| Russell Simmons | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 4, 1957 Queens, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Co-founder of Def Jam and founder of Phat Farm, Argyleculture, American Classics |
| Net worth | $340 million (2011) [1] |
| Spouse | Kimora Lee (1998-2009)(divorced) |
| Website | |
| Rush Communications | |
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American business magnate as the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, and creator of the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and American Classics.
Russell Simmons is the third richest figure in hip-hop, having a net-worth estimate of $340 million as of April 2011.[1]
Contents |
Simmons was raised in Queens, New York.[2] He is the son of Daniel Simmons, Sr., a public school administrator, and Evelyn Simmons, a New York City park administrator. His older brother is abstract expressionist painter Daniel Simmons, Jr., and his younger brother is Rev. Joseph Simmons ("Run" of Run-DMC).
Def Jam became just one piece in Simmons' corporation, Rush Communications, Inc., which included a management company, a clothing company called Phat Farm, a movie production house, television shows such as Def Comedy Jam, a magazine and an advertising agency. His nephew Jamal "Redrum" Simmons and his group Flatlinerz released the highly controversial album U.S.A. in 1994 on Def Jam but was dropped from the label soon after. Rick Rubin sold his share of the record company for $100 million to Universal Music Group in 1996. Simmons produced Def Poetry, begun as a television series on HBO, which also branched into a Broadway live stage production in 2002.
The up-and-coming component of Rush Communications, Inc. 2008 is the sneaker company Run Athletics, which was started in 2008, a company that produces both the legacy and Russell Simmons clothing line brand shoes.
He is also majority shareholder in at the website Global Grind.
In 1985 Russel Simmons co-produced and appeared in the film, Krush Groove.
Simmons met model Kimora Lee Simmons in November 1992 at New York's fashion week. They dated for four years and married on December 20, 1998 [3] on the French Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy, F.W.I.. Officiating was Russell's brother, the Reverend Run, now an ordained minister. They have 2 daughters together, Ming Lee (born 2000) and Aoki Lee (born 2002). Before the couple's divorce, they owned a 4-acre (16,000 m2), 49,000-square-foot (4,600 m2), 10-bedroom marital home located in Saddle River, New Jersey. The home includes both indoor and outdoor pools, a wine cellar and a movie theater. Just down the road is the home of his brother, Joseph Simmons, a.k.a. Rev Run.
In March 2006, Lee and Simmons announced that they would be getting a divorce. Their divorce finalized in January 2009. They would continue to work together on Phat Farm and Baby Phat clothing lines.
Russell Simmons has been vegan since 1998 and advocates the adoption of practicing Ahimsa and veganism citing animal rights along with the environmental and health benefits.[2][4] Simmons is a supporter of Farm Sanctuary, an organization working to end cruelty to farm animals.[5] People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals honored him with the 2001 PETA Humanitarian Award and the 2011 Person of the Year Award.[6][7] In May 2009, Simmons 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.[8] In a similar vein, Simmons is a supporter of the Somaly Mam Foundation,[9] and he will be honored at their 2011 gala dinner.[10] Russell Simmons officially endorses the second Muslim Jewish Conference 2011. Together with Rabbi Marc Schneier he serves as the official patron of the conference being held July 2011 in Kiev, Ukraine. In 2011, he has taken part in the Occupy Wall Street protests, visiting the protestors at Zuccotti park often and for many consecutive days.
Simmons is also a long-time supporter for gay rights. He encourages marriage equality.[11] In 2011, when Lowe's withdrew funding from the show All-American Muslim, Simmons promised to pay the Learning Channel for any revenue lost.[12]
Simmons is going to have a cameo in the 2012 movie "Star Trek".
In January 2011 he stated in an interview with Allison Kugel that he is not a Buddhist as previously reported,[13][14] but is a non-religious practitioner of Yoga, where he prays to the Atman, or the self.[2] Simmons practices a method of Yoga known as Jivamukti Yoga,[15] 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.[16][17]
On January 4, 2011 he published the book Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All, which espouses giving as a lifestyle choice.[2]
Russell also co-wrote Do You-12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success with Chris Morrow in 2007.