Russell Simmons Interview

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Russell Simmons Interview

By Sam Enrico Williams 2012-04-27 22:11:04

(TRAMP Magazine) -

Rolling With Russell

From Run DMC to multi-millionaire, Russell Simmons can be held responsible for kick starting hip-hop’s annual turnover of over $10 billion. Here he chats to Tramp about the power of urban music, diamonds and yoga.

$163 million. That’s how much money the record label that Russell Simmons co-founded back in 1984 was sold for. Def Jam records, sensibly, still have Russell as their Chairman. Why wouldn’t they? How many 46 year-old businessmen do you know at the helm of a multi-million dollar empire that understands their product better than the 12 year-old kid buying it?

And how many 46 year –old businessmen do you know that could successfully pull off a pink polo shirt and matching pink baseball cap? That’s what Russell Simmons is donning today inside Oxford Street’s House of Frazer. He runs his fingers through the rails of velour Phat Farm tracksuits – the tracksuit he’s in town to promote. For you see hip hop isn’t just about the music; it’s about the whole lifestyle – from the car you drive to the labels you wear. This is something Russell recognised and cashed in on long before the likes of Jay-Z (Rocawear) and P Diddy (Sean Combs). Phat Fashions was founded in 1992; Russell reportedly sold the hip hop clothing line to apparel giant Kellwood for $135 million in January 2000s. Similarly to his relationship with Def Jam, Russell remains the CEO.

Either Mr Simmons has an amazing eye for lucrative trends or this is a simple case of being in the right place at the right time. Probably a bit of both. What’s certain is that the New Yorker – with his tired eyes and rapid speech – fully understands the power of hip hop and how money can be extracted from it.

“Hip hop is the best brand-building community in America and in the world!” exclaims Russell, like he’s just unleashed the secret of the universe. Don’t snort though; he’s devastatingly correct. If you’re not into hip hop then you may not have noticed 50 Cent, Beyoncé and Missy Elliot dropping brand names like Burberry, Lexus and Jimmy Choo into their songs. If, however, you are an urban tune-spotter you’ll know all about Couroisier’s sales rocketing (20% worldwide) immediately after Busta Rhyme’s huge hit ‘Pass the Courvoisier’ was released. Whether to not the cognac bigwigs paid the rapper for the track is still undisclosed, but I think we can all guess the answer.

Again, this is all old hat to Russell Simmons. His groundbreaking group, Run DMC started this trend back in the eighties. “We make a good team my Adidas and me. We get around together, rhyme forever. And we won’t be mad when worn in bad weather.” That’s how the lyrics went to the cunning, anthem, titled ‘My Adidas’. At the time the German sports brand was struggling. Shortly after Run-DMC’s name-dropping, profit margins soared and manager Russell managed to seal the hip hop group a $1.5million endorsement deal. Today Adidas are a multi-billion company.

“I think it’s something like $4 billion” offers Russell. “We’ve helped support many companies and build many brands,” the entrepreneur openly admits. “My wife bought a diamond and platinum Frank Mueller watch one day. I remember her coming home and it was like ‘Oh, another watch’. But then I noticed that Reverent Run [Run DMC rapper and Russell’s little brother], Jay-Z and Puffy had the same watch. And then I saw it in Lifestyles magazine – which is the insiders ethnic magazine; very cultural and very forward on watches. Then I saw it in Watch Time Magazine and lots more magazines.”

The point is, just like sex, hip hop sells. But don’t let images of a big, fat, evil, cigar-smoking tycoon conjure when you think of Russell Simmons. The mongul of urban youth culture has successfully shown that, as well as making stacks of cash and selling a few thousand more magnums of Cristal, hip hop, has the power to promote morally sound movements too. Hence Russell’s involvement with the UK’s Princes Trust foundation and America’s hip hop summit. The summit, founded by Russell, has amongst other missions, the aim to register thousands of new young voters through the medium of hip hop. So far, this is something the non-profit organisation has succeeded in doing and countless urban music artists have helped the cause.

“We registered 30,000 voters in Houston,” Russell startlingly informs. “Snoop Dogg registering 60,000 voters in LA as part of a process that included Damon Dash and the Rocafella family. We registered 80,000 voters with the help of Will Smith and Wyclef and LL Cool J. Eminem did an excellent job with Detroit.”

Records, tracksuits and politics aren’t the only pies that Russe4ll Simmons has his fingers in though. Among other ventures, Russell and his beautiful ex-model wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, have just given birth to the Simmons Jewellery Company. Formed in conjunction with giant jewellers M. Fabrikant & Sons, the company and its founders recently threw an elaborate ‘Bling! Bling!’ party in London alongside jewel expert Lord Rothschild.

“One of things that we want to do, is bring awareness to the conflict diamond trade and we want to do conflict-free diamonds as much as possible.... but it’s very difficult to determine 100%,” Russell explains.

“We also wanna give away a big percentage of the proceeds to the kids that are ill affected by the diamond trade. The first thing we’ll do is give a bid advance to maybe the kids in Sierra Lyon. Then after that we’ll get busy selling jewellery and the whole company will be dedicated to that conscious effort...I do not want to talk about the fact everything we do is tied to something philanthropic, something social or something political, and that affects the people who are in struggles.”

Of course he does and he will. In fact throughout our conversation, Russell pretty much commands the interview. He knows time is of the essence, so he speaks at about 95mph; covering every topic he wants, while carefully avoiding any subject he doesn’t. But then Russell Simmons is an expert. With music, with clothes, with beautiful women, with journalists. In fact, the only thing he isn’t particularly good at is relaxing, so it seems.

During his short stay in London, Russell Simmons’ To Do List us even longer than his wife’s legs. Doesn’t he ever just wake up and think; I just wanna chill out and enjoy my money?

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