Russell Simmons said that he doesn’t want fans ‘attacking’ celebrity friends who visit him in Bali years after he fled the US amid sexual misconduct allegations.
The 66-year-old Def Jam Recordings founder – who Usher visited earlier this year – ranted from his home in Indonesia in a recent Instagram Live according to Love Bitez on Tuesday.
Simmons has previously denied allegations of sexual misconduct from at least 15 women since the rise of the MeToo movement in late 2017 as moved to the Southeast Asian country the following year.
In the social media post he said: ‘Black people, did you forget that I got 10,000 black men out of jail? … And that I registered more of you to vote than probably anybody you know?
‘And I worked for Black Lives Matter and every movement that’s helped our people — all the women’s rights and even gay rights movements that I did so much work for.’
Russell Simmons said that he doesn’t want fans ‘attacking’ celebrity friends who visit him in Bali years after he fled the US amid sexual misconduct allegations
The 66-year-old Def Jam Recordings founder – who Usher visited earlier this year – ranted from his home in Indonesia in a recent Instagram Live according to Love Bitez on Tuesday; Simmons and Usher are pictured together in LA back in November 2017
Several stars have visited Simmons in Bali including Diddy, Taraji P. Henson, MC Lyte, LisaRaye McCoy, and the aforementioned Usher.
Simmons was adamant that he does not want his celebrity pals blasted for coming to see him as he said: ‘To let them demonize me in such a way that my friends cannot visit me without you attacking them — but yet you stand next to Donald Trump, knock it off.’
He went on to claim that he is also not in hiding since the numerous allegations and said that notion was ‘stupid’ as he boldly said he will be coming to his native New York next week.
Russell explained: ‘I call the paparazzi on myself every time I’m there. I have an office. … I’m there all the time. I work out of New York sometimes, but I live here. I live here to heal people … and to give them spiritual and mental rejuvenation.
‘So just attacking people who visit me — you have no idea who all have been here — are you under some kind of tricknology? Are you lost? I’m your friend, black people, and I’ve been my whole life a supporter of all the initiatives that lift you up.’
The American entrepreneur went on to say that he has never been questioned by police or been put in front of a judge from those allegations which came to light years ago.
He said: ‘From what I can tell, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, President Trump, all have more credible claims against them than I do if you ask Oprah [Winfrey].
‘I’ve never been charged with — who took nine lie detector tests? … Did Bill Clinton do that? Did Joe Biden do that? Did President Trump do that? Knock it off. I love you. I just don’t want my friends attacked … just leave my friends alone. Don’t attack them for visiting me. Attack friends for visiting Trump; he’s been convicted.’
Several stars have visited Simmons in Bali including Diddy, Taraji P. Henson (pictured together in February 2009), MC Lyte, LisaRaye McCoy, and the aforementioned Usher.
Simmons (pictured in LA back in February 2022) has previously denied allegations of sexual misconduct from at least 15 women since the rise of the MeToo movement in late 2017 as moved to the Southeast Asian country the following year
Earlier this year Usher was blasted on social media as he visited Simmons weeks after his massive Super Bowl Halftime Show performance in Las Vegas.
In the clip, which was set to the Beyonce song Love On Top, Usher, 45, was seen taking part in yoga and meditation while relaxing at the Indonesian home of Simmons.
In achieving the feat of performing at the big game, Usher joined an excusive list of luminaries including the late Michael Jackson and Prince, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Dr. Dre.
Usher was joined on the getaway by his wife Jennifer Goicoechea, who he tied the knot with in Las Vegas, following the banner performance.
In the series of clips posted, the Love in This Club performer was seen on a mat in a yoga class stretching and sweating as Simmons led the class.
He praised Usher for the loyalty he’s shown to him amid the hits his career and reputation have taken in the ensuing years.
‘When i was at the lowest point in my life i woke up and this man was sitting by my bed,’ Simmons said.
Simmons continued, ‘I had known usher since he was a kid but we really bonded because of our mutual love for self discovery and our belief in Yogic science as a direct route to realizing Gods conciousness in ourselves.’
Earlier this year Usher was blasted on social media as he visited Simmons weeks after his massive Super Bowl Halftime Show performance in Las Vegas
In the clip, which was set to the Beyonce song Love On Top, Usher was seen taking part in yoga and meditation while relaxing at the Indonesian home of Simmons
Simmons said that Usher’s continuing friendship has emotionally moved him.
‘People remember to remember this ..a friend walks in when others walk out,’ the Queens, New York native said. ‘I will never forget the generosity of spirit i witnessed in this man.’
Simmons wrapped up in saying, ‘God bless you baby bro @usher love you !!!!’
Last last year, Simmons opened up about the sexual assault allegations that have derailed his career in a new interview, claiming he’s never been violent with anyone, and that he has taken nine lie detector tests since allegations against him surfaced six years ago.
Usher and Simmons were posed with a friend on the Bali excursion
The Yeah! artist looked relaxed as he pointed toward the camera as Simmons snapped a selfie
Simmons said that Usher’s continuing friendship has emotionally moved him
The Queens, New York native, appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger in December, acknowledged that he’d behaved in a ‘crude’ manner and had past been involved in ‘compromising situations’ sexually, amid allegations of sexual misconduct from at least 15 women.
‘If you had slept with as many people as I had slept with – thousands – and we’re talking about like six people,’ he said, the latter number referring to people he says he ‘spoke poorly’ to in the past.
Simmons, who spends most of his time residing in Bali, Indonesia, where the interview was filmed, said that he’s ‘never been violent to anybody,’ which is not to say he always treated his sexual partners well.
‘Of course I’ve been insensitive,’ he said, ‘but certainly never been forceful in any of my relationships, all of which I’ve had have been consensual.’
The Queens, New York native, appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger in December, acknowledged that he’d behaved in a ‘crude’ manner and had past been involved in ‘compromising situations’ sexually, amid allegations of sexual misconduct from at least 15 women
The music mogul told Bensinger that he has taken nine polygraph tests in an effort to clear his name in the wake of the accusations against him, which were part of the MeToo movement that commenced in the fall of 2017.
‘I took nine lie detector tests, people don’t know that,’ the Def Jam co-founder said. ‘Nine separate – seven from the Chairman of the Polygraph Association – one for each and serious accusation.’
Simmons said that in taking the lie detector tests, he addressed specific verbiage in allegations made against him.
‘When someone said, for instance, “I was violent” – one person said that – and I’ve never been violent. Took that,’ he said. ‘And one said I apologized. I never apologized about assaulting anyone.
‘But if two people say it, because one said it, and MeToo, and the second person said it, then I took a test for it. Three hours per test by two polygraph examiners – one that I’ve never done this to anyone and one, I’ve never done to each individual.’
Simmons said he believed in the veracity of the lie detector tests he took, saying, ‘Some people say that they’re not accurate, but it’s 94 percent accurate.
‘I did nine of them, it’s pretty clear that I don’t believe it,’ Simmons said. ‘I even asked if, “Well, what if I believe it, but it’s not true?” He said, “Your subconscious will get you.”
‘I don’t know how true that is, but that’s what was told to me by the chairman of the Polygraph Association.’
The Def Jam co-founder claimed he’s never been violent with anyone and that he has taken nine lie detector tests since allegations against him surfaced six years ago
Simmons said he had the lie detector tests recorded, but ‘no one in the mainstream [media] would cover it’ amid ‘a narrative’ that ‘we don’t wanna go backwards, we wanna believe women.’
Simmons said that while he feels ‘women and celebrities maybe in some cases are a little different,’ he emphasized that ‘we don’t wanna not believe women, we have to believe women.
‘We have to give them the benefit of the doubt, but we can’t demonize people without proof either.’
He added of his past conduct: ‘I think that the culture and the climate was different, and the way people interacted was different. I think to judge 40 years ago as if it was today, we get in trouble.
‘We have to accept where we were and move on and be somewhere else in the future if we don’t like where we were. And I think we’re doing that now. And I think that’s the good that comes with MeToo.’
999
