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Tag: Russell Simmons

  • Bill Cosby, The Face Of Intolerance?

    Posted by: Russell Simmons

    There are a lot of great entertainers who do great things. Bill Cosby is one of them. He has always used his voice to right what he thought was wrong. However, I believe that too often Mr. Cosby has wrongly placed the blame.

    Bill Cosby is an example of someone from the older generation who has consistently blamed the poets and asked suffering community members to bare the full burden of guilt for the struggles that they endure. It is certainly not that he and the rest of the elders don’t care, because they do. In fact, their intentions are pure and good. All the things they say are actually true. What they don’t understand is that the young people who they criticize did not create their own realities. They did not create the crumbling education system that we school them in. They did not create the drug epidemic and drug wars that have resulted in a dysfunctional family structure. They did not create the health care crisis that does not treat them. They did not create the culture of violence that they fall victim to.

    While it is true that each one of us can make a change at any moment, it is equally true that at every minute we are all doing the best we can. If you knew better, you would do better. Therefore, those who care and have resources could/should work to create the kind of support systems that could inspire change. From the preacher who lifts our consciousness and asks us to reach for strength to the politicians and philanthropists who put programs in place to support our growth. When the President brought the Cosby attitude to his NAACP speech a few months ago, I was disappointed. It is nice to tell black people to stand up, but isn’t that really Min. Farrakhan’s job? The President’s job is to tell them to walk to the program that he placed on their corner. It is our job to instill the inspiration that gets a young person to walk into the program and not stand on the corner.

    We love Cosby and all the older types who judge and blame the poets or culture for the sadness that the poets point to from their realities. From a place of love, I am letting the older generation know that they must admit that young people are less racist, less sexist, less homophobic, less prejudice than their parents and far less than their grandparents. Mr. Cosby, you know that your generation is carrying a lot more dirt, you are all just smart enough to cover it up. Old people are quicker to destroy the planet, abuse the animals and promote wars and then act like young people are violent. Young people are more compassionate, giving, promote gay rights, animal rights, human rights, protect the environment and want to end the wars. When they point out the contradictions that come up and say it on a record and say it LOUD, you can’t believe it! The culture and the poetry is a mirror of the realities that they expressing. Instead of criticizing, let us recognize the faults of adults, because until that happens you all will continue to turn off young people from your message and further alienate them from your generation.

    I love Bill Cosby. Who doesn’t? I love him so much that is why I am writing this blog. But this is not just about Mr. Cosby. I know that tomorrow there will be headlines that read “Russell Simmons attacks Bill Cosby.” But let’s be clear, this is a call-out to all the adults who are judging more and listening less to the beautiful, progressive voices that come from our young people…Bill Cosby just happens be on the front line. This is about two generations reconciling…I guess because of my age, you would say that I am stuck on the other side, but I will always recognize that young people can use support instead of judgment. We need to have the hard conversation and both sides need to listen – if you need an office to do it in, my door is always open.

    with great love
    all things are possible

    -Russell Simmons

  • 7 Signs You’re A Hip Hop Douchebag

    Posted by: The Blackspot

    I know what you’re thinking. You’re assuming that because the media has coined Kevin Federline as a douchebag and he’s a product of hip hop, he’s cornered the market on professional douchery. I beg to differ!

    The fact is, there are hundreds, no hundreds of thousands of hip hop douchebags who make K Fed look like Common. There’s probably a bunch of people reading this post right now who qualify.

    Whether you know it or not, there are telling signs that indicate if you’re a hip hop douchebag. Below is seven of them that I’d like to share with you. Feel free to add on to the list, if we can help just one person out there we win.

     

    1. You wear a blinking bluetooth headset in the club. 

    Why people do this, is an absolute mystery. There’s music blasting, people talking and glasses clinking. Who in this dimension would be able to hear your simple ass? Perhaps the flashing blue light was mistaken for a primal mating signal? Doubt it. Nonetheless, these folks exist and look like freshly hatched idiots while doing so.

     

    2. You wear a fitted with a blazer to show you’re corporate but “still down”.

    It was pretty cool when Russell Simmons and Diddy did it about a decade ago but now it just looks like a uniform for sheisters. 

     

    3. You always try to impress people by saying that you’re “doing big things” or “I do things big”.

    Don’t ever feel like you’re knocking someone’s hustle when you call them out on this load of pigeon crap. Chances are the only hustle they’ve got is trying to get laid or paid for running their yap.

     

    4. You take photos talking on a cell phone.

    Can anyone even honestly say that this was cool at one point? Ok, I get it, you’re important because at the exact moment someone was taking a picture, you just happened to be on a unavoidable business call…with your mom.

     

    5. You refer to your fake designer clothing as “exclusive”

    Once on the subway, I saw a guy wearing a pair of the red Kanye x Louis Vuitton collaboration sneakers. For the entire ride, this douchington went on and on about how exclusive his gear was and how he doesn’t buy anything for less than a G. Now matter how rich you are, no one is going to wear a pair of $3k kicks on a dirty subway train.

     

    6. You claim to know celebrities but you’ve only got a hug or a pound in passing.

    You’ve seen the countless photos of your favorite hip hop douchebag and a celebrity. Them clutching the celeb’s hand in a death grip trying to look like they were cellmates at one time. One can usually gauge the level of familiarity between the two by the half-smile to grimace on the celebrity’s face. Even better is when the douchebag in question claims to have a direct number to a celebrity when in fact it’s an old cell number to the celeb’s cousin’s baby mother’s friend from church.

     

    7. Holding up a chain and pendant.

    I personally blame Master P and Cash Money for starting this trend that has since been adopted by every walking bottle of Summer’s Eve in the hip hop community. The only time anyone should “show they chain” is if their chain is worth looking at. T-Pain’s “Big Ass Chain” was entertaining, Rick Ross’ caricature pendant was funny and 50 Cent’s spinning “G-Unit” plate is a classic. However, a miniature pendant of your initials in Helvetica Bold on a think herringbone does not make you fresh. It makes you a fool.

    -The Blackspot

  • Rush Philanthopric Co-Founders Russell Simmons & Rev. Run Makes The Arts Bounty-Ful!

    Posted by: Illmatic

    Yesterday, local New York students from PS 165 assisted Bounty, Russell Simmons, arts supporter Rev Run, designer and humanitarian Tory Burch and artist Amanda Williams in unveiling the completed Building Bounty-ful Bridges 33-foot painted mural of the traveling arts program sponsored by Bounty and Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.  The event took place at the Rush Arts Gallery in the Chelsea section of New York City. Take a look at some pics of the event:

    For More Information or How To Help, Visit: www.rushphilanthropic.org

     

  • X-Xilla Rated Pics Of The Week **PHOTOS**

    Posted by: BlogXilla

    This week we saw a lot of celebrity skin, read about divorce papers, and seen the return of an urban legend put on hold and delayed. Despite all of this I was still able to gather the sexiest pics of the week. So buckle up and lets take a ride back down the week that was… very X Xilla Rating. (Green text is a link to the full story)

     

     

    Kendra Wilkerson boobs got bigger this week, making her think she was going to explode… She wanted to get a reduction, but instead she released pics of when her boobs were smaller. One of the side effects were a lot of men thought they would explode.

     

     

    Christina Millian isn’t letting that baby bump keep her from popping that thing like… as she was out and about dancing and showing the world her beautiful pregnant glow. For more pics of C-Milli Click Here

     

     

    Also this week Rihanna outed Katy Perry as her wh*re friend, and it seems like Russell Brand got the memo because he wifed her. *Sidenote* I always thought that the muppets were freaks, maybe Katy is trying to tell her something. Either way we love it. 

     

     

    Russell Simmons reminded us that his girlfriend Julie Henderson is one of the hottest women on the planet as almost every day this week there was a different picture of her on the beach looking amazing. You all do know he sleeps on a bed of models and memory foam right?. Happy Birthday Rush! 

     

     

    Jay-Z already told us he wanted to rhyme like Common and I’m willing to put money on a bunch of other men wishing they were him after he had both Ashanti & Eve on his arm. Not to mention Common’s girlfriend is naked on the cover of ESPN the magazine this month. 

     

     

    I told y’all Aubrey was sending twitpics of her whooty, but she also sent out some great shots of her other body parts as well. We love you Aubrey, thank you for giving us… You. 

     

     

    I really need to start watching 30 Rock. Really. Katrina Bowden took some time off from filming the sitcom to enjoy a nice day on the beach. You can see all of her photos via the Superficial. 

     

     

    I told y’all Julie Henderson and Russell Simmons were on the beach all week right? She likes to read crime novels while taking in some sun. 

     

     

    *Note to self* Watch more 30 Rock because Katrina Bowden is hot!.

     

     

    Coco & Amber got to know each other a little better at the Good Hair Party. Also Coco took Aubrey’s lead and sent out some of the sexiest twitpics in the history to twitpicdom. You can see them all here. 

     

     

    Teairra Marie reminded me how much women love a sponsor when she dropped her new song SPONSOR f. Gucci Man & Soulja Boy. She told me on twitter I give a bit too much information in my twitter messages, but I still love @Teairra_Monroe you should follow her.

     

     

    Rihanna was overseas this week showing the world that SHE IS FASHION WEEK. It’s been rumored that Justin got a lap dance from Riri that made Grandma speak to the press. That must of been one heck of a dance. 

     

     

    Usher called the cops, Nicki is a 5 star chick and Tameka wrote a blog. This has been on amazing week, and we know next week will only be better. 

     

    Until then this is Xilla the gossip and entertainment editor signing off. 

    Follow me on twitter. Twitter.com/BlogXilla

    email me tips, invites, and interview request here. Xilla@globalgrind.com

     

    All pics via (thesuperficial & necolebitchie.com)

     

  • Hip Hop Honors 2009: Celebrating Def Jam Records’ Movers & Shakers

    What started out as enterprising inspiration in a New York University dorm room 25 years ago is now home of the greatest names in the history of hip-hop, rap and R&B; Def Jam Recordings.

    A treasure trove of artists from LL Cool J and The Beastie Boys to Rihanna and Kanye West, and dozens more, have all help make the record company the most durable brand in hip hop.

    And the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors celebrates it all during a glitzy affair set to air on Oct. 13 at 9 p.m.

    But as should be known, there’s a lot of people on the back end who played a major part.

    And not just Russell Simmons, either.

    Blackvoices.com pays homage to the 25 movers and shakers who helped shape Def Jam Recordings over the past 25 years.

    http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=740718&pid=740717&uts=1254952808
    http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf
    Def Jam’s Movers & Shakers
    25 People Who Helped Shape Def Jam Records
    Celebrating the 25th anniversary of hip hop’s most durable brand should not be taken lightly. Blackvoices.com pays homage to the 25 people out-front and behind-the-scenes who made a difference.
    Getty Images

    Mariah Through The Years

      Mariah Through The Years:
      For Mariah Carey, having more number one songs than any solo artist in America has been a credit to the company that this five-time Grammy winner has kept since making her music debut in 1990. From people behind the scenes like L.A. Reid and Jermaine Dupri to some of her past loves like Tommy Mottola, Derek Jeter and now husband Nick Cannon, each man has played a significant role in inspiring the music that has made this 39 year-old singer/songwriter famous. Blackvoices.com takes a look at the men who have inspired Mariah Carey over the years.

      Tommy Mottola – Husband
      No one is more responsible for Mariah Carey’s success than former Columbia Records head Tommy Mottola. After receiving Carey’s demo from artist Brenda K. Starr, for whom Carey sang backup, he signed her on the spot. While recording her 1990 debut, the two became romantically involved and tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 1993. Just three short years later, they split, and a divorce was finalized in 1998.

      Luther Vandross – Musical Collaborator
      The five-octave singer was fortunate enough to be one of the few entertainers to record a duet with the late Luther Vandross. Their cover of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross‘s ‘Endless Love’ became Vandross’ biggest pop hit. It was the second single released from his ‘Songs’ album and was also included on two Carey albums: ‘Greatest Hits’ in 2001 and ‘The Ballads’ in 2008.

      Trey Lorenz – Backup Singer
      In 1992, Carey performed an MTV ‘Unplugged’ special to show nonbelievers that she was not a studio singer. Her cover of the Jackson 5‘s ‘I’ll Be There’ with her longtime backup singer Trey Lorenz was later released as a single and became a number-one hit in the United States. Lorenz was able to score a record deal from the duet, and Carey co-produced his debut. On July 7 of this year, the two performed the song at the Michael Jackson memorial, which was held at the Los Angeles Staples Center.

      Jermaine Dupri – Producer
      It’s not a well-known fact that Jermaine Dupri has been working with Carey for nearly 15 years. In 1995, Carey worked with the So So Def Records founder on ‘Always Be My Baby,’ from her ‘Daydream’ album. It became the most successful record on U.S. radio that year. And though these two worked on several remixes together over the years, their magic came a decade later when J.D. produced four songs on ‘The Emancipation of Mimi,’ Carey’s 10th studio album and most successful to date.

      ODB – Musical Collaborator
      Since rapping ‘Me and Mariah go back like babies and pacifiers,’ Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the late Wu Tang Clan MC, helped solidify Carey in the world of hip-hop and R&B. The 1995 remix to ‘Fantasy’ became a number-one hit. The friendship between Carey and ODB lasted throughout the years. The songstress even met the rapper upon his release from jail in 2003.

      Mase – Musical Collaborator
      ‘Honey’ was Carey’s 12th number-one song. Before turning his life over to God and becoming a minster, Bad Boy rapper Mase appeared on the popular remix of the record, alongside the Lox and Diddy. The song, which also had its own video, was featured on Carey’s 2003 remix compilations, aptly titled ‘The Remixes.’

      Derek Jeter – Alleged Beau
      Shortly after divorcing husband Tommy Mottola in 1998, the five-time Grammy award winner met New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter at a Fresh Air Fund gala in New York. The couple connected over their interracial parents – black fathers and Irish mothers. The public romance ended short of the one-year mark. In an interview with Parade magazine, Carey said “It was the wrong time. …Our two worlds were just too much for that moment.”

      Eminem – Alleged Beau
      From ‘Clown’ to ‘Obsessed,’ Carey has documented her disdain for Detroit MC Eminem in her music. The ‘Glitter’ actress denies they ever slept together, but Slim Shady has consistently rapped that the two were intimate. The rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, sent threats to Carey via the 2009 diss track ‘The Warning,’ which was directed at both Carey and her husband, Nick Cannon.

      Nick Cannon – Husband
      Nick Cannon, 28, dated singer-actress Christina Milian and was even engaged to Victoria’s Secret model Selita Eubanks for five months before becoming Carey’s second husband. In 2005, he convinced the Teen Choice Awards to let him present Carey’s award for ‘The Emancipation of Mimi.’ Two years passed, and the couple was reunited in 2007. Their whirlwind romance resulted in a quickie wedding in 2008 at Carey’s Bahamian estate, Windermere.

     

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  • Dear New York Times…

    Posted by: Russell Simmons

    **UPDATE**

    We received a very gracious communication from the NY Times offering to hear Russell’s vision…stay tuned…

     

    I’m outraged that you would publish an article that associates the RushCard with other financial products, some of which prey on the underserved. The article was, in my opinion, unfair, misinformed and bordering on slanderous. The RushCard is not just a prepaid card, it’s an empowerment program that took me many years to build. It was built specifically to help people in underserved communities. It offers more than a prepaid card or a bank account.
     
    Many of our members have low incomes and need to manage their money very closely. We offer free services like budgets, text alerts and online charts for analyzing and tracking spending. Banks don’t offer these tools. Had you spoken with our members, you would have learned that over half of those, who use these services say they save more than $300/year. That’s a lot of money for them.
     
    Our members are left out of mainstream financial institutions and need to rebuild their credit files. You could have learned that RushCard is the only prepaid card that allows members to have their transactions reported to multiple credit reporting agencies, helping them build their credit files. We don’t charge for this either.
     
    Our members struggle with healthcare. Not everyone can afford medicines or treatment. Had you contacted me, you would have learned that we’re bringing out a free drug discount card later this year to help our members with the high cost of prescription drugs.
     
    We would have told you that unlike credit cards and other cards we don’t have hidden fees, overdraft fees or finance charges. We don’t hide or bury our fee structure – it’s all easily available on our website and with every card we send out. Unlike other prepaid cards, we’ve never charged for customer service. We’re more transparent than any other prepaid card. We let you transact in ways the more privileged take for granted.
     
    We have 2 million members. These are real people who see real value in our services. Everyday I read messages from our members who are grateful for the RushCard after having terrible experiencing with their bank or financial services provider. There are thousands of stories of how people landed up with hundreds of dollars of surprise charges from their bank accounts. None of this happens on the RushCard. Had you contacted me, I would have shared these stories with you.
     
    With today’s economic conditions, the underserved communities are being taken advantage of more than before. It’s important that they understand the good and the bad in their options. Your article focused only on the cost, which we keep as low as we possibly can, and not on the array of benefits that go beyond that of any other card, which is why it is a program, and one I’m proud to put my name on.
     
    My empowerment initiatives, which include the Hip Hop Summit’s focus on financial education, and my many charities are there to serve people.  Had you called me, you would have known all this.
     
    Russell Simmons

     

  • The Problem With Amber Rose

    Posted by: Russell Simmons

    I noticed that every time we post a story about Amber Rose, it gets lots of attention. People have very strong opinions…they either hate her or love her. Some people (the haters) get upset because we, the editors of Global Grind, can’t find a lot of bad things to say about her. We leave that for sites that are less creative and less responsible.

    Anyhow, when I closely examine the “Amber” phenomenon, I can’t see what she’s done to hurt the planet, the animals or the people. So sorry haters, I really can’t really find fault with her. One thing good spiritual people should be good at is practicing “non judgment.” So as long as Datwon (the COO of Global Grind) allows me to be involved and be Editorial Director of Global Grind, we are gonna try to stay positive. I’m gonna continue to see my team executing my view or if not, people here will get fired!!! But mostly they will be given another chance…but if it
    don’t work out… fired. Ok, back to the point. The best reason to practice disdain for something or someone is that it hurts your spirit. Maybe sometimes you don’t want those actions that are performed by another to become your own? And the best way to do that is to point
    fingers? I noticed that the greatest haters of gays are mostly frustrated gays themselves…or maybe in Amber’s case, the sexy girl in you wants to walk around your party in a swimsuit…but that’s a fantasy because you are way too afraid to do that.

    I believe that most people who become popular are just trying to make their way, and the constant negative pressure from the media tearing them down can sometimes destroy their self image, ruin their chances of becoming more successful or more importantly, destroy their chances of achieving lasting happiness. Here’s a scenario seldom discussed. The pop culture that has 3 million people following Ashton Kutcher on twitter, but only 15 thousand following His Holiness, the Dali Lama could be subject to some judgment? But I guess as a good yogi, I should look past this and pray that we find the good in Ashton, Puff, Kim Kardashian, Amber Rose or any entertainer or celebrity that stole our focus and now has such a powerful affect on our society. We, the collective consciousness, choose Hulk Hogan, Lil Wayne, Paris Hilton, Jay-Z or Amber Rose to focus our attention on, so why does it make us feel so
    good to tear them down?

    Advice. Practice living a full life. Use your Bible, Koran, Torah, yoga sutras, Buddhist scripture as YOUR guide. Be the best you can be. Tearing other people down will not make you a better Christian, Muslim or Jew. But finding the good in them and protecting them and wishing them well, will!! Try not to pass out bad energy or judgment because the karmic affect is more devastating to your self-image and happiness than it is to theirs’.

    PS. I’m not holier than anyone reading this…just pointing out some things that I noticed in me that may be operating in you.

    -Russell