padge Victoria Windslowe is reportedly a transgender woman whom police want to question in the death of Claudia Seye Aderotimi, 20, an aspiring artist from England who died after receiving an illegal injection to enhance her buttocks at an airport hotel last week.

Authorities have searched Windslowe's Lower Merion house, but she remains on the lam.

Graham said that Windslowe rented out his studio for two days in November to film her latest music video. He categorized her style as "goth rap," and although he didn't understand the story line, he said that the video showed Windslowe in three scenes: crucified on a floating cross, dressed as the leader of a group that looked like "Michael Jackson meets the SS," and on a throne.

He said that Windslowe paid her bills on time and seemed "fully aboveboard." When Graham learned that Windslowe was being sought in the buttocks-enhancement death, he was surprised.

"Why would this person, trying to be a rap star, even think about injecting someone's butt with some illegal product?" he asked.

Lark, however, said that she was not surprised.

In 2009, Windslowe, who claimed to be "this really big up-and-coming hip-hop artist," hired Lark's studio to do a photo shoot, Lark said.

But when the proofs were sent to Windslowe, she claimed to dislike the photos and refused to pay her bill in full, according to Lark.

"She started demanding the photos and then she started telling me she knew black magic and that she was going to cast evil spells and voodoo on my children," Lark said.

Despite claiming to not like the photos and owing Lark an outstanding balance, Windslowe used the pictures for self-promotion, Lark said.

One thing that Graham and Lark agreed on was the attention Windslowe paid her image. Graham said Windslowe spent hours on her hair and makeup; Lark said that she showed up with five assistants and four red snakeskin suitcases filled with shoes, jewelry and clothing.

"She was in hair and makeup over a half a day," Lark said. "She had this salve stuff, this lotion she put on that you could literally see it pulling her face back like a facelift."