Beyond the emotional and physical pain, there's enormous economic 'opportunity cost' intrinsic to sexual violence and harassment. Many women leave pathways and whole industries because their careers were robbed from them. It's generations-long impact, and should be prosecuted as such.
32
Statute Of Limitations anybody?
2
Hopefully the Russell Simmons allegations (currently "innocent until proven guilty") shine a light on the bigger picture: degradation/abuse of women in hip hop & rap. Many youth & people of color are internally corrupted by the evilness of some of these “artists” & “moguls.” Look no further than at some of the lyrics of some of these so-called musicians that you see in hip hop & rap. Shoot, throw r&b and maybe even urban contemporary into the mix. If sexual violence and degradation are presented in these musicians' music, surely they walk the talk. There's little to no doubt about it. One has to ask: are my favorite artists perpetrators themselves? One has to also ask: if there's more than meets the eye, what other famous figures are walking the Earth with the secret/well-hidden fact that they are sexual abusers themselves and/or that they've oppressed and silenced victims with their "power?" Look closer.
23
Why are serial rapists like Russell Simmons and Harvey Weinstein, not in jail already? If there were a serial rapist in the community, they would be quickly jailed when found. What makes these cases different? These guys are clearly a menace to society.
I also find Simmons' comments about keeping things quiet for the sake of his daughters, just sooooo inflammatory. All the women he raped and abused were someone's daughter.
Jay-Z said something similar with regard to his lyrics ... i.e. now that he has a daughter he's reconsidering his lyrics. It's as though these men see women as inhuman.
35
I believe!
13
I look forward to this repugnant criminal getting what he deserves and I hope it brings these talented women some measure of peace.
10
Wait, what is this?
Another man has been accused of sexual misconduct?
Well I'm sure it must because he's a rap mogul.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/head-congressional-ethics-office-sued-1927118...
1
Is there a reason the photo you chose has Mr Simmons wearing a Yankees cap?
1
How ironic. Even were it impossible to photograph the man in the raw years ago, she easily, in NYC and NY as well as in many other states, could have attsched a a small vacuum microphone to the telephone and plugged it into a recorder, and every time the guy called, shecould have recorded evrything he said-all legal and usable in court. I recorded someone's calls to me, and , were i in a position to, I could have used them as evidence. I don't understand why more people-especially in NY State don't put wires on their phones.
Beware , if you think a phone makes you harmless-not in NY. ANyone who calls YOU is then subject to recording of their call(s).
With small cameras its possible now to photograph but with a 5dollar microphone from best buy anyone can use their phone to record hostile morons harassing them-this has been true since before WWII.
4
I believe the women. Thank you for sharing your stories.
As to those who are trying to silence the women & their supporters by raising the cry of "due process", I have two comments. 1st, this looks like just another effort to protect abusers from accountability by bringing up seemingly respectable (but actually insincere) "concerns." Tell me: do you urge "due process" when it comes to the rights of Gitmo inmates, poor blacks shot by police, workers fired for no cause by corporations? Or do your attacks of extreme "due process" anxiety only come on at the specter of rich & powerful men being brought down by (heaven help us) mere women?
2nd, and more legalistically, "due process" attaches to situations where people are being jailed, executed or otherwise punished by the State. You can't be "deprived of life or liberty" without "due process of law." Being publicly excoriated by the community for outrageous behavior does not, as a legal matter, raise "due process" issues.
It is of course incumbent on all decent people to be fair & reasonable in their public judgments, a standard that is easily met here. The allegations are numerous, detailed, credible and corroborated. This is not someone's idle gossip, whispered in an ear.
18
Accused or not. These people are not relevant any more. Sure I bought the L.L. Cool J. Cd in 1994 but he fell off. Writing these little pieces brings a celebrity back who was only for the moment at that time.
1
This is cut and dry. Rape.
Much murkier when it comes to movie stars who quite happy to fake sex scenes for money from the men they are now accusing.
Another nice side benefit of #metoo is that there will be fewer advantages for women who are prepared to be morally compromised and fewer disadvantages for those who wont do anything to get ahead.
3
You are not getting it.
15
It's on now, Russell.
1
This is not multiple accusations of harassment. These are rape accusations. The only proper place for Russ to be is behind bars. Shame is not enough.
15
No, the only proper place for Mr. Simmons is a court of law, since these are as you put it, "accusations".
13
If he was innocent, he'd be taking them to court ASAP for defamation of character. So many of the accused say something like they may have done regretful things in the past for which they are truly sorry, but not all the allegations against them are true. Just a blanket statement without an honest apology to the victims and no real admittance or ownership for the crimes.
At least more women are going public with their stories, so hopefully this will be a deterrence. But I wonder as very few of these cases seem to be getting prosecuted, and the ones that are, like Bill Cosby, result in mistrials or hung juries with no justice being served.
24
The problem with most of these cases is the he said/she said nature, and the long lag time before they are reported.
5
Can there still be criminal prosecutions given statute of limitations?
The statute of limitations has expired. These women will not get their day in court. Instead, they will continue to not be believed and be treated with ridicule, shaming and denials from the public and the powerful man who wrecked their lives and their careers. There is no prize to be won for coming forward years after the fact, other than the relief of telling the truth, reclaiming their self-respect, and demonstrating to other victims that the time for hiding and making excuses for violent men is over.
21
"Blah, blah, blah...but I will relentlessly fight against any untruthful character assassination that paints me as a man of violence.”
Rape IS violence, by definition. Can you imagine a peaceful rape? Neither can I. Neither can anyone else.
30
I read this piece yesterday and noticed the unavailability of the comment section. Why? It's important that this conversation expand through different channels, especially considering the impact of hip hop media on young people.
Andre Young (Dr. Dre) whose lucrative deal with Beats Headphones, HP, and of course, Apple is an infamous abuser who has publicly assaulted women in the music industry. Yet, he is widely crowned as the richest man in hip-hop. And RZA of Wu-Tang fame, who said women were never allowed in the studio, only on the roof to be gang banged. He went on record saying that no chicks were allowed in the studio. It was his policy.
The point is that the industry culture is pervasive and Simmons is only one node. It's time for change.
33
If these rape incidences happened in NY there is no statute of limitations for first degree rape so I say it's time charges were brought against Russell Simmons as criminal actions such as this should result in prison time.
20
If true, then it would have behooved each of the alleged victims to report the alleged crime before 27 years had passed; statues of limitation (rightly) bar prosecution for crimes against adults for something so old.
1
Once again, the tired argument of "what took them so long?" Please educate yourself. Many reasons and all valid. And yes-- statute of limitations must stop.
26
I still remember the names and faces of the kids who picked on me in junior high. But I didn’t tell anyone back then because I knew they’d retaliate and I’d be even more ostracized. Decades later I’d have no problem naming them because they no longer have power over me.
28
Simmons has been an open supporter of the hate group Nation of Islam. At the same time he did column after column in Huffington Post denouncing racism and Islamaphobia. Mayor Deblasio appointed him to committees battling "intolerance". When Jewish groups pointed this out he lost his temper and went into a rage. He never hid who he was. It should be added some of these accusations of sexual assault took place around the same time he was condemning Don Imus for offensive language towards black women. There are several layers of hypocrisy there all enabled by the media and the left.
10
This has nothing to do with "the media" and "the left". The left fights against sexual assault. Simmons isn't a politician and has never been. Donald Trump, who has much more credible rape allegations against him, is though. If anything it is the right-wing media that is enabling hypocrisy from people like you.
6
The media went after Trump for supporters and associates of his who were racist or of ill character. Russell Simmons and (even more so) Al Sharpton openly associate with the most powerful democrats in this country despite them open sordid histories.
1
Responsibility is a most desirable partner of privilege. These serial abusers show an approach to women that borders criminality. I have decided that people like Cosby and Simmons belong on my dunghill. No trial needed. I do hope that many of them like Weinstein, Trump, Lauer and others get their days in Court. They can then serve time or get to redeem their deceitful selves. These people knew that what they were doing up to forty years ago was wrong then. They are much like officers of the law attending klan gatherings and killings and then sneaking back to work in theiir police vehicles and Court benches without klan outfits and continue their racist comitments. Their mealy mouthed apologies are like howls from the images of sheep.
6
As an AfrAmerican man who worked for years creating advertising (I was one of the first "blacks" hired in a top ten agency right after the riots following the murder of Dr. King in 1968), I've dealt with some pretty attractive women. I had the opportunity to use my "power" to grab more than a few women by their, their....whatevers.
But I never did. So I can hardly even imagine the mindset of a man who'd do what Russell is accused of. But I can also hardly imagine the mindset of the women who stayed silent so long. But its led me to a newfound philosophy of predators and prey, branders and branded. It's way past time for us humans to start to understand why guys like Russell (if he's guilty) run the nation and the world. Right?
http://BrandingHumans.com
10
Guilt via media is hard to stomach. Not a fan of this guy generally but fairness dictates these allegations belong in a court where the accused can defend himself fairly.
2
Yeah, that's fine. Good idea. Fairness also dictates that he can be found guilty fairly and given fair punishment.
3
We can agree. If a jury of his peers find him guilty of a crime then by all means throw the book at him.
1
If he is claiming that he did not do this, shouldn't his immediate next step be to file a defamation suit against these women? He obviously can afford it.
And since he has not, doesn't that speak volumes?
15
Not necessarily. Having one's day in court does not necessarily clear an allegation or even result in sentencing of a defendant in a criminal case. In this case, the issues are lapse of time, lack of evidence, "he said, she said," and jury issues (biases to which no juror will admit during voir dire). We will never get to what really happened between Simmons and any of these women.
This is a staggering detailed account of horrific crimes committed by a man who championed himself a benefactor of society's oppressed but in reality he was an evil sexual predator with nary a soul. The accounts of these victims is truly heartbreaking in their scope and depth. What type of human treats another human like this? What makes it worse is that it did not have to be. Any man of immense wealth and means can easily engage in serial consensual sex to his heart's content. But to take it to this level, to harm other women who put their faith and trust in you as an icon, is a despicable unforgivable act. He deserves public shame and the scorn of all civilized people. And if he can be sued or prosecuted he should suffer those consequences as well. We live in a sick cold world with evil people lurking around every corner. I am not shocked by anything anymore. Just sayin.
19
I guess I never understood why women have worn so much makeup to begin with.
Iver Thompson: Please explain what wearing makeup has to do with sexual assault or harassment.
11
Oh so only men can wear makeup?
1
This was hard to read.
Russell Simmons should be in prison.
13
Wow, really? So Russell Simmons isn't entitled to his right of due process. He should be imprisoned based solely on accusations. If this is the world you want, better hope no one has any type of accusations about you.
4
@Lynn in um DC - wow really?
Yes. I want a world where serial rapists like Russell Simmons are in prison. Not out walking around free insisting that his spirituality and doing yoga are proof he didn't rape these 3 women.
I believe the women.
21
@Fast/furious..this might come as a shock to you but women are quite capable of lying.
http://www.kten.com/story/37070256/sooners-star-rodney-anderson-cleared-...
When someone alleges rape the proper thing to do is to let the justice system investigate the allegation immediately, not wait years or decades later and make charges via media interview.
For for a story like this, don’t you think a different photo of him not wearing a New York Yankees cap would be more appropriate?
Interesting comment. Actually when I think about it, he is that "you'd think he's normal" guy (in this case normal entertainment dude) so yes keep the cap.
3
Is anyone surprised that another man in the macho, gangsta-rap world has been accused of rape and sexual harrassment? That's "how they roll" in that life, and it's been glamorized time and again in songs, videos, movies, photos, and huge profits. Americans across all racial, ethnic, and economic strata have been complicit in this demeaning, objectifying racket by watching, buying, cheering, copying, and demanding more and more. Only when the dollars drain will there be a reduction in the pain.
13
Wait a minute. Matt Lauer had the ability to lock his office from a button on his desk. He allegedly raped a woman at work. Bill O'Reilly and Roger Ailes allegedly harassed multiple women.
The NYT just ran another story about a restaurant that had a "rape room". Various other chefs have been accused of rape or harassment.
For a while every single day saw another accusation of harassment or rape against a Hollywood executive or actor.
James Levine is accused of raping or molesting young boys.
Multiple men in the media, including at the NYT, have been accused of sexual improprieties, up to and including rape.
Kesha accused Dr. Luke of rape. Marilyn Manson's bassist was accused of rape. None of these people are rappers. But they are all alleged victimizers.
I don't seem to recall people raging against the media, or classical musicians or chefs when the news broke about these folks. But yet with Simmons some people want to indict everyone who works in his field-actually just one of his fields.
That is wrong.
7
Anita Hill should have been woman of the year.
19
But he's such a good liberal. Partied at the White House with the Obama's and all.
His accusers must be lying.
4
Rapists, sexual aggressors and predators don't necessarily let other people see what lurks behind the mask. Thats why they get away with it. This same type of person sits IN the white house today representing the republican party. These types are on both sides of the aisle. Have some crow.
10
Jody - that would be ALLEGED rapists, sexual aggressors and predators. This is still the United States of America and we are all innocent until found guilty in a competent court of law. No matter what YOU may think! That crow better be a very large meal.
3
Tired... the court of law has never been fair to rape victims. It is the public square where we can speak truth.
7
Two words describe Russell Simmons actions: He’s toast.
As for the women coming forward, two more words for their bravery:
Stay strong.
23
He will "skate" right over these accusations because of his skin color. People are afraid of blacks because of their ability to react "as one" in defending one of their own.
2
And yet it was a black man, Hannibal Burress, who started the deluge of complaints against Bill Cosby. Like most bigots, you don't know what you're talking about.
6
ah an opportunity to put your racism on display! the actions described are despicable, criminal. but I wonder if the ones against roy moore enraged you quite as much as a black man accused.
1
The depiction of women in hiphop videos and lyrics has been nauseating since the day that greed and dominance transformed it from a cry for justice to a non-stop stream of power-porn.
That women were treated despicably by Simmons doesn't surprise me, but the fact that it resulted in violent assault is an important discovery.
One of our societal myths is that sexually harassed ambitious women are tacitly consenting to a matter-of-fact quid pro quo of sex for advancement. This article throws open the curtains and casts harsh daylight on the reality that unchecked power differentials are a progressive disease where asault, violence, intimidation and non-disclosure payoffs condemn subordinates to deep trauma and life altering guilt and shame.
it's all rape, whether you're pinned in a broom closet or denied credibility and advancement unless you stroke egos or genitals, though the women who've been victims of what we traditionally call rape bear the most savage wounds.
I want the day to come where we see the unbroken chain of objectification, humiliation, and harassment for what it is: it starts with the sexualizing of teenyboppers and the ridiculing of girls in math and science, and ends in strip clubs, human trafficking, and the horrors described in this article.
What the #MeToo movement is telling the world is that we women, like Justice Potter Stewart, know it when we see it.
62
For a long time I have felt that misogynistic hip-hop lyrics have been the elephant (or donkey) in the room. When people were lauding Eminem for his rap video decrying Trump, I forced myself to go back and read his most violent, misogynistic lyrics, which are degrading and dehumanizing by any standard. In what universe is it acceptable to glorify rape and brag about inserting (and that's a euphemism for the word that was used) foreign objects in women's bodies or killing them with a machine gun? Why does that not provoke immediate, swift, and universal condemnation? Many have argued that protecting Bill Clinton or Al Franken (and I'm not putting them in the same category) was for the "greater good" of women rights; but when I read lyrics like that, I certainly don't think we've come a long way, baby.
45
Sorry--typing too fast. Should be women's rights.
not sure why they would want to make a big deal now
Has Eminem raped anyone?
Stephen King, George RR Martin, and Orson Scott Card have written works with scenes just as disgusting as anything Eminem or any rapper have created.
Yet, with authors we seem to understand that depiction does not equal endorsement. We understand that there is a separation between the creator and the art.
We understand that Johnny Cash never shot a man in Reno just to see him die and that Mick Jagger didn't really stab a woman in the throat.
But by and large it seems that most NYT commenters aren't willing to grant that when it comes to contemporary art largely created and dominated by black men.
Simmons may or may not be guilty. I don't know. But I know that his crimes are his and his alone. They are not related to rap music just as Levine's crimes are not caused by classical music.
7
Corporate America and American pop culture still venerate, consume, and reward the work of people who have perpetrated violence against women. It is truly appalling that figures like Dr. Dre are let-off with a simple apology even in light of multiple accusations of violence against women. Sometimes, they are praised instead--HBO even aired "The Defiant Ones", a documentary that celebrates Dr. Dre (and his partnership with Jimmy Iovine) in the summer of 2017, two years after the allegations against him were brought up. Apple, instead of severing ties with Dr. Dre, issued a non-apology in 2015 to shield him against assault allegations by multiple women: "Dre has apologized for the mistakes he’s made in the past and he’s said that he’s not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed." This seems more like praise, than regret and censure--that too from Apple.
A similar standard for censure and punishment should be applied to those who have perpetrated physical abuse and violence against those with less power. Not doing so will only uphold a system where people will continue to get away with perpetrating physical abuse and violence.
20
Well said, H. Crissy. Andre Young (Dr. Dre) has cashed in, and Apple applauds his perseverance.
2
Why none of the Trump victims are coming out? I hope NYT and other media outlets are working on it. Can't happen soon enough.
6
They are and have been.
5
Given what we've seen over the last few months it seems safe to say that when a man responds to accusations like these with "plans to take some time away from the company" and a "re-dedication to spiritual learning and healing," we can pretty much assume the dog has been caught eating the homework.
Good riddance, and may more women cast off these chains and may our society continue its maturation.
28
I'd really appreciate it if people would stop equating the fact that Mr. Simmons appears to be a serial rapist with hip hop music (not gangsta rap, as a previous commenter called it.)
Hip hop no more made Simmons a rapist then politics made Bill Clinton a philanderer. Certainly, being in the music business gave Simmons access that he likely would not have had if he were the manager of the local grocery store but even then, he'd find a way to be who he is. There is as much diversity of message, lyricism and thought in hip-hop as there is in any other art form. If all you know of the genre is what you've heard someone else say about it, stick to the subject matter at hand: Russell Simmons victimized women and got away with it for a very long time.
32
Thanks for saying this.
There are many micro genres in hip-hop, much like how classic rock is not the same as death metal, or even Elvis, yet they’re all technically rock & roll. Yes, there are hardcore and gangsta rap sub genres—sure, but lore has it that the mafia were huge Sinatra fans. Clearly no link between their preferred entertainment and their horrific lifestyles.
To the commenters that have lambasted hip-hop, I ask you to think critically, or avoid commentary; lest you end up sounding like a Fox News talking head: painting cultures you’re not connected to with a broad brush.
None of this is to take away from the fact that Russell Simmons is absolutely an animal, and I hope the scales of justice find a way to judge him. At the same time, let’s all avoid letting his actions act as a shorthand for a culture that has continues to diversify and grow, as last generations pop music, rock & roll has.
1
Nope. Hip hop claims to be about social justice but misogyny, homophobia, anti asian racism and antisemitism have all been openly flouted on one side of the mouth while loudly denouncing anti black racism and obsessing over petty slights on the other. This needs to be brought up more not less. The same people complaining about black face being a normal 80 years ago want society to ignore their equally degrading language from a more recent era.
4
I was once fortunate enough to stay at the Ritz Carlton in Puerto Rico a few years back. When we checked in we learned the NBA team the Miami Heat was staying at the hotel to play an exhibition game on the island.This was when Shaq and DWade were on the team. Saturday morning I was in the gym and they were all there working out and going to breakfast. Same Saturday night after their game the team bus brought them back to the hotel . I came after a day of shopping back to the hotel , walked into the lobby which adjoined the hotel bar. To my surprise there were 20 to 30 young women dressed in tight , short dresses, all sitting around the lobby. It was only about 6pm , no music was playing and the sun was still out. Kinda weird, I thought but then it hit me . Word around the island had got out , the Miami Heat were in town
Let's realize these athletes and famous entertainers have access to woman in every city , 24/7 and have unlimited adoration. They begin to see only 2 types of women: 1 Women that want to sleep with Me that I don't want to sleep with and 2 Women that want to sleep with me that I do want to sleep with
Not very enlightened or thoughtful or caring but that's how they roll .
30
So what you're saying is that it's the victims fault? This is why we have made absolutely no progress at all on this issue.
11
And your point is?
10
First, this is not a story about scantily clad women stalking rich men in a hotel lobby; this is a story about business women being raped and sexually-harassed by their bosses.
16
Say it isn't so, someone in the hip hop/rap world? No, who ever would have thought that this industry would be affected by this sordid mess. HA
17
So a mogul in an industry producing music that glorifies misogyny and violence actually attacked and abused women? Wow, what a shocker.
83
I believe it is a common misperception among those who don’t actually listen to rap that it is all about sex and violence. That is a rooted in the notion that all rap is the gangsta variety prevalent in the 90s. The genre has evolved well past that. To foster that misperception is fundamentally racist because it typecasts that music, the artists who make it, and the audience that listens to it. The genre has advanced, and so should the rest of us
I contend that a history of American music is really a history of black music (country music largely excepted, though it is derivative). Gospel, jazz, soul, rhythm & blues, blues, rock ‘n roll, rap, and hip hop all derived from black music. It is all uniquely American music. If you want to listen to American music, listen to what black people are listening to now. If you aren’t listening to rap and hip hop, you aren’t keeping up with American music.
6
Too bad for him that he didn't work in the rock side of the industry where he could model himself after David Bowie and Jimmy Page and sleep with thirteen and fourteen year olds.
9
I contend that modern music contains threads of many musical traditions. Gypsy, Klezmer, Celtic, African, European classical, etc. etc. Early African-American music melded African rhythms, field hollers, and western harmonic theory and western instruments, among other influences. African-Americans didn't create original music out of nothing. There are a lot of creative varieties of American music out there that have little to do with popular listening habits. Get outside the pop music realm and you might discover them.
1
Colleagues of mine, told me years ago that the music industry was a nasty piece of business. Most decided against pursuing careers, because as women, they didn't want to put up with the behavior. I fully expect more horrendous accounts (like this one) to start coming out.
Sadly, it is no longer an "open secret" just how hostile, the music industry, as well as every other industry, is to women.
With all of our technological advancements, our species still hasn't evolved from regarding women as a commodity or property, to be owned, traded and moved around like pawns on a chessboard.
As a species, as a race (the human race) we need to find a better way of existing than this disheartening and unacceptable way of life. I'm speaking of the predators and their enablers (some of whom are women sadly).
25
This story really affected me. These talented young women were thoroughly traumatized by Simmons and his ilk. They gain neither money nor justice for coming forward at this point; their career aspirations are long since dead. The only thing they can hope for is that others will see Simmons for what he is. Imagine this happening to you, imagine being forcibly raped or daily harassed, and prevented from career advancement, and your abuser goes on to a life of fame, riches, and accolades while you live with his secret shame. That people could look at these women, who have suffered silently for so long, as craven opportunists and continue to defend Simmons and the pattern of his behavior, is sickening.
105
Horrible! Few men understand that when one woman is raped, all of us bleed. This rape culture is being taken down. #WeAreJustGettingStarted naming names.
35
This guy is responsible for a lot of damage to our culture. Thirty years ago if you called somebody a pimp you would get punched in the nose. Now you have young men on Facebook calling each other "pimps" like it's a compliment.
Women are called all kinds of misogynistic names that would be totally unacceptable just a few decades ago. He has made a lot of money promoting a sick and immoral culture so out of all the allegations of sexual assault that have come out recently this one is the least surprising.
76
It has been known and well documented that the music industry and especially its hip hop division has been a cesspool of patriarchy, sexism and sexual abuse. The music world and the world of Hollywood are all full of male gatekeepers that have and continue force women to pay to play.
None of this is new and none of it is acceptable but it continues. So how do we change this?
For starters it's time for the Restorative Justice Movement to step forward. The criminal system is limited by statutes of limitations and our civil system is designed mostly to get financial compensation. Even when successful women are often silenced by non-disclosure agreements.
Restorative Justice is a healing process that assigned responsibility but does so beyond the limits of both the criminal and civil legal systems. These women need and deserve a process to heal.
If Russell Simmons is serious about what it means to embrace yoga he will participate in a restorative justice process with his victims and do so with honestly and humility. Anything short of that is pure hypocrisy on his part.
Restorative justice should also be introduced into the music business as a whole so that the countless other women who have faced this abuse will have an avenue of empowerment. We have the tools, it's now time to use them on change the conditions that bred these abuses..
15
The part that bothers me most is his new age awakening and his holier than thou life. This is from the same guy who was behind the Rush card which took advantage of lower income people primarily in urban area's. An opportunist through and through. I hope for all the women here and any others which I am sure there are more I hope his karma is coming back to him. I hope someone like a Peter Thiel who bankrolled Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker takes a piece of his hide or throws him in jail. In a crime like rape there should not be a statute of limitations in my opinion because as evidenced by the lingering effects and career destruction these women have faced. I hope they get some some justice.
57
Why didn't the Police investigate the rape allegation when the 1st woman was raped? Would this not have prevented more rapes?
The Police need to do their jobs!
10
I was at a club in Soho 14 years ago and all these women were literally fighting tooth and nail o try to get to his VIP section, I am sure it wasn't for the champagne . Know I know why Charlie Sheen frequented escorts, in his famous words, "I dont pay them for sex, I pay them for their silence".
9
what?!? Rape is never ok - even if you get to sit in someone’s “VIP section”. Simmons wasn’t paying women for sex or having consensual sex he was raping them. Get a grip
11
I’d rather these allegations were false if it means fewer women were hurt, but so far every story is checking out except Russell’s. If one assumes the accusations are true, it just goes to show that Simmons is truly sick. He obviously was into nonconsent if he had plenty of willing partners yet still felt a need to force himself on non-willing women. Seems like it would be hard to find a girl not willing to sleep with him if he chose from the women at clubs and concerts. Perhaps that is why he resorted to assaulting his colleagues - they were probably the only women he interacted with that were not trying to hook up with him. So depraved smh.
6
The story's been out for hours yet very few have commented. I realize the Times' readership on average may not be the biggest hip-hop enthusiasts, but this lengthy article (just like the one Salma Hayek published yesterday in re: Weinstein) provides resonances far beyond its specific cultural context. Here's the quote from Drew Dixon that stands out for me:
<“I didn’t want to cut off my one conduit to having any hope of a career,” she said. “I thought if I could survive long enough to have a hit — a real bona fide hit with my name on it — I would move categories,” from sexual object to respected colleague.>
How much talent, drive, ambition, and expertise has been lost, from how many fields of human endeavor, because individual women ultimately decided they were never going to be able to make that category-switch no matter how well they did their jobs?
It's beginning to make me want to swear off all cultural production by men--not because all men or even most are rapists or harassers, but because all men, including or especially those we continually hail as the "greats" and the "groundbreakers" and the "moguls" and the "geniuses" in their field, have benefited from these entirely unjust circumstances.
60
How much talent, drive, ambition, and expertise has been lost? Not enough to create any careers without currying favor with men who pretended or even honestly promised to give them fame.
She was an EXECUTIVE with some connection to a recording studio. She was not a struggling singer, or rapper, or dancer working where she can, waiting for her break. No, she thought she could skip all that in one fell swoop by gaining proximity to the powerful.
4
And your attitude indicates your complete ignorance of the problem, and complete adherence to the patriarchy.
9
I think there are so few comments because the story is so horrifying. It's hard to read repeated accounts of violent rape. Russell Simmons is so famous,has accrued so much money & power - that the accusations are particularly shocking. Unlike Salma Hayek's story - which is extremely disturbing & included a death threat but involved less physical violence & is more psychological terrorism - this story is so violent it's hard to take in. These women were raped in stealth attacks by someone involved in their work lives that they needed to trust in order to do their jobs.
It's alarming that a powerful famous man in the public eye was committing these rapes with impunity & never charged or brought to justice. This is a lot like the Harvey Weinstein story, which was shocking in the stunning amount of extreme criminal violence, repeated over & over with multiple women over years. It's traumatizing to read accounts of rape. And who believes Simmons raped only these women - and no others? He seems so casual denying it, talking about spirituality & doing yoga - these violent assaults - felonies that carry many years in prison. If he'd been successfully prosecuted, Simmons could have been sent to prison for 20-30 years. This man we've seen for decades in Oscar Party photos was leading a secret life as a violent predator. Simmons is a psychopath, a violent predator & a danger to society -- masquerading as an entertainer. Who isn't frightened reading something like this?
6
I wonder when we'll get a story that examines this entire "wave" of accusations and conclude the unavoidable: the accused are by and large liberals. There have been standouts (Moore, O'Reilly) but for the most part all of these people are left of center...hollywood, professional (media) chefs, news organizations (PBS alone has had, what, 6 now with Tavis?) Ask yourself seriously - if the political affiliations here were reversed, would we see headlines about "The Right has a Women Problem" or the ever popular "War on Women."
Now, if you read this comment and reacted poorly to it, you might live in a liberal bubble. Just relax, breathe, and reconsider what we're learned so far without trying to rationalize or justify the demographic/political breakdown. We've been told for years that conservatives hate women and see them as objects and in-home labor. But it's 2017 and we're learning that the actual abusers of women (just read the latest account by Salma Hayek!) are not Republicans. It should any honest thinker pause.
13
We're learning nothing of the sort. What we are learning is that men in positions of power, by and large in the entertainment industry, have abused that power.
You could equally suggest that the liberalism of this industry has finally empowered victims, mostly women, to come forward, whereas they are less likely to do so in other, more "conservative" circles. In the halls of Congress, for example, we have seen that such abuses are not partisan.
Politicizing this is simply dirty, though it should be expected. You can add "liberals are rapists" to the fabricated, childish tribalism that enumerates all the general ways liberals are horrible, but you'll still be a sucker for spin.
17
The difference is that yes liberals have some bad eggs like any demographic, but republicans want POLICY that will hurt women by and large.
11
You can't be serious.
22
Another icon falls....
1
Shocking that the promotor of an "art form" which celebrates sexual immorality and violence is accused of sexual immorality and violence... or is it?
70
Exactly how much rap and hip-hop do you listen to Rev. Cekada? Not much, I surmise.
4
It's not the art form that promotes these things, "Reverend". Some individuals promote them through the art form, just as many other individuals promote them through film, television, and literature. And many other individuals stand against them through music, film, television, and literature. That's thing about individuals. They tend to express themselves individually.
6
I know people on this surge of accusations and revenge don't want hear this, but occasionally these accusers are lying. I had an old flame tell me she was pregnant after we broke it off. I told her she was lying. I never heard from her again and have yet to hear from my child (the child would be 20 something by now). Looking forward to seeing to my name showing up on a hashtag soon.
3
People lie about murder, robbery and all other crimes. Doesn’t mean we should stop prosecuting these crimes.
7
I know Russell Simmons. We have practiced Yoga together for many years. He is like Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" after the three ghosts- a man who is reborn from his former self. He endeavors to use his life to make the world a better place, to feed the hungry, house the homeless. I attend his charity gala which raises money for art projects that engage underprivileged youth in Harlem. He was once a sex, drugs, rock, and roll type person. Yet, that is NOT the Mr. Simmons of today. For his reputation and life's work to be erased because of former selfish behavior, he has changed and atoned for- BREAKS MY HEART. It's like jailing Scrooge for being stingy on Christmas morning, while he's off buying the turkey for Tiny Tim's family dinner.
9
That's quite an analogy. Unfortunately, Mr. Simmons isn't being accused of being stingy; he's accused of raping multiple women. Doing yoga and hosting charity galas doesn't absolve a person of horrific crimes they may have committed. Russell Simmons must face justice. If he's truly a changed man, he'll continue to do good works, regardless of the outcome.
97
This does not excuse him from his past actions that these women had to live with for their entire lives. What about them Larry D? Do they matter?
27
And he will embrace the principle that when he's wrong, he will promptly admit it and make meaningful amends.
10
Does this just end with exposes, or will there be prosecutions?
11
At this rate, pretty soon the question will be: "Are there any rich, famous, powerful men who haven't sexually harassed, assaulted, or raped??"
19
As someone who worked in the music business during Simmons's so-called heyday, I learned the conventional wisdom about him was not to trust him or anything he said. Seems like his con (guess he learned much from Trump) was much worse than we thought, even by music business standards. Stories like these remind me of a TV interview with the late, great Joe Franklin. When asked if he would encourage his daughter to go into music professionally, a powerful look of abject sadness crossed his face, and Joe was silent for a few seconds. "No," he said, when finally he spoke. "It's a dirty business." I'm glad these women have had the courage to step forward and heartened at how they seem to have put their lives back together, if not completely. Stay strong. We believe you.
140
Sorry to burst your bubble, but Trump has nothing to do with this.
5
The current "sexual assault" hysteria is not about "empowering women" or "justice for women" or any of the other things that the Press-titutes and the corrupt academics would have you believe. It is about finishing the job of breaking-apart our community and destroying our fellow-feeling.
When we are afraid to touch one another- when we are afraid to express any kind of sympathy or positive feeling towards one another for fear we will be destroyed by baseless accusations, then the Children of Darkness will have completed their work of making us isolated, individual little narcissists, with no empathy or fellow feeling for each other at all.
Such isolated individuals, without Community to help and protect them, are easily manipulated, easy to turn against each other, easily harnessed to serve a master and easily destroyed if troublesome.
5
Being raped is terribly isolating, especially when nobody believes you, and people write off your experience as lies or opportunism or something-something academic corruption. Being raped is an experience lacking in empathy, sympathy, or positive feeling. Marginalizing women who have been assaulted and harassed is an exercise in narcissism and corruption, and reveals you as a person who is easily manipulated, easily harnessed by a master to turn against victims and ensure they never see justice. A real community would be coming together to support people who have been exploited and ruined, not breaking apart in mad rush to defend the master.
11
Wow, are you suggesting the women coming forward are narcissistic children of darkness afraid of allowing men to touch them? That's a definition of rape I've never heard.
10
If the community of which you speak is the Good Old Boys Club that meets in the locker room to talk about grabbing women by their private parts, then it's absolutely terrific to know it's breaking apart.
7
Wow, this got buried really quick here in the arts section. I recall a Times article (and a few editorials) heralding this promoter of violence and sexual assault against women, remember that great charity Global Grind? It appears that progressives are really pushing to protect their own here using "arts" and cultural expression as the lame excuse.
11
He can write a long letter of denial, miss remembrance and how he will change. But when three women, and probably more, have such vivid detail of each of their events with Mr. Simmons I believe each one is true. I do not think a women would come forward, let alone three women, each with sordid details and be lying. He just another formerly powerful piece of trash. Flush!
46
Hip Hop's central theme is and always has been the dehumanizing of women. "Mr" Simmons took this to a level where he viewed and views woman is nothing more than bodies with which to satisfy himself.
76
I would say the United states is a thoroughly misogynistic culture. As Peter Tosh said, "You can't blame the youth when he goes bad. You can't fool the youth.."
1
That is a stretch- with regard to an art form and culture that speaks to and for a large segment of our population. Opera can be quite violent and misogynistic as well but when was the last time you heard someone bashing it?
This claim regarding the 'central theme' of hip hop, its 57 likes notwithstanding, is completely wrong. NYT, a bit of shame on you for clearing a comment like this.
At this point it would be seem to be more newsworthy to only run stories about famous men who aren't being accused by Me Too.
2
Mr Simmons showed his greed and lack of character by promoting gangster rap and ignorant hollering, injecting misogynistic poison into mainstream music and distorting human relationships. It is not surprising that, like most of these outed men, he used his power to cover up his insecurity. I think Simmons, Smiley, et al really believe their hookups/rapes were consensual, that women really wanted to be with them. Goodbye to an untalented hack, who should have called it a day a long time ago.
24
Hmm, not sure that was his genre. More party rap I guess. Actually, relatively, wholesome.
2
How many commenters here are going to call for due process before Simmons resigns from one of his companies? Or is due process only important when it involves certain politicians? There is no reason for multiple women, who do not even know each other, to make allegations years after the assaults or harassment occurred. They will gain little, if anything. All of these guys need to go and should be publicly shamed.
9
Absolutely disgusting behavior. How many careers of women have been derailed by these monsters. And this is only the tip of a gigantic iceberg.
45
Simmons may not have been a sociopath from birth, but his behavior mirrors that which we define sociopathic or psychopathic. Many of those people become very successful because they are ruthlessly selfish and believe everyone is the same, or they become very successful and begin to behave in some or all of the same ways those born with the defect behave. Many highly placed politicians in both political parties qualify for that personality disorder. Business, entertainment business, law enforcement, and politics attract these personality "disordered" characters.
10
Getting tired of these accusations that are not proven.
3
Mr. Simmons belongs in jail. He has supported misogynistic garbage and messages and now we learn he is a rapist. He can be contrite and meditate behind bars.
30
What are the charges that would put Simmons in jail today? Or do you think he doesn't merit a trial? I am in no way a supporter of Simmons but I do object to railroading people off to prison without due process. Does the Constitution only apply to certain people?
While I️ appreciate the coverage, and am truly disappointed in this hip hop hero of mine, I️ was bothered by the interjection of Mr Simmons’ drug use into the story, with little context. The effect of adding this in is of shaming someone for using drugs or saying they are low class/undesirable, which adds to the stigma of drug use and abuse. This is an old way of thinking about drug use and abuse that needs to changed. Our society needs a radical rethink of how we approach substance abuse and the disorders that grow out of it and I️ expect the Times and it’s writers to be on the cutting edge of new thinking along these lines, not pushing shame and guilt around an issue that has touched and affected millions of lives in the US.
12
On the contrary, we need to come to the realization that drug and alcohol abuse are behind many assaults against women (and men too). Many of the high profile cases we've read about have involved one or both parties being high or drunk. This is especially true in Hollywood (and even more true in the music world) but it's pervasive everywhere, even in religious cirles. Kentucky Rep Dan Johnson, who just committed suicide last night after accusations of assault against a 17 year old in a church basement, admitted to being drunk the night he approached her. That's just but one example. So we should be looking in the mirror, all of us, and taking into account that intoxicants will alter our behavior and lower our defenses.
18
Thank you for the thoroughness of this reporting.
Obviously there is a place to think through whether these things actually happened. But when women tell consistent, credible stories, and even more so when these stories match so clearly with other incidents with other women, I am a supporter.
I hope that these women help turn attention to women across the world with no access as of yet, either to the press or officials when they are brutalized.
69
Sorry to read about the evil behaviors these creative women were forced to experience. No doubt the world has missed out on lots of good music because of the trauma created by this man's abuse.
I remember Mr Simmons appearance at Harvard Business School when he was idolized for his success in business. Little did we know. Now we do. Monster.
16