Russell Simmons hasn't made many public statements since being accused of sexual assault and other crimes during his time as a record label executive. Now residing in Bali, Indonesia, the former Def Jam Recordings mogul took to social media to defend Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is also facing a slew of sexual assault allegations, and urged fans to “see good at things”.
Speaking on Instagram, Russell Simmons, 66, opened his video by saying there's always been trouble in rap, but likened the skirmishes to professional wrestling. However, Simmons notes that the way Kendrick Lamar and Drake go after each other, while exciting, could eventually lead to guns.
“When you're knocking someone down or seeing someone knocking someone down, try not to get too excited. I know it's fun for some people to watch,” Simmons says, warning that the cycle isn't healthy over time.
He added, “If I had a nickel for every nasty meme that people sent me whose lives were improved and built by Sean Combs, it's like, it seems a little hypocritical, since the only reason you have a life is because you worked for him. , or gave you a job or promoted you in some way.”
The overall message from Simmons is that the current state of the beef and Diddy's takedown has created a situation where fans are more invested in the downfall of entertainers than in the betterment of themselves.
“You might think it's, you know, fun. Some of the memes are funny, right? But, we have to look up, train our minds to see the good things and not the negatives,” Simmons shared.
On X, fans of course are blasting Russell Simmons for standing up for Diddy and talking up the beef when he's dealing with several legal issues, all of which the mogul vehemently denies. See the reactions below.
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Photo: Getty