Russell Simmons’ Daughter Insists He’s ‘Completely Changed,’ and it’s Been ‘Terrifying’
Russell Simmons’ daughters and ex-wife have taken to Instagram to make disturbing claims about the music mogul’s alleged emotional abuse and increasing volatility.
Father’s Day brought forth complicated emotions for Ming and Aoki Simmons, as well as their mother, Kimora Lee Simmons, leading each of them to express their grievances with Russell, their father and ex-husband.
On Sunday, Ming, the eldest daughter who recently graduated from New York University, posted a now-deleted Instagram story, choosing to wish her mother a happy Father’s Day instead of her dad.
In response, Russell, 65, shared screenshots on his own Instagram stories, featuring “Happy Father’s Day” messages from his nieces and a quote emphasizing the importance of the father figure in one’s life journey.
TMZ reported that Russell also shared a since-deleted Instagram story blaming Kimora for the family’s troubles.
Kimora went live on Instagram on Monday, mentioning that she had blocked her ex-husband on social media but claimed he continued to post content suggesting a good relationship with the family.
Aoki, the younger of the two daughters, posted FaceTime calls and text exchanges with her father where they argued. Russell accused Aoki’s mother of stealing his money and the love of his children, even using offensive language towards Kimora.
Aoki shared a video without sound showing Russell appearing to scream at her via FaceTime, stating that he refused help and would go to extreme lengths to threaten and curse.
In another emotional video, Aoki explained that her relationship with her dad had changed significantly, describing his behavior as alarming and inhuman.
She raised concerns about his mental well-being, mentioning possible dementia or mental illness, and shared recordings and voice memos where he sounded shrieking and possessed.
Kimora shared a screenshot of a message sent by Aoki to her father, explaining that she cut off contact due to panic attacks and severe anxiety caused by their interactions.
She revealed being prescribed emergency medication. Kimora expressed that no one should live in such circumstances and called Russell’s behavior abusive.
Kimora continued to post messages aimed at Russell, accusing him of threatening their children’s lives and projecting his own shortcomings onto others. She referred to his behavior as abusive and criticized his treatment of women.
Russell Simmons has not responded to requests for comment from The Times. It’s worth noting that this is not the first time the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings has faced accusations of abuse.
In the past, he has been accused of rape and sexual assault, which he has vehemently denied, stating that the claims are false and hurtful.
