Russell Simmons Honors Bush Twins at Diamond Empowerment Fund Dinner

Russell Spontaneously Adds Items to the Auction

RUSSELL SIMMONS HONORS JENNA BUSH-HAGER AND BARBARA BUSH
AT DIAMOND EMPOWERMENT FUND DINNER DALLAS ROCKS:

"On Saturday, November 14th Russell Simmons hosted his annual Fundraising Gala, Dallas Rocks in Dallas, TX for his Diamond Empowerment Fund charity."

Vanessa & Angela Simmons Presented Rising Star Empowerment Award to Barbara Bush & Jenna Bush-Hager

"Sisters Vanessa and Angela Simmons presented Jenna Bush-Hager and Barbara Bush with the Rising Star Empowerment Award for the charitable work they’ve done in Africa. Celebrities and Dallas socialites grooved to music spun by DJ Cassidy and enjoyed a special performance by Smokey Robinson."

Rev Run Celebrates His 45th Birthday

"Rev Run celebrated his 45th birthday with his family and to celebrate jumped on stage and performed for the sold out dinner. Master of ceremonies Anthony Anderson revved up the crowd by auctioning off items to raise money for the Diamond Empowerment Fund."

Auction Items Still Available:
Diamond Empowerment Fund 2009 Auction @ charitybuzz

[Photos Courtesy Bragman Nyman Cafarelli]

Black Web 2.0 on Global Grind: A How [Not] To

Black Web 2.0 reports on further problems at Global Grind and discusses alternatives to monetization via ad networks.

Good thing for Russell Simmons he has schmuck insurance!

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Navarrow Wright Exits Global Grind

Navarrow Wright Exits Global Grind

In an abrupt move discovered by Angela Benton of Black Web 2.0, Navarrow Wright is gone, gone, gone from Global Grind.

Apparently two freaks is one freak too many.

Best of luck to Russell Simmons as he tries to save his investment and his reputation.

American Classics at Wal-Mart: Workers Ask "What's That?"

I was in the local Raleigh, NC Wal-Mart picking up my monthly supply of $4 meds and discount Kashi GoLean bars and asked some women working in the clothing department when they were getting Russell Simmon's American Classics clothing line.

Their response: "What's that?"

After telling them it was an "outdated clothing line by an outdated hip hop businessman" I encouraged them to "have a nice day" and went on about my shopping in another section of that depressing retail outlet which will make an awesome backdrop for Big Russ' recession-era specials.

Russell Simmons' American Classics Clothing Line at Wal-Mart

Russell Simmons' American Classics clothing line is expected to debut at Wal-Mart on Sunday, February 15th.

I guess this is another example of Simmons' move away from hip hop and is said to be for the "urban graduate"[s] who are "25-to-50-year-old men such as Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and Barack Obama."

More details of Wal-Mart's strategy and new secretiveness in the article but, though Wal-Mart is outperforming Target of late, the overall environment and rationale for shopping there will make it difficult for the store to match Target's "cheap chic" reputation.

Apparently Simmons and company convinced Wal-Mart to go with flat screen tvs featuring Russsell Simmons talking about the clothes as an added enticement. I can see the Wal-Mart shoppers flocking to that!

Some cognitive dissonance here but best of luck everybody.

Russell Simmons & Kimora Lee: Dissolution of a Power Couple in .PDF [Bonus: Clyde's Fave Russell & Kimora Posts]

ET Online secured the divorce document for Russell and Kimora Simmons, one of the most visible of hip hop's power couples, and has made it available online in a handy .pdf file.

Though I'm a bigger fan of .pdf files than many, I would have expected ET Online to monetize such documents a bit more directly, as does The Smoking Gun.

Too bad for them the notion of .pdf ads has been a near total failure despite Kevin Kelly's early adoption.

And, yeah, this is an attempt to get something more than "dissolution" and visitation rights out of this story.

Hey, now Russell and Kimora can continue to live in sin and even bear children out of wedlock without the burden of cheating on their legal spouses! Yay!

Since my own values and priorities are obviously askew, as evidenced by my general lack of respect for these two, I do have to say that I was touched by the number of people whose comments I encountered on the web that revealed their sadness and disappointment back when the story of Kimora and Russell's separation first broke. Until that point I hadn't realized how meaningful this couple's relationship was to anybody that wasn't all about the gossip and, though I know publicists and web workers are often employed in planting blog comments, many of those responses struck me as sincere.

So, though New York taught me not to apologize, I do want to extend my sympathies to those who are saddened by this divorce before continuing with [drum roll, please]:

Clyde's Top List of Favorite ProHipHop Posts
RE: Kimora Lee and/or Russell Simmons

2008
I think I was too busy bugging other people and wanted to give Big Russ a little break!  Besides, his moves were getting pretty darn repetitious by then anyway.

2007
HSAN Creates Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network [WEEN] Just in Time for Congressional Hearings
Russell Simmons: Servant of Hip Hop
Chuck D @ Guitar Center Sessions, Compares Russell Simmons to a Buzzard
Ivan Matias on Creating Caushon & Ghostwriting
Russell Simmons Promotes Do You! w/Literacy Events

2006
Russell Simmons Helps Diamond Industry Get Ahead Of Leonardo DiCaprio's Blood Diamond Flick
Russell & Kimora Lee Simmons to Divorce
Baby Phat & Brand Kimora at New York Fashion Week

2005
Russell Simmons: Lying = Good Brand Building
Russell Simmons Prefers Secret Product Placements
HSAN Partners with Problematic Education Company
Russell Simmons Presents Yoga Without the H Word

2004
On the Russell Simmons/Kazaa Connection
Kimora Lee Simmons: The Hip Hop Martha Stewart?
KL Simmons, Larger Than Life-Size

You know, I briefly considered and then dropped the idea of an unauthorized Russell Simmons biography because you know the man's never going to talk to me and I'd have to deal with so many of his hostile supporters that it would become wearing but, looking at this list, if I don't do it I feel certain that someday somebody will get it done.

That's why I'm keeping defbusiness.com alive, just in case!

Diamond Empowerment Fund Benefits from Ponahalo Diamond Sale

"Two radiant rocks cut from the 316-carat Ponahalo diamond" will be sold at Christie's this week:

"The pair of megadiamonds, weighing in at 102 and 70 carats, respectively, are expected to draw high bids, with the larger jewel predicted to sell for $4 million and the smaller gem a mere $2.2 million."

A "portion" of the proceeds will benefit the Diamond Empowerment Fund which was founded in the wake of Russell Simmon's factfinding/pr expedition to South Africa and Botswana.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
2006's Unfinished Agenda: Truth, Justice & Diamonds

Russell Simmons' Kids to Get $20k Each a Month

More news from TMZ:

"TMZ has obtained documents in the Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons divorce case. The docs, filed yesterday in LA Superior Court, say the hip-hip pioneer has to shell out $20k a month -- per daughter!!! -- in child support to Kimora."

Russell Simmons' Argyle Culture Ads: Ok Ads, Sucky Clothes

Wooohah has some ad scans of Russell Simmons' Argyle Culture line that seem to communicate where they're coming from pretty well though I actually like this pic of Myorr Janha, VP of marketing and public relations quite a bit more.  However I'm not a good judge of Simmons' impact as a model of his own clothes.

Russell is pushing the "urban graduate" concept which is a really nice, creative term for a demographic whether real or imagined.

I have a lot of issues with Russell Simmons in relationship to the politics, spirituality and money triangle but I'd tell you I hate these clothes even if I really dug the guy.  Most of this kind of thing is just recycling of stuff that was popular years ago and I just don't want to see it anymore.

Polo sucks too.  Really ugly clothes like most preppy wear.

But if you like that kind of thing, knock yourself out.

More pics of various kinds can be seen at the official Argyle Culture website though it appears to still be under construction.

Russell Simmons & UNICEF Snowflake Signal Start of $hopping $eason

This is just too perfect for words.

Russell Simmons to Host UNICEF's 2007 New York Snowflake Lighting:
Honoring the spirit of giving, Tiffany & Co. and Hallmark Cards, Inc. will sponsor the 2007 UNICEF Snowflake Lighting...Onlookers will enjoy music and hot chocolate while watching the magnificent UNICEF Snowflake light up, signifying the beginning of the gift-giving season across the globe.

Russell Simmons to Speak at Media & Money Conference

Russell Simmons joins a group of serious heavyweights at the first Dow Jones/Nielsen Company Media and Money conference happening November 7th and 8th in New York.

Keynote speakers will include:
Jeffrey Bewkes, President & COO, Time Warner
Michael Eisner, Founder, The Tornante Company
Norman Pearlstine, Senior Advisor, The Carlyle Group

Simmons will be providing the inspirational keynote on "Business Karma":
In this session, Mr. Simmons will share lessons of his journey from New York City streets to the pinnacle of business accomplishment and his views on how success is not something you achieve, but something you do.

Official Site:
Media and Money 2007

Kimora Lee Simmons Steps Up as Russell Leaves Phat Fashions

Late last week Russell Simmons stepped down as CEO of Phat Fashions and Kimora Lee Simmons expanded her role as President and Creative Director of Baby Phat to become Creative Director of Phat Fashions.

It's unclear if a new CEO will be named or if those duties will subsume to Kellwood CEO Robert C. Skinner, Jr.

Russell Simmons: Servant of Hip Hop

Russell Simmons was interviewed for NPR by Farai Chideya earlier this month in an intense reminder of the dangers of feeding one's ego with spiritual practices such as yoga.

When he's asked if he feels that the kind of music his company produces can have harmful effects, the conversation can turn volatile, as it did during our sit-down. At one point, Simmons characterized our discussion in less-than-family-friendly terms...While he is going off, he is leaning off — away from the mic, that is. He's talking to his assistant in studio, complaining about the interview, and I'm thinking, "Is he about to run the heck out of here?"

Luckily, he didn't. In the end, after a long back-and-forth, Simmons explained that his role is to promote all of hip-hop, good and bad, not to be a judge or a gate-keeper.

"Did they tell you why I came here?" Simmons asks once things cool down. "My job is as a servant of hip-hop. That's my job, and people who criticize are not able to serve properly."

There's plenty more in the interview for both fans and foes.

Russell & Kimora File Libel Action Against In Touch

Russell & Kimora Lee Simmons have filed a libel action against In Touch magazine but nobody seems to know why and nobody's telling.

I'm assuming that's In Touch Weekly.

Russell Simmons Makes NY Times Advice Bestseller List

Russell Simmons' Do You! makes 4th place on the NY Times Bestseller list in the Hardcover Advice category.

Here's the current top 5 Hardcover Advice bestsellers:
1. THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne
2. THE LOVED DOG, by Tamar Geller with Andrea Cagan
3. LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF GETTING YOUR WAY, by Jeffrey Gitomer
4. DO YOU!, by Russell Simmons with Chris Morrow
5. THE WEIGHT LOSS CURE “THEY” DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT, by Kevin Trudeau

Tough competition, eh?