The Week of May 14th, 2006: IN BLACK HISTORY
HIP-HIP MOGUL RUSSELL SIMMONS
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY EVERYDAY

Russell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) in Queens, NY, is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, and is also founder of another label, Russell Simmons Music Group.

Simmons is the older brother of Rev. Joseph Simmons, better known as "Run" of Run-DMC, and is the son of Daniel Simmons, a public school administrator.

He married model Kimora Lee Simmons on 20 December 1998. In March 2006 Russell Simmons filed for divorce from Kimora after 7 years of marriage, saying that the couple had split some time ago. The Simmonses have two daughters --Ming Lee Simmons(21 January 2000) & Aoki Lee Simmons (16 August 2002)-- who both model for Baby Phat Kids Collection.

Simmons attended City College of New York but left his studies to begin promoting local rap acts, including Kurtis Blow and Run DMC (who he would also later sign to his record label) and producing records. In 1984 he met Rubin, and the two founded Def Jam Records, signing the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and other acts....read more

---