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Today in Hip-Hop History: LL Cool J Dropped His Debut Album ‘Radio’ 38 Years Ago

November 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

TodayinHip HopHistory:LLCoolJDroppedHisDebutAlbum'Radio'YearsAgo

On this date in 1985, James Todd Smith better known as LL Cool J dropped his first full-length LP on Def Jam Records. Primarily produced by Rick Rubin besides “I Need A Beat”, which was produced by DJ Jazzy Jay, Radio was a pivotal LP for not only LL and Def Jam, but for an evolving Hip Hop landscape that had just seen the rapid decline of b-boying and jams in the park. This was also the era in which the crack epidemic hit the streets and all of the major players used LL Cool J as the prototype image of how a hustler is supposed to look.

Songs like “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock The Bells” dominated airwaves as well as influenced other artists of that time period with his braggadocios content and virtually forceful delivery. The song that actually got Cool J the deal with Def Jam, “I Need A Beat”, was written and recorded when LL was only 15 years old, making him not only Def Jam’s first solo artist but also their youngest.

Salute to Cool J, Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons, Jazzy Jay, and everyone at Def Jam from that era that helped put together this timeless classic!

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Happy 67th Birthday To Hip Hop’s First Mogul Russell Simmons!

October 4, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons' Anonymous Rape Accusers Loses Lawsuit Because Claims Fell Outside The Statute of Limitations

Today we celebrate the 67th birthday of Hip Hop pioneer Russell Simmons!

Since the founding of Def Jam Recordings in 1983, Russell Simmons has been an instrumental part in the advancement of Hip Hop culture. Over his illustrious career Russell has launched the careers of multi-platinum artists (LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy to name a few), co-founded top-selling clothing lines Baby Phat and Phat Farm, created financial institutions with the Rush Card, and award-winning television shows Def Poetry Jam and Run’s House. It is nearly impossible to say what the state of rap music and Hip Hop culture would be today with the Russell Simmons influence.

Lately, Uncle Rush has even begun taking large strides outside of the entertainment and financial industries, becoming Hip Hop’s new-age spiritual guru. Since 2010, Simmons has released self-help books sharing his views on religion, spirituality, and even health. Through his Hindu and vegan lifestyles, Uncle Rush has assumed the role of mentor to a vast majority of today’s top recording artists.

Over the years, Hip Hop empires have risen to power and fallen from the mountaintop. Russell Simmons, however, has always been able to brave the tide and stand strong as one of the most impregnable forces of marketing and branding expertise. Since his first project, Run D.M.C., it has been obvious that no one truly understands Hip Hop the way that Russell Simmons does. His Midas touch continues to transform the culture into something new (and more profitable) with every idea he brings to fruition. He is truly a rap genius.

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Russell Simmons Facing $3 Million Debt For Alleged Failed Settlement Payments To Three Women

October 3, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons faces yet another legal obstacle after allegedly failing to fulfill previously agreed settlement payments to three women totaling $3 million, putting him in debt for this amount. The three individuals in question are Sil Lai Abrams, Wendy Carolina Franco, and Sherri Abernathy. Moreover, they reportedly agreed on confidential settlements with him in November 2023 for “alleged personal, physical injuries and sickness.” According to Variety, the payments were due by earlier this week on Tuesday (October 1). Simmons offered confessions of judgement and allowed the three women to pursue expedited judgements and start a collection process in the case of his default, which is now reportedly a reality.

However, Russell Simmons did not admit wrongdoing, and it’s unclear why these individuals agreed on these settlements due to the confidential nature of what court documents are available. Nevertheless, he agreed to pay Franco $515,000, whereas he reportedly promised to pay Abrams and Abernathy $1,265,000 each. Abrams previously alleged that Simmons sexually assaulted her in 1994, one of various allegations of sexual misconduct against the music executive. As previously stated, though, the nature of all the three settlements here is unclear.

Russell Simmons At A MusiCares Event

Russell Simmons Settlement Debt Three Women Hip Hop News — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 03: Russell Simmons attends MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Elsewhere, Russell Simmons appeared in the headlines recently for a social media interaction relating to the current Diddy scandal. He liked a post from Instagram page The Neighborhood Talk that shared a clip from an interview with Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, an attorney representing one of the Bad Boy mogul’s allege victims. Mitchell-Kidd alleged that someone contacted her about the sale of one of the alleged “freak-off” tapes. In addition, she brought forth the allegation that this footage features another high-profile celebrity. While many online users speculated about this “like,” it’s all just rumor and interpretation, not a concrete connection.

Meanwhile, Russell Simmons continues to engage in a legal battle with his ex, Kimora Lee Simmons. This is based on allegations that she stole money from him to bail her ex husband out of prison, to make a long story short. As for allegedly failing to pay these three women’s agreed court settlements, the available reports on the matter don’t indicate a next step.

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The post Russell Simmons Facing $3 Million Debt For Alleged Failed Settlement Payments To Three Women appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Kimora Lee Tags Russell Simmons In Mysterious Instagram Post Amid Legal Battle

September 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons is still battling his ex Kimora Lee in court on accusations that she stole money from him to bail her ex-husband out. This is just one of the many legal troubles he faces these days following a litany of sexual assault and harassment allegations against him over the years. But Kimora isn’t done with the music executive yet, as she randomly tagged him in an Instagram Story. No picture, no caption, nothing: just his tag on a black screen. Moreover, some fans theorize that she’s just trying to get his attention and reach out to communicate, whereas others feel like she could make a claim or allegations about this whole process.

“I have never spoken to a policeman about anything,” Russell Simmons said of people still in contact with him, although it’s more in the context of his supporters than his detractors amid this process. “I have never spoken to a judge, civil or criminal, about anything. From what I can tell, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, President Trump, all have more credible claims against them than I do. Knock it off. I love you, I just don’t want my friends attacked. I wish you all the best, but just leave my friends alone. Don’t attack them for visiting me.”

Why Did Kimora Lee Tag Russell Simmons?

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As such, some folks will probably criticize Kimora Lee for even reaching out, but this is far too vague to make heads or tails of. Another big controversy around the family that she and Russell Simmons had to address was their daughter’s age gap relationship. “I don’t think she ‘had’ an anything,” Kimora said of Aoki. “I think that was just… She’s a young pretty girl, and you know, I think that we don’t think that the toads that we may kiss [are] gonna be like broadcasted… I personally feel a little bit like she was set up, which is why I try to teach the girls.”

Meanwhile, Diddy’s ex bodyguard recently claimed that Russell Simmons influenced his lifestyle. Considering the many harrowing accusations against both men, it’s probably not a very flattering comparison for either music mogul to receive.

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Diddy’s Ex Bodyguard Alleges Russell Simmons Influenced Diddy’s Lifestyle

September 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy does not have a lot of people in his corner right now. It seems everybody who dealt with the Bad Boy mogul is either happy or unsurprised to see him go down. Diddy’s former bodyguard, Gene Deal, is no exception. Deal recently sat down for an interview with The Art of Dialogue. He not only claimed that Diddy belonged behind bars, but went on to allege that the mogul learned his excessive behavior from the moguls that came before. Namely, Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons and Uptown Records CEO Andre Harrell.

Gene Deal started his tirade off by laying the blame squarely at Diddy’s feet. He doesn’t hold anybody else accountable for Diddy’s bad behavior other than the man himself. He did, however, point to the men who mentored Diddy during the early period of his career. Deal cited three luminaries within the industry in particular. “You gotta realize, he learned from Andre Harrell,” the ex-bodyguard alleged. “He learned from Russell Simmons. He learned from Clive Davis.” Diddy worked under Harrell when he was an intern at Uptown Records in the early 1990s. It was Russell Simmons, however, who Deal alleged was the most notable influence.

The Bodyguard Feels Diddy Succumbed To His Influences

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“When those people are telling you that they were heavy into the drugs,” Deal explained. “They was heavy into beating women, and doing things at that crazy stage. That’s gonna make him think that he can get away with the same thing.” The ex-bodyguard claimed that he saw similarly behavioral traits whenever he was at Simmons’ home. “I’m not gonna say alleged cuse I saw that for my own self,” he asserted. “It can make this man into a monster and that’s what it did.”

Russell Simmons, like Diddy, has experienced a fall from grace in recent years. The hip hop legend was accused of sexual assault by multiple women in 2017. Simmons vehemently denied these allegations in a 2018 statement issued to Rolling Stone. “They have shocked me to my core as I have never been abusive or violent in any way in my relations with women,” he wrote. Despite his denial, more women accused him of assault and/or rape. Simmons stepped down from his duties at Def Jam. Interestingly enough, Russell Simmons was one of the few people who defended Diddy when the mogul’s dark past was coming to light.

The post Diddy’s Ex Bodyguard Alleges Russell Simmons Influenced Diddy’s Lifestyle appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Russell Simmons Demands Kimora Lee To Reveal Her Text Messages In Court

September 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons is not letting up in his lawsuit against his ex-wife Kimora Lee, putting a lot of pressure for her and her team. Moreover, he recently motioned a demand for her to reveal private text message information and appear in federal court for a deposition. For those unaware, the disgraced music mogul sued Lee for allegedly using shares that he had a stake in to bail her ex-husband Tim Leissner out. As such, he claims that texts between the former couple, as well as between her and her financial advisors, will prove his case. Overall, it’s a very contentious and combative situation.

On the other hand, Kimora Lee Simmons denies Russell’s claims, alleging that she already proved she owns these shares through document provisions. In addition, her attorney characterized his requests and demands as “excessive and irrelevant,” according to the report below. While many folks have picked sides in this debacle between them, it’s clear that this is much more complicated than we initially believed. We don’t know how this demand for text message conversations will turn out, but we can imagine that this is far from the end of this part of the court case.

Russell Simmons Wants Kimora Lee To Show Receipts

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Elsewhere, Russell Simmons recently warned people who continue to attack his friends for supporting him amid his many sexual assault accusations. “I have never spoken to a policeman about anything,” he shared on social media. “I have never spoken to a judge, civil or criminal, about anything. From what I can tell, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, President Trump, all have more credible claims against them than I do. Knock it off. I love you, I just don’t want my friends attacked. I wish you all the best, but just leave my friends alone. Don’t attack them for visiting me.”

Meanwhile, Kimora Lee recently spoke on her daughter with Russell Simmons’ age gap relationship. “I don’t think she ‘had’ an anything,” she told TMZ. “I think that was just… She’s a young pretty girl, and you know, I think that we don’t think that the toads that we may kiss [are] gonna be like broadcasted… I personally feel a little bit like she was set up, which is why I try to teach the girls.”

[via]

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Russell Simmons Escalates Legal Battle with Ex-Wife Kimora Lee Simmons Over Financial Dispute

September 7, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons’ legal battle with his ex-wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, appears far from over, despite his earlier optimism about a resolution. Four months ago, Russell hinted that the lawsuit he filed against Kimora was close to being settled, but recent developments suggest otherwise.

According to court documents obtained by In Touch, the 66-year-old music mogul has ramped up his efforts, demanding that Kimora, 49, produce private text messages and appear for a deposition this month as part of their ongoing federal court dispute. The case centers around allegations that Kimora used Russell’s shares of their jointly owned energy drink company to bail out her then-husband, Tim Leissner, from jail.

Russell’s recent legal moves indicate that the two have reached an impasse regarding the production of key documents he believes are critical to proving his case. He is specifically seeking communications between Kimora and Tim Leissner related to financial transactions that are at the heart of the dispute, as well as communications between Kimora and her financial advisors. Despite repeated requests, Kimora has not turned over the texts Russell believes are necessary for his case.

“The only text messages Ms. Lee has produced appear to be messages sent or received by Defendant Leissner, not her,” Russell’s lawyer argued, adding that Russell is entitled to messages containing responsive content, excluding those solely between Kimora and Leissner unless third parties were involved in the conversation.

In addition to the document dispute, Russell is pressing for Kimora to attend a deposition in New York. However, Kimora’s legal team has pushed back, arguing that she resides in Los Angeles, where three of her five children—who are school-age minors—live with her. Her lawyer emphasized that Russell is well aware of her location, noting that he has even sued her in Los Angeles previously. Kimora is insisting that the deposition take place in Los Angeles instead.

As tensions between the former couple escalate, a judge has set a hearing for October to address these issues.

Thoughts?

The post Russell Simmons Escalates Legal Battle with Ex-Wife Kimora Lee Simmons Over Financial Dispute first appeared on The Source.

The post Russell Simmons Escalates Legal Battle with Ex-Wife Kimora Lee Simmons Over Financial Dispute appeared first on The Source.

Russell Simmons Issues A Warning To People Who Keep Attacking His Friends

August 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons wants people on social media to stop criticizing his friends for supporting him after several celebrities have come under fire for visiting him in Bali. Addressing his followers, the music industry veteran argued that he’s more innocent than several former presidents of the United States. He’s faced allegations of rape and sexual misconduct in recent years.

“I have never spoken to a policeman about anything,” he began. “I have never spoken to a judge, civil or criminal, about anything. From what I can tell, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, President Trump, all have more credible claims against them than I do.” From there, he brought up having taken nine lie detector tests and asked whether any of the men he just mentioned had done the same. “Knock it off. I love you, I just don’t want my friends attacked. I wish you all the best, but just leave my friends alone. Don’t attack them for visiting me,” he concluded.

Russell Simmons Attends MusiCares Persons Of The Year

His comments come after Taraji P Henson faced backlash for paying him a visit, earlier this month. He had shared a picture of the two of them on Instagram while reflecting on their friendship in the caption. “People when u have friends like this, you are truly blessed!!!!” Simmons wrote. “Everyone comes to Gdas for healing, some people exude healing energy You are one of those You make everyone happy just with your presence love you baby girl you are back home safe now[prayer hands] and already you are missed [prayer hands] until we meet again darling only love [heart] ps you mean so much to so many people keep inspiring us all !!!” The comments flooded with criticism of Henson for remaining close to him.

Russell Simmons Speaks Out

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Check out Simmons’ latest comments on the allegations against him above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Russell Simmons on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

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Taraji P Henson Faces Backlash For Visiting Russell Simmons In Bali

August 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons revealed on Instagram on Monday that actress Taraji P Henson recently came to visit him in Bali. In doing so, he shared a picture of the two of them lounging on a couch together. In the caption, he reflected on feeling “blessed” to have such good friends in his life.

“People when u have friends like this, you are truly blessed!!!!” Simmons wrote. “Everyone comes to Gdas for healing, some people exude healing energy You are one of those You make everyone happy just with your presence love you baby girl you are back home safe now[prayer hands] and already you are missed [prayer hands] until we meet again darling only love [heart] ps you mean so much to so many people keep inspiring us all !!!”

Taraji P Henson & Russell Simmons Attend NAACP Image Awards

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Actress Taraji P. Henson and Producer Russell Simmons attend the CIROC Vodka, Official Spirit Sponsor Of The 2009 NAACP Image Awards Green Room held at the Shrine Auditorium on February 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)

Fans were left confused by the tone of the post, with many interpreting it as an RIP post. “Umm…can you either tag or include the name of this young lady? I know it’s an R.I.P post, but this looks like you and Taraji P in the pic,” one top comment reads. Another user adds: “Imma have to come off this internet. People don’t comprehend even when it’s clear. One person thinks a rip post and another think it a hook up post.” Other users complained about Henson staying close with Simmons despite the industry mogul facing allegations of rape and sexual misconduct. “I know she didn’t,” one user wrote with a face-palm emoji. Check out the full post on Instagram below.

Taraji P Henson Visits Russell Simmons In Bali

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Rumors have circulated since Simmons went to Bali that he’s hiding from the multiple women accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct. He recently denied that narrative during an interview with AllHipHop. Be on the lookout for further updates on Taraji P Henson on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Slick Rick Drops His 2nd Album ‘The Ruler’s Back’ 33 Years Ago

July 2, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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Slick Rick was, and still is, one of the greatest storytellers in hip-hop history. After the promotion and success of his first album, The Adventures of Slick Rick, the British MC continued his ascent to stardom with his sophomore effort The Ruler’s Back.

Slick Rick’s second album was finished rather quickly due to the fact he was hit with a five year stint behind bars. The first and hit single off the album was “I Shouldn’t Have Done It”, reaching number two on the Hot Rap Charts.

Following “I Shouldn’t Have Done It,” Slick Rick released the singles “Mistakes of a Woman in Love With Other Men” and “It’s A Boy.” The project also features production from Mr. Lee and Slick Rick himself. Russell Simmons served as executive producer.

Listen to The Ruler’s Back on Spotify.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Slick Rick Drops His 2nd Album ‘The Ruler’s Back’ 33 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Slick Rick Drops His 2nd Album ‘The Ruler’s Back’ 33 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.