Russell Simmons: Hip-HopMogul

Christina Brewington

Background Information

Grew up in Brooklyn, teenage marijuanadealer that wanted to turn his life around

Mother gave him 2,000 dollars to survive onGot place and started his own business,

started Def Jam Records

Def Jam Records and other ventures First successful rap label, created label for rap artists not

getting respect/ chance from other labels Featured artists such as the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J Sold the record company but manages it Branched off into Def Comedy Jam, show on HBO that

showcases up and coming urban comedians Simmons made risky business investment ($3 mil) with Def

Poetry Jam, struggled despite critical acclaim

Phat Farm + Baby PhatClothing

Soon after founded Phat Farm clothing line, menswear,branched into women’s wear with Baby Phat

Baby Phat run by Simmons ex-wife, Kimora Lee Mentioned in USA Today as first successful urban clothing

company Phat= essence of cool Sold Phat Farm + Baby Phat for more than $ 140 mil. Still CEO

of both clothing lines

Other business ventures Has jewelry lines, all his companies under giant cooperation he

co-founded, Rush Communications Produced Eddie Murphy movie; The Nutty Professor Created non-profit foundations Rush Philanthropic Arts

Foundation and Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Both programs provide under-privileged youth with opportunity

to exposure to the arts and the relevance of Hip-Hop culture

“The Godfather of Hip-Hop”Successes

Helped found the Hip-Hop movements Collected revenue of about 360 million in

2005 Rush Communications the 11th largest black

owned firm in the country

Inspirations

Business tricks from Donald Trump, goodfriends with him for the past 10 years

Inspired other Hip-hop moguls such as Sean(P.Diddy) Combs and Jay-Z

Work Cited(Images In Order)

diggin88nine.wordpress.com/ 2007/06/ hiphopvideostation.com www.boston.com/ ae/music/blog/ rashaunhall.wordpress.com/.../ nineteen69.wordpress.com/.../ www.cloggs.co.uk/ icat/phat_farm www.myshoes.us/ shoes-brands.htm www.rushphilanthropic.org/ www.vintagevhs.net/.../ item/5917044/5766434.htm www.lifevstyle.com/?p=343

Work Cited (Information) Works Cited Dugas, Christine. "ON the Money: Hip-Hop legend

surpassed financial goals." USA Today 14 May 2003. USA Today. USAToday. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.<http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/general/2003-05-14-simmons_x.htm>.

Fetterman, Mindy. "Today's Entrepreneur: Russell Simmons can't slowdown." USA Today 13 May 2007. USA Today. USA Today. Web. 22Sept. 2009.<http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2007-05-13-exec-simmons-usat_N.htm>.

Kurtz, Rod. "Russell Simmons Rush Communications." Inc. Magazine04 Jan. 2004. Inc. Magazine. Inc. Magazine, 04 Jan. 2004. Web. 22Sept. 2009.<http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040401/25simmons.html>.

Leung, Rebecca. "Russell Simmons, Unplugged." CBS NEWS Online.CBS News, 11 Feb. 2004. Web. 22 Sept. 2009.<http://http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/09/60II/main598970.shtml>.