Russell Simmons Biography
Russell Simmons is a record executive and entrepreneur from the United States. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings and designed clothing lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris.
How old is Russell Simmons?- Age
He is 65 years old as of October 2022. He was born Russell Wendell Simmons on October 4, 1957, in Queens, New York City, United States of America.
Russell Simmons Height- Weight
Russell stands at a height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall and weighs 62 kg (143 lbs).
Who is Russell Simmons’s Father? Parents- Brother
Simmons was born in the Hollis neighborhood of New York City’s Queens borough. His father was a public school administrator, and his mother worked for the New York City Parks and Recreation Department as a park administrator. Daniel Simmons Jr., a painter, and Joseph Simmons, a carpenter, are his brothers.
Russell Simmons’s Wife- Kimora Lee
In November 1992, Simmons and model Kimora Lee met. They married on the island of Saint Barthélemy on December 20, 1998. They have two children, Ming Lee (born in 2000) and Aoki Lee (born in 2004). (born 2002). Simmons announced in March 2006 that he and Lee had ended their relationship; they divorced two years later.
Russell Simmons Career
Simmons co-founded Def Jam in 1984 with Rick Rubin, who sold his stake in the company to Universal Music Group for $120 million in 1996. Simmons co-produced and appeared in the film Krush Groove in 1985. Rush Communications Inc., Simmons’ company, consists of ten businesses and three non-profits. Simmons and his partner Stan Lathan have also produced HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and Def Poetry Jam, and have a development deal with HBO. Simmons co-produced the hit film The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy, in 1996. Simmons co-produced Def Jam’s How to Be a Player, starring Bill Bellamy, in 1997. Simmons co-founded RushCard, a prepaid debit card provider, in 2003.
Simmons founded Phat Fashions LLC in 1992, using the Phat Farm and Baby Phat labels. When Simmons first established Phat Fashions LLC, the clothing line was sold in a shop in Manhattan’s SoHo district. Simmons’ connections with well-known rap artists aided in spreading the word about the clothing line to a large audience. The clothing line has a classic look and feels thanks to the influence of designers such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Phat Fashions began with hip-hop clothing for women, children, and men, but quickly expanded into a lifestyle brand with the addition of jewelry, perfume, and other merchandise. Phat Fashions LLC had two stores in New York and Montreal, as well as an online store at www.phatfarm.com.
Conrad Tillard, the “Hip-Hop Minister” and former Nation of Islam Minister, feuded with Simmons in 2001, accusing him of inciting violence by allowing the frequent use of words like “nigga” and “bitch” in rap lyrics. Tillard then convened a summit in Harlem to discuss what he saw as negative imagery in hip hop. Simmons organized a counter-summit, urging the public not to “support open and aggressive critics of the hip-hop community”. Simmons sold Phat Farm and Baby Phat to Kellwood Company for $140 million in 2004. In 1995, Simmons and his brothers established the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to provide art education and support to underserved youth by assisting people of color in accessing the arts and organizing exhibitions.
Claremont Lincoln University bestowed an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters on Simmons in 2014 in recognition of his work as chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and for promoting mindfulness, compassion, and interreligious collaboration in the public sphere. Simmons released an NFT collection titled “Masterminds of Hip Hop” in October 2021. It was curated by Snoop Dogg and focused on driving forces in the hip-hop music industry.
Simmons supports Ahimsa and veganism, citing animal rights as well as environmental and health benefits. He claimed to have become a vegan after seeing the film Diet for a New America in the 1990s. He is a supporter of Farm Sanctuary, an organization dedicated to ending farm animal cruelty. He received the 2001 PETA Humanitarian Award and the 2011 Person of the Year Award from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Simmons organized thousands of protestors and hip-hop celebrities in front of City Hall in 2009, demanding that the harsh sentencing of the Rockefeller Drug Laws be changed. In 2002, Simmons was appointed chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding’s board of directors. He was appointed UN Goodwill Ambassador in May 2009.
Russell Simmons’s Net Worth
Simmons has an estimated net worth of 340 million dollars.