All about Russell Simmons as he comes under fire from estranged family

Russell Simmons found himself in the spotlight once again after he was recently blasted by his estranged family on social media. It all started on Sunday, June 18, 2023 - which was Father’s Day - when Simmons uploaded a story on his Instagram handle:

Simmons fiasco explained as Russell's estranged wife and kids bash him on social media. (Image via Instagram)

He then shared another post seemingly blaming his ex-wife, Kimora, for taking his kids away from him.

However, the rant did not end too well for Russell, as the two kids, along with their mother, took to social media the next day, on Monday, and bashed their father by sharing some screenshots of their conversations with him. Along with the screenshots, daughter Aoki Lee claimed that she has “had enough.”

Simmons fiasco explained as Russell's estranged wife and kids bash him on social media. (Image via Instagram)

Furthermore, Kimora Lee Simmons also joined the conversation and hopped on to social media, accusing Russell of harassment and threatening her and the girls. In an Instagram Live session, Kimora accused the father of verbally attacking the children. She said

"This is where this just kinda stops. Don't attack my kids, don't have anything to say about what's goes on in this house."

Aoki, Russell Simmon's daughter, also shared her side of the story and claimed that her father has not been well for years, as he just lashes out on anyone. She also hinted that it might have something to do with his trouble with the media:

“Prior to his media issues he was really the best dad ever and a great co-parent. He and my mom were best friends. I think he’s mentally ill or experiencing something like dementia.”

It must be noted that Russell Simmons was a popular figure in the media industry, thanks to his venture, Def Jam Recordings. However, things slid downhill for him following allegations that came in light of the #MeToo movement.

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Russell Simmons has earned most of his fortune from his record label

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Russell Simmons, the American record executive and entrepreneur, has a net worth of $10 million. He gained the maximum part of his fortune after he started with Def Jam Recordings, a record label that played a crucial role in popularizing early rap artists.

After Russell formed Def Jam, he went on to sign iconic musicians such as T La Rock & Jazzy Jay, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Slayer, Oran "Juice" Jones, and Public Enemy. At a later stage, he sold his stake in Def Jam Recordings to Universal Music Group for a substantial sum of $120 million.

Russell Simmons further experimented with another business, Rush Communications, Inc., through which he ventured into the film industry.

However, things took a turn when he was accused of s*xual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. The accusations were not just by a single woman, but by multiple women. Some who came forward and talked about their experiences with Simmons are publicist Kelly Cutrone, screenwriter Jenny Lumet, and model Keri Claussen Khalighi.

While Russell Simmons constantly denied all accusations, he reportedly lost a lot of his fortune battling cases and dealing with professional and financial repercussions in its aftermath.