Russell Simmons, the founder of hip-hop music label Def Jam Recordings and CEO of Rush Communications, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by model Keri Claussen Khalighi in a Nov. 19 article in the Los Angeles Times. Simmons denied the allegations.
"I have never committed any acts of aggression or violence in my life. I would never knowingly cause fear or harm to anyone."
Following Khalighi’s accusations Jenny Lumet mustered up the courage to share her encounter with Simmons in a guest column published by The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday Nov. 30. Jenny Lumet, award-winning screenwriter and granddaughter of Lena Horne, says Simmons sexually violated her in 1991.
“I felt dread and disorientation. I wanted to go home. I said I wanted to go home.”
Simmons provided a response to Lumet’s claims.
“While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real, those who have been hurt or shamed, deserve and need to be heard...I don’t want to be a distraction so I am removing myself from the businesses that I founded.”
Added, “abusing women in any way shape or form violates the very core of my being.”
Simmons is not the only Hollywood mogul to fall from grace due to sexual misconduct within the last two months. Simmons joins the now blemished legacies of Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K. and most recently Matt Lauer just to name a few.
The subculture known as Black America habitually safeguards the “Godfathers of Rap” or any other black person they deem holier than thou. Simmons has given up Def Jam, will Black America do the same to him?
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