Gawker: Russell Simmons

Diamonds: Nice And Cheap, Or Big And Evil?

Hamilton Nolan — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:23:44 EDT

Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons reportedly had a suitcase full of his jewelry stolen from a downtown apartment yesterday. Considering the fact that the case contained "three diamond rings, a pendant, three sets of earrings and two bracelets," from Simmons' own jewelry company, the reported total value—$15,000—is pretty meager. That's partly because Simmons is involved a much-derided effort to improve the reputation of the diamond industry, which somehow trickles down to his own company in the form of cheap jewelry that gives a cut of its (relatively small) profits to charity. Which is better: Charitable, uglier, cheaper jewelry, or much shinier jewelry that embraces nothing but out-and-out materialism? These questions are important to moguls. To help you decide, there's a collection after the jump; Simmons' company's jewelry versus some pieces from Jacob the Jeweler—hip hop's gaudiest diamond guy. Each is terrible in its own way:

Simmons Jewelry

Jacob the Jeweler:

Gay Rappers: Don't Fear This Book

Hamilton Nolan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:27:32 EDT

"Who's the gay rapper?" It's been a parlor game in hip hop for years. A short and incomplete list of some of the most common names tossed around: Kanye West, Puffy, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Common, and, of course, lisping, yoga-master rap mogul Russell Simmons. While there are plenty of rumors for each one, most of those guys are suspected, honestly, because of their fashion sense (except Lil Wayne, who kissed a guy). Or because somebody's homeboy's cousin knows this cat who Puffy tried to do a three-way with. Innuendo is king. But now a formerly closeted gay MTV music executive named Terrance Dean is about to release a book—which has been anticipated for more than a year—that he says will out the gay rappers once and for all. Don't be mad, y'all! This could be the chance of a lifetime for one lucky closeted homosexual.

A riveting memoir, Hiding In Hip Hop, uncovers a hidden and well-known unspoken secret. Deep within the confines of Hip-Hop is a prominent gay sub-culture. A world that industry insiders are keenly aware of, but choose to ignore. From the testosterone of men striving to be on top and in control, to the "by any means necessary" bravado in an industry that thrives on power, homosexuality is a reality at nearly every level of Hip-Hop.

What's really surprising is that hip hop has managed to keep the identities of its gay people officially secret for this long. Rap has been big business and big money for a long time, but unlike in Hollywood—where gossip hounds have essentially uncovered the gay celebrities, who are then allowed to go about their business—the rap industry still feels that being openly gay could jeopardize an artist's career for good. Tom Cruise hasn't lost work because of the gay rumors surrounding him; Jay-Z surely would. It's a barrier that everyone remains afraid to cross. A rapper who started out as openly gay could theoretically make a career in hip hop, but it would not be a mainstream one. Even today, fostering the twin images of sex lord and crime lord are the most reliable way that MCs propel themselves into superstardom. Though this is changing (see Kanye), it's a long way from changed.

So when Hiding In Hip Hop comes out on May 13—assuming that it does out some identifiable figures in hip hop, and that it is reliable—the fallout will be fascinating to watch. I would expect immediate denials, and private reprisals from anyone named. But the real gay rappers, whoever they are, would be wise to stand up and be counted for the first time. They would go down in history for something much bigger than mediocre album sales. And the marketing opportunities would be enough to relaunch a flagging career, albeit in a slightly more bohemian arena.

If Del tha Funkee Homosapien came out as gay, no one would care. If a hardcore rapper like, say, Fat Joe came out, people would be surprised. But if one of the usual suspects like Kanye or Puffy came out, they would be positioned to use their already-deep resources to continue their careers as trailblazers. So a bit of advice to whoever may be named in the book (assuming it's true): Don't be the mad rapper. When you're dead and gone, one small step you took towards toning down the homophobia in hip hop would be worth much more than your music. And if you are Puffy, your music always sucked anyways. So go for it!

(And if anyone happens to get their hands on the book before May 13, email us.)

Tina Fey, A Whore And A Manic Depressive Walk Into A Bar...

Ryan Tate — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:22:53 EDT

Is 30 Rock the new Saturday Night Live? Tina Fey, SNL alum and 30 Rock creator, is talking about bringing onto the show that whore chick Ashley Dupre and also that less-insane-by-the-day singer Britney Spears. Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan don't bring enough crazy to the party? Really?
Spears is also looking at hosting the Kids' Choice Awards at the end of the month. So many things could go wrong, and it would be so awesome, on some sick and twisted level, if they did. [OK!]
But Spears won't have a meltdown, because she's on the right track, and you can tell because she now has good teeth. Or at least good teeth products. From a dentist and everything! [Popsugar]
Puppy-and-kitten-hating monster Paris Hilton adopted another victim from a thoughtless animal shelter on Long Island. The doomed creature is a West Highland terrier. Former dog-sitter: "Last time I watched her dog, she forgot I had it and assumed it was lost." [MSNBC, second item]
Diva model Tyra Banks is going to quit America's Next Top Model or maybe stab photographer Jay Manuel instead. She is lethal. [OK!]
Scientology's inner-city ambassador Kimora Lee Simmons filed for divorce from her husband, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, now that she's reportedly knocked up by her boyfriend. She wants the kids, and for Russell only to be able to visit with "security personnel" present, since he's the one who is crazy. [People]
Yes, Kylie Minogue, gay techo laureate, is coming to the U.S. with her new album, but it's only for stupid TV appearances, no concerts. On the bright side, who's to say she won't show up at a club or two? [Queerty]
Comedian Robin Williams is hilariously improvising his latest divorce. This one lasted nearly 20 years; she had been nanny to his child. That guy is so wacky. [SF Chronicle]
Gossip Girl dude Chace Crawford is no longer dating American Idol fameball Carrie Underwood. Possibly because he's too, uh, "close" to this guy from 'N Sync. [Perez]
Hills star Heidi Montag wants look-alikes to work as models during a launch party for her fashion line. Must effectively hate on Lauren Conrad during the tryout. [Us]

Deborah Solomon's Interview with Russell Simmons: The Remix

jliu — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:13:57 EDT

At least since Meet the Press caliph Tim Russert's fatwa against her for the total misrepresentation of his feelings about his moms, we've all known that Times Mag interviewtrix Deb Solomon's job basically involves rearranging words that were once said by some person at some time into patterns that make all involved — but mostly the reader — deeply uncomfortable. So given her obvious affinity for, you know, the "sampling culture," why is this week's Russell Simmons chat so damn boring? We offer this "Ignition (Remix)"-style transcendent version of Solomon's dull album-track slow jam:

D. SOLOMON: Are you dyslexic?
R. SIMMONS: Oprah renamed the book. It was like God calling. She gave me a better title.

I prefer reading in bed. That for me is meditation. So at the end of the day, he's controlled, too. That's my point. He's a mouse, too, like everybody else.

Really? That's pretty generic.
I think it's all God. I say that all day long. The real process is doing you and having a truth that you live up to. Donald [Trump] is different than a lot of other very rich people. He has a good time. He is always laughing. He's into doing him.

You're known for dating models. What do they offer besides flawless skin?
I talk to John Edwards more than I talk to anyone. He has said more things about the conditions we need to think about. He went to yoga with me. He did the whole class, an hour and a half. He sweated like crazy. He's in good shape, but it was hard on him.

Are there any presidential candidates who inspire you?
Why? You think I'm crazy?

Your book basically advocates for old-fashioned American values — i.e., work hard, don't give up.
No. I can read. But I can't understand anything. I just read "The Autobiography of a Yogi," by Paramahansa Yogananda, over and over again.

What do you make of Barack Obama, who recently said that rap musicians should reform their lyrics?
We're separated. She works upstairs. People do think it's inspiring the way we handle our partnership.

In the years since you sold your stake in Def Jam, you've gone into the fashion business and developed clothing lines like Phat Farm and Baby Phat. Do you still run them with your wife, Kimora Lee?
Unfortunately, I do. My nickname is Rush, but I practice yoga every day so I can rush less.

You write extensively about your devotion to yoga in your new self-help book, "Do You!" Is the title your own coinage?
What we need to reform is the conditions that create these lyrics. Obama needs to reform the conditions of poverty. I wish he really did raise his money on the Internet, like he said. I wish he really did raise his money independently.

Why did you, a self-proclaimed seeker of spiritual truths, ask Donald Trump, of all people, to write the foreword to the book?
A professor? I can barely read.

No, but you seem to have a heightened need for stimulation.
No. It's an old hip-hop expression: "Do you!" It's just something we say all the time. It means do what you want to do. Do what inspires you. Don't be a sheep. Keep it real. The book was originally called "Russell Simmons' Laws of Success."

Do you see a therapist?
They're better than actresses. Actresses are kind of a little crazy.

There are other women besides models and actresses. Why don't you try dating, say, a professor the next time around?
No it's not. It's noise. It's the opposite. To be awake is to be fully present, no noise, just you and God. Most of us only have seconds of full consciousness. To live in a state of samadhi — that's what we're here for. —Jon

Hip-Hop Guru: Questions for Russell Simmons [NYTM]

Gossip Roundup: Spears To Become A Simpson?

Emily Gould — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:50:45 EDT

Though Jessica Simpson's rep denies it, rumors are swirling that her dad Joe wants to svengali up Britney Spears. [R&M]

Designer Marc Jacobs' ex-rentboy on and off bf still has notably loose lips, offering up quotes like "Marc has found his way; he's going to be sober for the rest of his life" and bragging about their "like, five fake break-ups." A Jacobs spokesperson says they're not back together. [NYO]

Gay, gay wedding bells are ringing for blog queen Andrew Sullivan and an actor named Eric. [NYO]

Anderson Cooper keeps his goodies under wraps in the showers at Equinox. [Page Six]

Russell Simmons and Tyra Banks "forgot" to pay their lunch tab. [Gatecrasher, 2nd item]

Fashion Week: Rock & Republic Afterparty @ Hiro Ballroom

abalk2 — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:50:45 EST

If we learned anything on Saturday night, it's that wearing four-inch heels induces its own version of vertigo — meaning you still feel like you're wearing them forty-eight hours after you took them off. The shoes in question were promptly thrown out of the window of Editorial Assistant Heather's apartment upon her return home; the event that she - accompanied by Gawker point-camera-make-clicky guy Nikola Tamindzic — attended them in was the Rock & Republic show afterparty at Hiro Ballroom. Also in attendance? Lady Sovereign's drum kit, Russell Simmons, some Romanian aristocracy, the arsitocracy's cat and the cat's nanny. It was that kind of party.
Enjoy our gallery of moderate debauchery, or Nikola's extended album of party people. It'll be just like you were there, feeling almost attractive/fashionable/wasted with us.

Fashion Week: Rock & Republic Afterparty @ Hiro Ballroom [photos]

Russell Simmons Drives Andrea Peyser To Drink

Emily Gould — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:50:00 EST

Nutty Post scourge Andrea Peyser's column today about Russell Simmons' icky endorsement of the diamond mining industry, which he calls "99 3/4%" clean, seems unusually . . . inspired. Seriously, you have to respect a writer who can continually froth with outrage and also come up with turns of phrase like this one:

They came separately for a bling-is-good press conference yesterday - he in baggy jeans, she in a clingy dress and heels so high, I could hear her arches disintegrating.

Sarcasm aside, that is just kind of awesome. Why come Andrea's writin' so good today? A clue may be found in her lede:

Sometimes, you want to throw up your hands, spit out your lungs and take a stiff drink at the shamelessness of it all.

Andrea, we heartily advocate taking this approach to every column you write from now on. But maybe next time drink first and then spit out your lungs; we hear it fucks up your liver the other way.

Simmons Def and Dumb on Bling Abuses [NYP]

Remainders: Did Someone Say Mid-Terms?

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:00:03 EST

A reader emails us that her friend who works at the Daily Show suggested sending us the sign above because it was just so funny. Wow, working at Comedy Central must be really depressing.
Joel Klein and Russell Simmons made a video together about voting. Next week: Mayor Bloomberg and Jay-Z rap about smoking cigarettes, trans fats. [NYM]
Chelsea Clinton probably didn't watch the video, because she couldn't vote. [NYT]
The Yale Daily News endorses both candidates in the Connecticut Senate race. How very useful for the electorate. [IvyGate]

Gossip Roundup: Lance Bass Admits to Long-Simmering Crush on JC Chasez

Jessica — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:42:29 EDT

• Yes, former N'Sync member Lance Bass — formerly known as the "one that wasn't Justin" — is out of the closet. Go and watch video footage of him being gay! [TMZ]
• After going into false labor, Britney Spears realizes she needs to "cut down on the Cheetos." She needed to go to the hospital for the tip-off? Wouldn't a mirror have sufficed? [Scoop]
• John Edwards sucks up to Russell Simmons for the African-American vote, accompanying him to his daily Jivamukti Yoga class. If there's one candidate we could tolerate in a downward dog, it would have to be Mr. Sunshine. [Lowdown]
• Tori Spelling won't even inherit a million dollars of her late father's $500 million estate. It's suspected that Tori's bitchtastic mother cut her out of her father's will, leaving poor Tori to survive on 90210 residuals and So NoTORIous peanuts. [Us Weekly]
• Christie Brinkley's philandering fourth husband Peter Cook once refused to give Alexa Joel, Brinkley's daughter with Billy Joel, a ride home at 11 PM. Cruel — god forbid she ride with her father at that hour. [Page Six]
• Madonna must shit only where no one has shit before: she requests a brand-new toilet seat, wrapped in plastic, at every venue where she performs. [R&M (last item)]
• B. Smith, "the black Martha Stewart" (is that an oxymoron?), is jockeying to replace Star Jones as the token woman of color on The View. [Page Six]

Remainders: George Michael, Master of Cruising

Jessica — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:00:21 EDT

• We really ARE overdue for a George Michael assfucking scandal, aren't we? Don't worry, it's about to get much better: the former pop star was caught having a "seedy liason" in a public park with the hot piece of twat pictured at right. 58-year-old unemployed van drivers who live with their cat sure are irresistible, aren't they? [Sun UK]
• Tomorrow Russell Simmons will be named a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, putting him on the well-worn path to becoming Angelina Jolie. Perhaps he's splitting with Kimora over whether or not to adopt an Ethiopian AIDS orphan. [FishbowlNY]
• You know what's wrong with magazine publishing? The people who are running it, specifically those at the Magazine Publisher's Association who believe a mascot named Captain Read is going to do a goddamned thing other than inspire mockery and ensure irrelevancy. [AdAge]
• Though we wouldn't put it past Simon Dumenco to hook up with Cap'n Read. [AdAge]
• Conde Nast will master these internets yet, even if it means going the route of incredibly boring trade sites. [Craigslist]
• Is somene pushing a Times-ian frenzy surrounding the raising admission fee for the Met? At the current rate, they'll churn out 60 pieces by November, which will almost be enough to satisfy Bill Keller. [Seth Mnookin]
• It doesn't matter how fantastic a "trailer" for a book may be, because it'll never half as good as the trailer for Snakes on a Plane. That's just a fact. [Guardian]
• Greg Gutfeld's still life with Arianna Huffington. [HuffPo]
• Dallas Mavericks bloggy freakshow Mark Cuban has an open job offer for anyone who can think of a new way to market movies. On the downside, you'll be working for Mark Cuban. [Blog Maverick]
• Who Wore It Best? — crotchety Sun Valley mogul edition! [WSJ]
• Why does the Regal Union Square movie theater smell like Chinatown on a simmering July afternoon? [Cinecultist]

Gossip Roundup: Barron Trump Sells Out Young and Cheap

Jessica — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 13:38:17 EDT

• People magazine scores the first baby pics of Barron Trump, to be revealed in next week's issue. Barron, however, is no baby Brangelina — he only fetched mid-six figures. Not even a month old and already a failure. [Page Six]
• Elle's international creative director Gilles Bensimon may be slowly pushed out the door, leaving EIC Roberta Myers in charge of delegating fabulousness. [Lowdown (3rd item)]
• 23-year-old Denise Vasi's family thinks her boyfriend Russell Simmons, at 50 years of age, is too old for her. It's always nice to see basic math skills in action. [R&M]
• After a mere five days, fairy-throated boxed Mike Tyson leaves a Phoenix rehab clinic where he was being treated for cocaine addiction — and the entire staff exhales. [Page Six]
• Tom Cruise says he has a "spectacular" sex life with Katie Holmes. We can't imagine. Seriously, not even capable of conjuring the visuals on this one. [IMDb]

Gossip Roundup: Russell and Kimora Not Quite Separated, But Not Quite Married, Either

Jessica — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:55:34 EDT

• Though they announced their separation on Friday, Russell Simmons claims that things are rather cozy between him and Kimora, and there's still a chance for reconciliation. But don't tell that to Denise Vasi, the 23-year-old who's been dating Russell. [Lowdown]
• Howard Stern warns Katie that should she go to CBS, ratings will drop and CBS will find a way not to pay her. Then what? We can't see her legs on satellite radio. [Page Six]
• Nicole Kidman is rumored to have had her 11-year marriage to bouncy psycopath Tom Cruise annulled so that she can marry Keith Urban in a Catholic ceremony. Cue flack denials. [Scoop]
• For the public opening of his company, Diddy misses the bell at the NYSE. Can't expect a playa to get up before 12, yo. [Page Six]
• Now that he's off of cocaine, actor Kiefer Sutherland has redirected his focus towards cooking. Since he loved the ritual of preparing his stash for consumption, he now gets off on the crushing and cutting garlic cloves. [R&M (2nd item)]

Kimora and Russell Break America's Heart

Jessica — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 12:22:24 EST

We'd be lying if we said we weren't recently watching VH1's Fabulous Life of Celebrity Wives (or some similarly titled mind-numbing show), so today's news leaves us particularly devastated: Kimora Lee and Russell Simmons are filing for divorce. If you want to stay in tonight, wrapped in a Baby Phat sweatshirt and sobbing into your Chubby Hubby, we understand.

We just don't see how they couldn't make it work. They all seemed so happy, so full of love. What went wrong? Kimora had all the clothes, shoes, cars, pets, products, servants, delicacies, fashion lines, pot, handbags, closets, and jewelry that his money could buy.

Russell, Kimora Lee Simmons Split [People]

Gawker stalker

Gawker — Fri, 25 Apr 2003 08:40:51 EDT

· "I sat next to Betsey Johnson (designer) at Pastis in the meat packing district. She was with two obvious sycophants who were drooling all over her, despite the fact that she looked beyond horrid in a multicolored coat that looked like a leprechaun had vomited on it. She had terrible hair with nylon-looking extensions and black raccoon eye makeup. Didn't smell great either."
· "russell simmons on the jfk A train shuttle with his wife and kids—just flew jet blue to jfk yesterday... i jumped on the shuttle to the A train and accidentally got off at the wrong stop in the parking lot. i peered back into the crowded shuttle bus and asked the dude in the black suit, backwards yankee cap standing with his wife and kid if this was the stop — he told me no, it's the next one. i looked him in the eye and asked if he was russell — and he affirmatively nodded. it was him. and no, i didn't hound him further."
· "saw chloe sevigny walking by my gallery (spring betw eliz. and bowery) yesterday looking stoned and cold. jim jarmusch walks by almost every day too."
· "Christy Turlington at Peter Lugers clearly not eating enough because she didn't have to waddle out like the rest of us."
· "If you were Greek, and I said the name Anna Vissi, you would become rapt, speaking in whispers. Think Madonna, but in a smaller pond. If you were Greek, and I told you that I had brushed by Anna Vissi last night at a midtown acting school, where she was watching her daughter perform, you might ask to smell and feel the sweater that had touched her. But you're not Greek, so you may not care. (The daughter gave a self-indulgent performance, by the way)"

Blue Flame and product placement

Gawker — Wed, 12 Mar 2003 13:31:57 EST

A reader on P Diddy's marketing arm, Blue Flame, and product placement in rap songs: "Apparently, Russell Simmons runs a firm called dRush that quietly does these paid name-drops in hip-hop tracks all the time and has been doing it forever. There's a bunch of similar outfits as well. A lot of people think that Simmons set up the 'Pass the Courvoisier' name drop, but the rumor I hear is that while Simmons was working with Courvoisier, he didn't have anything to do with that particular track. So it's not just P Diddy; more or less all of hip-hop has openly sold out, and is pretty proud of it. And to think...all of that money going to baby blue velour track suits and ugly cars."