Russell Simmons Pens Open Letter To Oprah: ‘It’s So Troubling You Chose To Single Me Out’
On Friday morning (Dec. 13), Russell Simmons took to Instagram to pen Oprah Winfrey an open letter. Winfrey is currently producing a documentary that features a sexual misconduct accuser of Simmons’, as The Shade Room reports.
“Dearest OPRAH, you have been a shining light to my family and my community. Contributing so much to my life that I couldn’t list a fraction of it in this blog. I have given you the gift of meditation and the groundbreaking book ‘THE POWER OF NOW’ we bonded, to say the least,” Simmons wrote in the caption of his Instagram post that featured a previous photo of him sitting down with Oprah.
“This is why it’s so troubling that you choose me to single out in your recent [documentary]. I have already admitted to being a playboy more (appropriately titled today “womanizer”) sleeping with and putting myself in more compromising situations than almost any man I know. Not 8 or 14 thousand like Warren Beatty or Wilt Chamberlain, but still an embarrassing number. So many that some could reinterpret or reimagine a different recollection of the same experiences.”
Simmons went on to say that Oprah’s producers said that the forthcoming documentary was centered on “only three hand-chosen women.” However, the hip-hop mogul explained that he’s made a choice not to go back and forth with his accusers and instead he’s taken several lie detector tests for his family’s sake.
“I have refused to get in the mud with any accusers, but let’s acknowledge what I have shared. I have taken and passed nine 3-hour lie detector tests (taken for my daughters), that these stories have been passed on by CNN, NBC, BUZZFEED, NY POST, NY MAG, AND OTHERS. Now that you have reviewed the facts and you SHOULD have learned what I know; that these stories are UNUSABLE and that ‘hurt people hurt people.'”
Simmons also said that he received a phone call from an ex-girlfriend of his from the 1980s, which meant to him that “they are using my words/evidence against me and their COMMITMENT / (all of the claims are 25 to 40 years old).”
“It is impossible to prove what happened 40 years ago, but in my case proof exists of what didn’t happen, mostly signed letters from their own parents, siblings, roommates, band members, interns, and in the case of 2 of your 3 accusers, their own words in their books,” Simmons continued.
“Shocking how many people have misused this important powerful revolution for relevance and money. Maybe you should name your documentary “FLAVOR OF LOVE”!? In closing, I am guilty of exploiting, supporting, and making the soundtrack for a grossly unequal society, but I have never been violent or forced myself on anyone. Still, I am here to help support a necessary shift in power and consciousness. Let us get to work on uplifting humanity and put this moment and old narrative behind.”
50 Cent has also chimed into the situation and he also took to Instagram to express his qualms with Oprah. “I don’t understand why Oprah is going after black men. No Harvey Weinstein, No Epstein, just [Michael] Jackson and Russell Simmons,” 50 Cent wrote in his caption.
“This is sad. Gale hit R. Kelly with the death blow documentary. Every time I hear [Michael] Jackson I don’t know whether to dance or think about the little boy butts. These [documentaries] are publicly convicting [their] targets, it makes them guilty till proven innocent.”
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It’s currently unclear whether or not Snoop Dogg shares the same sentiments as 50 Cent but the OG rapper posted a meme that alluded to similar thoughts late Thursday night (Dec. 12).
Snoop shared a meme on Instagram that compared R. Kelly and Bill Cosby to Harvey Weinstein, Donald Trump, and other white men who have been accused of rape, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct but haven’t gone to jail for it.
As The Source reports, AppleTV+ acquired the documentary that will be directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering. The film is described as being centered on, “a brilliant former music executive who grapples with whether to go public with her story of assault and abuse by a notable figure in the music industry. The film is a profound examination of race, gender, class, and intersectionality, and the toll assaults take on their victims and society at large.” According to The Los Angeles Times, Drew Dixon is the “primary subject” of the film. Dixon, who used to work at Def Jam Recordings, accused Simmons of rape. She was one of several individuals to accuse Simmons of sexual misconduct in an exposé published by The New York Times in 2017. Simmons denied the allegations in a statement on Instagram.
The documentary is slated to debut at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2020. Oprah has yet to speak out regarding Simmons’ open letter.
