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Russell
Simmons
Mr. Simmons joined The Foundation
for Ethnic Understanding’s board in 2002. He currently serves as Chairman.
Mr. Simmons has long been associated with shaping the cutting edge of
hip-hop – America’s most compelling cultural explosion of the latter 20th
century. While a student at CUNY in 1977, Mr. Simmons began to promote
his own shows, managing artists and producing records. By the early eighties,
the roster of his Rush Artist Management included Whodini, Kurtis Blow
and Run DMC. Over the years, Rush would help mold the careers of Will
Smith, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys.
In 1984, Mr. Simmons co-founded Def Jam Recordings, which quickly developed
into rap music’s premier label. Today, Island/Def Jam is wholly owned
by The Universal Music Group. Russell Simmons retains the title of Chairman,
Def Jam Records. In 1985, he was the Associate Producer of Warner Bros.’
“Krush Groove”, which lead to a string of profitable movies including
“Gridlock” (1977), “How to Be a Player” (1977), and “The Nutty Professor”
(1996).
In 1991, Mr. Simmons began producing “Def Comedy Jam” for HBO. The show
helped to revolutionize the American comedy industry and launched the
careers of Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker and Jamie Foxx. His most recent
venture with HBO was the launching of Def Poetry Jam in 2001, and it promises
to do for poetry what Def Comedy Jam did for comedy. In 1992, Mr. Simmons
founded Phat Farm, a sportswear brand that capitalized on the enormous
fashion influence wielded by hip-hop teens, and has been dubbed the “Gap
of hip-hop” by New York Magazine. Mr. Simmons recently was honored by
the Israeli Consulate at the Jewish Community Relations Council/Jewish
National Fund Annual Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., held at the home
of Israeli Consul General Alon Pinkas.
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Copyright © 2007
The Foundation For Ethnic
Understanding
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding was founded in 1989 by Rabbi Marc
Schneier and the late Joseph Papp.
We are committed to the belief that direct, face-to-face, dialogue between
leaders of ethnic communities is
the most effective path toward the reduction of bigotry and the promotion
of reconciliation and understanding.
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