Russell Simmons is addressing his residency in Bali. Speaking with AllHipHop, Simmons reveals that he isn’t hiding out and is freely welcomed in the United States.
“People saying that I somehow can’t come home when I’m there all the time wears on you,” Simmons said. “It wears on me after a while to keep hearing the same narrative, which is false. I’m always in L.A., I’m always in New York and Miami. And I’ve never had any reason to feel unsafe in America.”
Simmons revealed he doesn’t own any property in the United States and has no intention of ever living in New York City again, opting for Bali.
In March, Russell Simmons was officially served a lawsuit. While at a Bali resort, Simmons received a lawsuit from Drew Dixon, accusing him of defamation.
Dixon is suing Simmons after he called her a “liar” and stated her accusations of sexual assault were an attempt for fame. The comments from the Def Jam mogul are said to have damaged Dixon’s professional career.
According to AllHipHop, Simmons received the lawsuit from a process server named Daniel John Ayoub at 12:30 local time. Ayoub bypassed security by stating he was interested in the resort, hanging out for an hour, and spotting Simmons at a restaurant.
“I recognized him as the person named in the service papers as Russell Simmons is a well-known celebrity and widely known in Bali, Indonesia as well as in the United States and other places,” Ayoub said.
Once Simmons was seated, Ayoub stated he approached: “I said ‘Excuse me, Mr. Simmons, sorry to interrupt your meeting.’ I then handed Simmons the service documents in an envelope and said, ‘This is for you.”
After alerting Simmons that he was being served from the state of New York, Ayoub recalls Simmons dropping the paperwork and responding, “Ah f—. s—!”
Simmons would later wonder how Ayoub got through security and could enter the resort.
In February, Russell Simmons was the subject of another rape allegation from a former Def Jam employee. The Jane Doe states Simmons also obstructed her career from advancing.
The lawsuit was filed in New York City federal court under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, revealing the woman worked for Simmons as an executive and video producer.
Doe’s relationship with Simmons was professional and turned violent, impacting her “financial viability.”
The unidentified woman states Simmons invited her to his home music video work, leading to a “playful” attempt of wrestling turned aggressive behavior and rape. The document reads, “Ms Doe repeatedly told Mr Simmons to get off of her, but he refused.”
Following the incident, the woman stated Simmons would intimidate her in the office when he visited her desk, eventually leading her to have panic attacks. The woman is seeking monetary damages as a result of a trial.
The post Russell Simmons Says He Has No Reason to Feel Unsafe in America, Will Remain in Bali first appeared on The Source.
The post Russell Simmons Says He Has No Reason to Feel Unsafe in America, Will Remain in Bali appeared first on The Source.
