Russell Simmons is the third richest figure in hip-hop, having a net-worth estimate of $340 million as of April 2011.
History
Simmons was raised in Queens, New York. 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).
Career
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.
Personal life
Relationships
Simmons met model Kimora Lee Simmons in November 1992 at New York's fashion week. They dated for six years and married on December 20, 1998 on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy. 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.
In early 2007, Simmons briefly dated Sports Illustrated model Julie Henderson.
In 2008, Simmons dated model Porschla Coleman until their breakup in July 2008.
As of summer 2011, Simmons has been dating actress Melissa George of Alias fame.
Activism
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. Simmons is a supporter of Farm Sanctuary, an organization working to end cruelty to farm animals. 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. In a similar vein, Simmons is a supporter of the Somaly Mam Foundation,[8] and he will be honored at their 2011 gala dinner. 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. He has taken part in the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Beliefs
In January 2011 he stated in an interview with Allison Kugel that he is not a Buddhist as previously reported, but is a non-religious practitioner of Yoga, where he prays to the Atman, or the self.
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.
On January 4, 2011 he published the book Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All, which espouses giving as a lifestyle choice. Simmons is also a supporter of same sex marriage.
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