Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons is an American businessman, record producer, and entrepreneur whose 1984 co-founding of Def Jam Recordings — alongside Rick Rubin — made him one of the most-influential figures in the commercial development of American hip-hop music. He was born Russell Wendell Simmons on October 4, 1957, in Hollis, Queens, New York City. He grew up in the Hollis neighborhood that would later produce many of the foundational figures of late-1970s and early-1980s East Coast hip-hop.

His early career began in the late 1970s as a hip-hop concert promoter in New York City. He co-founded Rush Productions in 1978 and worked closely with his younger brother Joseph Simmons (known as Run) and his brother's group Run-D.M.C. — one of the early commercial hip-hop acts. His co-founding of Def Jam Recordings with NYU student Rick Rubin in 1984 produced one of the most-iconic American record labels of the late 20th century. The early Def Jam roster included LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy — together producing the foundational commercial wave of late-1980s American hip-hop.

Through the 1990s and 2000s Simmons expanded the Def Jam empire across multiple media platforms — Def Comedy Jam (HBO, 1992–1997, the stand-up showcase that launched Bernie Mac, Chris Tucker, Steve Harvey, and many others), Def Poetry Jam (HBO, 2002–2007), Phat Farm Clothing (founded 1992, sold to Kellwood for $140 million in 2004), and a substantial portfolio of related businesses. He sold his stake in Def Jam Recordings to Universal Music Group in 1999 for approximately $100 million.

His career has been complicated by multiple sexual-assault allegations from over 20 women that began emerging in late 2017 — accusations he has denied. Major business partners distanced themselves from him in subsequent years. He has continued to live primarily in Bali, Indonesia since 2018 and has been less active in American business and entertainment circles. He has been a longtime committed vegan and yoga practitioner and has authored multiple books on entrepreneurship, hip-hop history, and meditation.

His name Russell is from the Old French surname Rousel, derived from rous (red) — referring originally to those with red hair. Russell has been continuously among the most-popular American boys' names for over a century.