The music and business mogul Russell Simmons has released a statement today announcing that he is stepping down from his leadership positions in all of his companies.
This resignation comes after a new allegation against Simmons arose. Jenny Lumet, an award-winning screenwriter for films such as The Mummy wrote a letter to Simmons in The Hollywood Reporter about her experience with him.
In her letter, Lumet explains that she and Simmons had mutual friends and knew each other well enough for her to get into a car with him one night when he offered her a ride home. When Lumet went to give the driver her address, and he overrode her request by simply saying no. She tried again, another no.
” I didn’t punch or kick. I didn’t say, ‘What are you doing?’ My voice left me after the second ‘No'” Lumet writes.
She then goes on to describe how he took her inside through a back exit and onto an elevator that took them straight to his apartment. In the apartment, Lumet says “Wait” multiple times, with no response.
“Just keep him calm, and you’ll get home”, Lumet thought to herself.
When it was over, Lumet notes that Simmons did not try to stop her from leaving. Afterwards, she saw him various times at industry events and award shows. “These were events that were supposed to be happy, and they were tainted,” Lumet wrote.
According to his website, Simmons companies include Def Jam Recordings, Rush Card, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, etc. He claims that he is making room for “a new and diverse generation of extraordinary executives” to begin running these businesses.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcH9Ua3DVaj/?taken-by=unclerush
Photo: Coco Curranski / Flickr
