this hip-hop mogul is the brother of a famous rapper co-founder of one of the
famous rapper co-founder of one of the
famous rapper co-founder of one of the most recognizable record labels in the
most recognizable record labels in the
most recognizable record labels in the world and owns a farm a phat farm that
world and owns a farm a phat farm that
world and owns a farm a phat farm that is welcome to watchmojo.com and today
is welcome to watchmojo.com and today
is welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the life
we’ll be learning more about the life
we’ll be learning more about the life and career of Russell Simmons I don’t
and career of Russell Simmons I don’t
and career of Russell Simmons I don’t want any black records black film black
want any black records black film black
want any black records black film black television I want black stars I want
television I want black stars I want
television I want black stars I want black culture
black culture
black culture I want herb in society to be American
I want herb in society to be American
I want herb in society to be American son what the biggest influence in
son what the biggest influence in
son what the biggest influence in American culture to have the biggest
American culture to have the biggest
American culture to have the biggest piece of market share periods Russell
piece of market share periods Russell
piece of market share periods Russell Wendell Simmons was born October 4th
Wendell Simmons was born October 4th
Wendell Simmons was born October 4th 1957 in Queens New York he grew up in a
1957 in Queens New York he grew up in a
1957 in Queens New York he grew up in a middle-class neighborhood but learned
middle-class neighborhood but learned
middle-class neighborhood but learned much of his business sense as a
much of his business sense as a
much of his business sense as a marijuana dealer on city streets
marijuana dealer on city streets
marijuana dealer on city streets Simmons started a sociology degree at
Simmons started a sociology degree at
Simmons started a sociology degree at City College of New York and in 1978 he
City College of New York and in 1978 he
City College of New York and in 1978 he began promoting local hip-hop acts the
began promoting local hip-hop acts the
began promoting local hip-hop acts the next year he teamed up with his friend
next year he teamed up with his friend
next year he teamed up with his friend Kurtis Blow to write the track Christmas
Kurtis Blow to write the track Christmas
Kurtis Blow to write the track Christmas rappin and a song was a minor success
around when he eventually left school to
around when he eventually left school to focus on his business full-time another
focus on his business full-time another
focus on his business full-time another of Simmons earliest musical finds was
of Simmons earliest musical finds was
of Simmons earliest musical finds was his younger brothers rap trio Run DMC
he helped assemble the group and they
he helped assemble the group and they immediately became successful Simmons
immediately became successful Simmons
immediately became successful Simmons was already prominent on the hip-hop
was already prominent on the hip-hop
was already prominent on the hip-hop scene by 1984 that year he partnered
scene by 1984 that year he partnered
scene by 1984 that year he partnered with Rick Rubin to launch a record label
with Rick Rubin to launch a record label
with Rick Rubin to launch a record label to release music that was mostly being
to release music that was mostly being
to release music that was mostly being ignored by larger labels Simmons was the
ignored by larger labels Simmons was the
ignored by larger labels Simmons was the business mind of Def Jam Recordings
business mind of Def Jam Recordings
business mind of Def Jam Recordings while Rubin was more creative on the
while Rubin was more creative on the
while Rubin was more creative on the production end at the same time
production end at the same time
production end at the same time Simmons established Rush artist
Simmons established Rush artist
Simmons established Rush artist management to handle many of Def Jam’s
management to handle many of Def Jam’s
management to handle many of Def Jam’s early artists this organization became
early artists this organization became
early artists this organization became the core of his media empire rush
the core of his media empire rush
the core of his media empire rush communications in its early days Def Jam
communications in its early days Def Jam
communications in its early days Def Jam released work by such up-and-coming
released work by such up-and-coming
released work by such up-and-coming artists as the Beastie Boys and LL Cool
artists as the Beastie Boys and LL Cool
artists as the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J these efforts did well and in 1985
J these efforts did well and in 1985
J these efforts did well and in 1985 Simmons and Rubin signed a distribution
Simmons and Rubin signed a distribution
Simmons and Rubin signed a distribution deal with CBS records 1985 was also the
deal with CBS records 1985 was also the
deal with CBS records 1985 was also the year simmons produced a movie called
year simmons produced a movie called
year simmons produced a movie called Krush groove that centered on the labels
Krush groove that centered on the labels
Krush groove that centered on the labels origin story what kind of record company
origin story what kind of record company
origin story what kind of record company do you have what kind you know what type
do you have what kind you know what type
do you have what kind you know what type of music what rap music what is rap
of music what rap music what is rap
of music what rap music what is rap music the film featured many of Def
music the film featured many of Def
music the film featured many of Def Jam’s artists and made 20 million
Jam’s artists and made 20 million
Jam’s artists and made 20 million dollars at the box office on a three
dollars at the box office on a three
dollars at the box office on a three million dollar budget while critics
million dollar budget while critics
million dollar budget while critics generally hated the project it was the
generally hated the project it was the
generally hated the project it was the first time Simmons diversified his
first time Simmons diversified his
first time Simmons diversified his business and promoted his artists
business and promoted his artists
business and promoted his artists through different media however Simmons
through different media however Simmons
through different media however Simmons and Def Jam aim to get their music to an
and Def Jam aim to get their music to an
and Def Jam aim to get their music to an even wider audience in 1986 they teamed
even wider audience in 1986 they teamed
even wider audience in 1986 they teamed their Stars Run DMC with rockers
their Stars Run DMC with rockers
their Stars Run DMC with rockers Aerosmith’s to perform a remake of the
Aerosmith’s to perform a remake of the
Aerosmith’s to perform a remake of the song Walk This Way
this move single-handedly brought rap to
this move single-handedly brought rap to the mainstream and encouraged pop acts
the mainstream and encouraged pop acts
the mainstream and encouraged pop acts to incorporate hip-hop elements into
to incorporate hip-hop elements into
to incorporate hip-hop elements into their music Def Jam’s golden era came
their music Def Jam’s golden era came
their music Def Jam’s golden era came with the signing of hardcore hip-hop
with the signing of hardcore hip-hop
with the signing of hardcore hip-hop group Public Enemy Simmons continued
group Public Enemy Simmons continued
group Public Enemy Simmons continued building his brand and credibility on
building his brand and credibility on
building his brand and credibility on the strength of his artists what was
the strength of his artists what was
the strength of his artists what was most striking about his promotional
most striking about his promotional
most striking about his promotional efforts was that the accident door
efforts was that the accident door
efforts was that the accident door stayed true to life on the streets in
stayed true to life on the streets in
stayed true to life on the streets in terms of their lyrical content style of
terms of their lyrical content style of
terms of their lyrical content style of dress and attitudes in 1992 Simmons
dress and attitudes in 1992 Simmons
dress and attitudes in 1992 Simmons expanded his empire to include a
expanded his empire to include a
expanded his empire to include a clothing line fat farm combine preppy
clothing line fat farm combine preppy
clothing line fat farm combine preppy sensibilities with hip hop style and was
sensibilities with hip hop style and was
sensibilities with hip hop style and was another way for Simmons to promote urban
another way for Simmons to promote urban
another way for Simmons to promote urban culture that year he also started def
culture that year he also started def
culture that year he also started def Comedy Jam to give African American
Comedy Jam to give African American
Comedy Jam to give African American comedians a platform for their work in
comedians a platform for their work in
comedians a platform for their work in 1996 his production house had its
1996 his production house had its
1996 his production house had its greatest film success when it produced
greatest film success when it produced
greatest film success when it produced the Nutty Professor starring Eddie
the Nutty Professor starring Eddie
the Nutty Professor starring Eddie Murphy yeah all I’m trying to say is
Murphy yeah all I’m trying to say is
Murphy yeah all I’m trying to say is that scientific breakthroughs are
that scientific breakthroughs are
that scientific breakthroughs are current all the time you’re about to
current all the time you’re about to
current all the time you’re about to break through the CEO pants in 1998
break through the CEO pants in 1998
break through the CEO pants in 1998 Simmons married his longtime girlfriend
Simmons married his longtime girlfriend
Simmons married his longtime girlfriend model Kimora Lee she worked with him at
model Kimora Lee she worked with him at
model Kimora Lee she worked with him at phat fashions and helped launch the Baby
phat fashions and helped launch the Baby
phat fashions and helped launch the Baby Phat spin-off brand that same year after
Phat spin-off brand that same year after
Phat spin-off brand that same year after years of success
years of success
years of success Simmons sold his share of Def Jam to
Simmons sold his share of Def Jam to
Simmons sold his share of Def Jam to Universal Records for over 100 million
Universal Records for over 100 million
Universal Records for over 100 million dollars in the year 2000 despite this
dollars in the year 2000 despite this
dollars in the year 2000 despite this move
move
move Simmons remained a voice for the urban
Simmons remained a voice for the urban
Simmons remained a voice for the urban music community through a variety of
music community through a variety of
music community through a variety of pursuits like Def Poetry Jam and the TV
pursuits like Def Poetry Jam and the TV
pursuits like Def Poetry Jam and the TV show One World Music beat in 2004 he
show One World Music beat in 2004 he
show One World Music beat in 2004 he sold fat farm for 140 million dollars
sold fat farm for 140 million dollars
sold fat farm for 140 million dollars though his wife stayed on with the
though his wife stayed on with the
though his wife stayed on with the company even after they divorced a few
company even after they divorced a few
company even after they divorced a few years later Simmons got back into music
years later Simmons got back into music
years later Simmons got back into music in 2005 when he formed the Russell
in 2005 when he formed the Russell
in 2005 when he formed the Russell Simmons Music Group as a joint venture
Simmons Music Group as a joint venture
Simmons Music Group as a joint venture with Island Def Jam by 2011 he was worth
with Island Def Jam by 2011 he was worth
with Island Def Jam by 2011 he was worth an estimated 340 million
an estimated 340 million
an estimated 340 million aside from his success in business
aside from his success in business
aside from his success in business Simmons has been an active
Simmons has been an active
Simmons has been an active philanthropist for a variety of causes
philanthropist for a variety of causes
philanthropist for a variety of causes Russell Simmons is set to understand
Russell Simmons is set to understand
Russell Simmons is set to understand hip-hop culture better than anyone his
hip-hop culture better than anyone his
hip-hop culture better than anyone his skills as a businessman talent scout
skills as a businessman talent scout
skills as a businessman talent scout from
from
from and marketer have made him a rich men
and marketer have made him a rich men
and marketer have made him a rich men and have ingrained urban music into the
and have ingrained urban music into the
and have ingrained urban music into the American Way of life
”
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