Russell Simmons

Simmons met model Kimora Lee in November 1991. The couple married on December 20, 1998, on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy, and had two daughters, Ming and Aoki. Simmons announced their separation in March 2006, and their divorce was finalized in 2009.

Simmons adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1999 after viewing the documentary Diet for a New America. Describing himself as a Christian yogi, he practices Jivamukti Yoga and Transcendental Meditation, and has supported initiatives promoting mindfulness and meditation for youth, including the David Lynch Foundation.

Simmons grew up in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens, New York. After attending the City College of New York, he began promoting local hip-hop artists, working with acts such as Kurtis Blow under Rush Productions. In 1983, he helped manage and guide Run-D.M.C., the groundbreaking group formed by his younger brother Joseph Simmons alongside Darryl McDaniels and Jason Mizell.

In 1984, Simmons partnered with producer Rick Rubin to establish Def Jam Recordings. The label signed and developed landmark artists including LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, and later Jay-Z, DMX, and Kanye West. Simmons served as chairman of Def Jam as it grew into one of the most prominent record labels in hip-hop history, eventually selling his stake in the company to Universal Music Group.

In 1992, Simmons launched Phat Fashions LLC, introducing the urban apparel brand Phat Farm. Beginning with a single retail store in Manhattan's SoHo district, the brand expanded into a widespread lifestyle label carried by thousands of retailers across North America. The fashion enterprise later expanded to include the women's line Baby Phat, which was developed alongside his then-wife Kimora Lee Simmons.

Beyond apparel, Simmons expanded his commercial ventures under Rush Communications. In 2003, he co-founded RushCard, a prepaid debit card service designed to provide financial products to underserved consumers. He also launched additional ventures across digital media and consumer goods, including the Russell Simmons Music Group and advisory roles with plant-based food brands.

Simmons made early inroads into cinema by co-producing and acting in the 1985 hip-hop film Krush Groove, followed by producing the 1988 film Tougher Than Leather. In 1996, he co-produced the comedy film The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy, as well as the 1997 comedy Def Jam's How to Be a Player.

In television, Simmons partnered with producer Stan Lathan to create the HBO stand-up showcase Def Comedy Jam, which provided a national platform for comedians such as Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, and Cedric the Entertainer. Simmons and Lathan later created Def Poetry Jam, an HBO series dedicated to spoken-word poetry. In 2002, Simmons brought the format to Broadway as Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, which earned a Special Tony Award in 2003.

In 1995, Simmons founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation with his brothers Danny and Joseph. The organization was established to provide arts education, resources, and gallery exhibition space for underrepresented youth and emerging artists of color through venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Simmons has been involved in civil rights, criminal justice reform, and interfaith initiatives. In 2002, he became chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, promoting Muslim-Jewish relations and interfaith collaboration. In 2009, he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Slavery Memorial. Simmons has also campaigned for animal welfare, receiving recognition from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and supported reforms to the Rockefeller Drug Laws in New York.

In late 2017, multiple women publicly accused Simmons of sexual misconduct, assault, and rape dating back to the 1990s. Following the allegations, Simmons denied the claims, stating that all of his relationships were consensual.

In November 2017, Simmons stepped down from his executive positions across his business properties, including Def Jam, his media companies, and his charitable foundations. The allegations became the subject of the 2020 documentary film On the Record, and subsequent civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and defamation were filed against him in early 2024.