X-Nico

13 unusual facts about Russell Simmons


Brothers Grym

Some well known early horrorcore groups were: Russell Simmons’ nephew Redrum’s (Jamel Simmons) group The Flatlinerz, also featuring Omen OMN 999, a later inductee into Gravediggaz camp, under Poetic's Sharpshooters Regime on his label Plasma Records.

Def Poetry

My hat is off to Russell Simmons, who has found a way to get poems on HBO in a way that feeds his own business.

Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons.

Doo-Bop

In early 1991, Davis called up his friend Russell Simmons and asked him to find some young producers who could help create this kind of music, leading to Davis' collaboration with Easy Mo Bee, his last, the result of which, Doo-Bop, was released by Warner Bros. Records on June 30, 1992, to mixed reviews.

Flatlinerz

The group was led by Redrum (Jamal Simmons, nephew of Russell Simmons) and two other emcees named Gravedigger and Tempest.

Junk Yard Band

The band was often seen performing for tourists on the streets of Washington, D.C. This popularity led to appearances in a 1984 Cavalier Men's Store television advertisement, the 1983 film D.C. Cab and the 1988 film Tougher Than Leather with Run-D.M.C. It was this interaction with Run-D.M.C.'s DJ Run that led to an eventual recording contract with older brother Russell Simmons' Def Jam Recordings.

L.A. Posse

The L.A. Posse first rose to prominence in 1987 when Def Jam founder Russell Simmons signed them to produce LL Cool J's album Bigger and Deffer.

Liberty Street Protest

In the summer of 2004 artist/photographer Glen E. Friedman had gained permission from his long-time friend Russell Simmons to make a huge political statement in the windows of his property across the street from the World Trade Center site in New York City, just before for the Republican National Convention.

Rush Communications

Rush Communications is the company owned and founded by the hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons.

Venni Vetti Vecci

Russell Simmons, the Def Jam founder, CEO, and mentor to Gotti then decided to give Gotti the label he had wanted for so long.

We are the 99%

Cox takes issue with protesters' focus on income and wealth, and with their embrace of allies such as Susan Sarandon and Russell Simmons, who are themselves in the 1%.

WRBJ-FM

Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton have long taken a stand against, and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons began to stand up against it as well, calling on people to accept "social responsibility." Inspired by the move, Roberts Broadcasting, after much reviewing of playlists for content, decided to create a policy to ban the station from playing music that glorifies violence and degrades women as of April 2007.

You Only Loved Me Twice

You Only Loved Me Twice is a crime drama short film directed by award winning director Ryan Pickett, which along with a business proposal helped him become a top 5 finalist in the showcase event in the USA for Global Entrepreneurship Week film entrepreneurship competition The Race to BE hosted by media mogul Russell Simmons at Sony Picture Studios in Los Angeles.


Bao Phi

He is the first Vietnamese American man to have appeared on HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, and the National Poetry Slam Individual Finalists Stage, where he placed 6th overall out of over 250 national slam poets.

Big Rube

He has also contributed his spoken word poetry to Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam and the motion picture ATL, as well as appearing on albums by Truth Hurts, Eightball & MJG and CunninLynguists.

Erica Kennedy

Kennedy was the best friend of model and television personality Kimora Lee Simmons, serving as the maid of honor at her wedding to Russell Simmons and godmother to their daughters, Ming and Aoki.

John-Paul Lee

Most recently, America.gov featured John-Paul in their gallery of successful start up entrepreneurs alongside Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Russell Simmons, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Kevin Plank, & Mark Zuckerberg.

Kool DJ Red Alert

Besides Chris "Baby Chris" Lighty's Violator, in the late 1980s through 1990s, Red Alert Productions was the only major hip-hop management alternative to Russell Simmons' Rush Artist Management (which he despised) and Cold Chillin' Records' management division.

Meilani Clay

Meilani Clay was a featured poet on Episode 3 of the sixth season of HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry.

Professor Griff

Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin had already left the label by then; taking his place alongside Russell Simmons was Lyor Cohen, the son of Israeli immigrants who had run Rush Artists Management since 1985.

Why We Thugs

The song makes references to George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, Russell Simmons, The Sugarhill Gang and Ice Cube's 1991 critically acclaimed hood movie debut.

Yvette Wilson

She has appeared on many comedy films such as House Party 2, House Party 3, Friday, and on Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam.