Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, producer, and author. The chair and CEO of Rush Communications, he cofounded the hip-hop music label Def Jam Recordings and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons's net worth was estimated at $340 million in 2011.
Video Russell Simmons
Early life and education
Simmons was born and raised in Queens, New York.
His father is a public school administrator and his mother is a New York City park administrator. His brothers are painter Daniel Simmons Jr., and Rev Run of Run-DMC. In 1975, after graduating from August Martin High School, Simmons briefly attended the City College of New York in Harlem where he met a young DJ/Bboy, Kurt Walker, who influenced him to participate in the hip-hop phenomenon.
Upon hearing Eddie Cheeba perform in Harlem in 1977, Simmons knew that hip hop would be his career. Simmons stated, "Hearing Cheeba in '77 made me feel like I had just witnessed the invention of the wheel."
In 2014, Claremont Lincoln University awarded Russell Simmons an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters for his work as chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and for promoting mindfulness, compassion and interreligious collaboration in the public sphere.
Maps Russell Simmons
Career
Simmons co-founded Def Jam in 1983 with Rick Rubin, who sold his share of the company for $120 million to Universal Music Group in 1996. In 1985, Simmons co-produced and appeared in the film Krush Groove. Simmons' company, Rush Communications Inc., includes over ten businesses and three non-profits. Simmons, with his partner Stan Lathan, has also produced television hits HBO's Def Comedy Jam and Def Poetry Jam, and currently has a development deal with HBO. In 1996, Simmons co-produced the hit film The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy. In 2003, Simmons co-founded RushCard, a prepaid debit card provider.
Personal life
Marriage
Simmons and model Kimora Lee met in November 1992. They married on December 20, 1998, on the island of Saint Barthélemy. They have two daughters, Ming Lee (born 2000) and Aoki Lee (born 2002). In March 2006, Simmons announced his divorce from Lee.
Beliefs
Simmons describes himself as a Christian yogi, with a love and respect for all religions. Simmons practices a method of yoga known as Jivamukti Yoga, which encourages vegetarianism and social and environmental activism.
Simmons is a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and a supporter of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which was established to ensure that any child in America who wants to learn and practice TM can do so.
Social activism
Simmons has been vegan since 1999 and advocates Ahimsa and veganism, citing animal rights along with the environmental and health benefits. Simmons is a supporter of Farm Sanctuary, an organization working to end cruelty to farm animals. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals awarded him the 2001 PETA Humanitarian Award and the 2011 Person of the Year Award.
In 2009, Simmons organized thousands of protestors and hip-hop celebrities in front of city hall demanding change of the harsh sentencing of the Rockefeller Drug Laws.
Simmons became chairman of the board of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding in 2002. In May 2009, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Slavery Memorial at the United Nations to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a similar vein, Simmons is a supporter of the Somaly Mam Foundation, and was honored at their 2011 gala dinner. Simmons officially endorses the second Muslim Jewish Conference 2011. Together with Rabbi Marc Schneier he served as the official patron of the conference held July 2011 in Kiev, Ukraine. In 2011, he took part in the Occupy Wall Street protests, visiting the protesters at Zuccotti Park often and for many consecutive days.
Simmons is also a longtime supporter for gay rights. He encourages marriage equality. In 2011, when the retail corporation Lowe's withdrew funding from the show All-American Muslim, Simmons promised to pay the Learning Channel for any revenue lost.
In 2012, Simmons supported Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich's re-election campaign, appearing with the politician at various speaking events. In November 2013, he pledged support for New York's mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio in recognition of his support for animal rights.
In 2015, Simmons criticized his friend, real estate developer and future United States president Donald Trump, in an open letter after Trump called for Muslim immigrants to be barred from entering the United States.
In 2017, Simmons was listed by UK-based company Richtopia at number 23 in the list of 200 Most Influential Social-Entrepreneurs and Philanthropists Worldwide.
Sexual misconduct and assault allegations
Background
In November 2017, model Keri Claussen Khalighi accused Simmons of sexual assault in 1991 when she was seventeen. Simmons and Brett Ratner, who was also accused by Khalighi of watching them without intervening when she asked for his help, both deny that the encounter was non-consensual.
As the allegation was covered in the press, Terry Crews accused Simmons of attempting to influence him to take back sexual assault allegations that Crews had recently brought up against film executive Adam Venit, asking that Crews "give him a pass ... ask that he be reinstated." Crews posted a screenshot of the alleged e-mail he had received from Simmons on his Twitter account.
On November 30, 2017, writer Jenny Lumet claimed that Simmons had assaulted her in 1991. In response, Simmons said he would step down from his positions with his businesses. On the same day, HBO announced that they would be removing Simmons's name and his likeness from his stand-up comedy specials starting with the December 1 episode.
On December 13, 2017, The Los Angeles Times published an investigative report in which five women accused Simmons of sexual misconduct; including an alleged rape. On the same day, the New York Times published the accounts of four other women who accused Simmons of inappropriate conduct; including three alleged rapes. In response to the allegations, Simmons stated he "never had a sexual encounter that was not consensual or lawful. Ever."
Accusers
A number of women, some of whom were aged seventeen at the time of the alleged incidents, have accused Simmons of sexual harassment, assault or rape:
Sexual harassment or assault
Women who said they had been sexually harassed or assaulted (including attempted rape) by Simmons include:
- Kelly Cutrone, publicist and author.
- Keri Claussen Khalighi, model.
- Lisa Kirk, an acquaintance of Simmons.
- Toni Sallie, music journalist.
- Amanda Seales, actor and comedian (verbal harassment).
- Natashia Williams-Blach, actress.
Rape
Women who said they had been raped by Simmons include:
- Jenny Lumet, screenwriter.
- Sherri Hines, musician.
- Tina Baker, singer-turned-lawyer.
- Drew Dixon, former music recording executive.
- Jennifer Jarosik, filmmaker.
Parody video
Prior to 2017, Russell was the subject of public outrage in August 2013 when his All Def Digital YouTube channel launched by posting a sex parody video titled "The Harriet Tubman Sex Tape" featuring an actor as abolitionist Harriet Tubman having sex with her owner to convince the owner to work on the Underground Railroad. Black Twitter and women from his own community as well as Spike Lee were offended by the controversial comedy sketch.
The Rolling Stone magazine published Simmons' apology for the parody in which he said:
"I'm a very liberal person with thick skin. My first impression of the Harriet Tubman piece was that it was about what one of actors said in the video, that 162 years later, there's still tremendous injustice," Simmons wrote. "And with Harriet Tubman outwitting the slave master? I thought it was politically correct. Silly me. I can now understand why so many people are upset.
I would never condone violence against women in any form, and for all of those I offended, I am sincerely sorry."
Despite his apology in 2013, the nature of shareable digital media has allowed the comedy video to continue to circulate on YouTube and around the web.
Repercussions of allegations
In 2017, after additional allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced that led Simmons to step down from his role in Def Jam Records, his yoga lifestyle brand and multiple media properties according to the New York Times and CNNMoney. HBO also decided to remove Russell Simmons' name from "All Def Comedy," a series he created to launch and showcase emerging comedians.
Bibliography
Simmons has written several books that reflect his experiences in the entertainment business and his personal beliefs.
- Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, + God, published September 24, 2002
- Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway ... and More, published March 29, 2005
- Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, published April 10, 2008.
- Super Rich: Inside and Out, published November 1, 2011
- Success Through Stillness, published March 11, 2014
- The Happy Vegan, published November 4, 2015
References
External links
- Russell Simmons on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
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