Russell Simmons Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

Russell Simmons            

Entrepreneur & Philanthropist

Entrepreneur, author, activist and philanthropist Russell Simmons has launched scores of groundbreaking careers and companies across categories as wide-ranging as music, comedy, poetry, fashion, finance, film, television, theatre and digital. Simmons co-founded Def Jam Recordings and is currently focused on building the cross-platform media company All Def Digital, the fastest-growing online video brand in hip hop and youth culture, and Spotify launch partner in video. His lifelong mission has been to give a voice to extraordinary talent from diverse backgrounds who, in turn, shape popular culture globally.

Russell Wendell Simmons is an American entrepreneur, producer and author. The Chairman and CEO of Rush Communications, he cofounded the hip-hop music label Def Jam Recordings and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons had a net-worth estimate of $340 million in 2011.

Simmons co-founded Def Jam in 1983 with Rick Rubin who sold his share of the company for $120 million to Universal Music Group in 1996. In 1985 Russell Simmons co-produced and appeared in the film, Krush Groove. Simmons' company, Rush Communications Inc. includes over ten businesses and three non-profits. Simmons, with his partner Stan Lathan, has also produced television hits HBO's Def Comedy Jam, Def Poetry Jam and currently has a development deal with HBO In 1996, Simmons co-produced the hit film The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy. In 2003, Russell Simmons co-founded RushCard, a prepaid debit card provider. In October 2015, hundreds of thousands of Rushcard customers were unable to access their funds for weeks.

Giving back is of primary importance to Simmons, and as Chairman and CEO of Rush Communications, he has consistently leveraged his wide-ranging influence and commercial interests to help those less fortunate. A devoted yogi, Simmons also leads the non-profit division of his empire, Rush Community Affairs, and its ongoing commitment to empowering at-risk youth through education, the arts, social engagement, and promoting racial harmony and strengthening inter-group relations. In addition, Simmons serves as UN Goodwill Ambassador for The Permanent Memorial to Honor the Victims of Slavery and The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Speech Topics


Super Rich: Maximizing Results for Yourself and Others

The recent global recession has dramatically altered the traditional paradigms of wealth as well as the mechanisms for creating it. No longer are tried-and-true methods reliably effective and new constructs and perspectives must be sought-out and employed for future stability and security. Russell Simmons is just the man to help guide this revolution in richness. A master entrepreneur and visionary who is living proof that his advice works, Simmons believes that being rich has much more to do with how you live than what you have. He wisely realized early in life that following certain principles can lead to monetary and personal fulfillment.

Super Rich takes audiences on an eye-opening journey that provides them with innovative ideas and practical tools for greater levels of performance and prosperity. It isn't simply a tutorial in making money but rather a roadmap for achieving success - personally and professionally, for oneself and others - beyond traditional measures of wealth. Using personal anecdotes, real-world examples, and proven practices and philosophies, Simmons engages and energizes audiences with his inspiring message to harness the power of each individual's unique gifts and tap into them to become Super Rich.

Business Karma: Doing Well by Doing Good

The past two decades have seen an explosion in entrepreneurship, and no more dramatic than in the social sector. Just as business entrepreneurs create and transform whole industries, social entrepreneurs act as the change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss in order to improve systems, invent and disseminate new approaches and advance sustainable solutions that create value - both social and monetary.

Russell Simmons is a social entrepreneur extraordinaire. One of America's shrewdest businessmen, Simmons parlayed a career as a hip-hop producer into an empire consisting of record labels, clothing and jewelry lines, and TV and film ventures by staying focused on building organizations, experiences, and opportunities that create long-term value rather than exploiting short-term gain. Maintaining only one bottom line, he believes, is what keeps people in a vicious cycle of chasing money. Building businesses for the future?based on what people actually want creates double and triple bottom lines, resulting in personal satisfaction AND monetary gain. Simmons' most successful venture of his entire career, RushCard, is a financial empowerment tool founded to meet the needs of underserved communities.

In a conversation-style interview, Simmons reveals his techniques for setting meaningful goals, delves into purpose-driven principles that keep him energized and focused, and shares the fundamental practices of being a good giver so you can be an even better getter.

Get Your Money Right!

Founded in 2003 to meet the needs of underserved communities, UniRush revolutionized the payments industry when it launched one of the first prepaid Visa debit cards. The Prepaid Visa RushCard provided instant access to a set of basic financial services for over 48 million Americans who could not previously establish traditional banking relationships.

A pioneer and prepaid card industry leader, RushCard empowers cardholders to take control of their financial futures, create a positive credit file and achieve their personal and financial goals. Join Russell Simmons, entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of RushCard, to learn about the importance of building wealth credit, budgeting, investing and home ownership to successfully manage money and gain financial freedom.

News


Brett Ratner and Russell Simmons were investigated by police in ...
Beverly Hills police investigated filmmaker Brett Ratner and Def Jam Recordings co-founder Russell Simmons in an alleged sexual battery in 2001, but the Los Angeles County district attorney's office declined to file charges.
Russell Simmons Attends National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives 40th Anniversary Annual Training Conference
Russell Simmons attended the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) 40th Anniversary Annual Training Conference last week...
Russell Simmons delivers keynote at 2015 Internet Summit at the ...
Def Jam founder Russell Simmons has a message for Triangle tech entrepreneurs ... Russell Simmons was the keynote speaker of the 2015 Internet Summit at ...
Russell Simmons Joins Stars At 16th Annual Art For Life Benefit
Russell Simmons, Dave Chappelle and Gayle King were just a few of the many attendees at last week’s Art for Life Benefit in the Hamptons.
Crank it up: Russell Simmons, Universal Music launch label -- on ...
EXCLUSIVE: The man behind Def Jam, who brought hip-hop to the masses, is out to create stars on YouTube through the newly-created All Def Music. And he's  ...
Russell Simmons' New Venture: Digital Marketing | Agency News ...
First it was Def Jam, and then it was Phat Farm. Now, Russell Simmons is launching his latest venture, Narrative, in the advertising world.

Related Speakers View all


More like Russell