Russell Simmons
Birthday: Born in 1957-10-04 in Queens, New York, USA
Deathday: Alive
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, and creator of the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and American Classics. Russell Simmons is the third richest figure in hip-hop, having a net-worth estimate of $340 million. Description above from the Wikipedia article Russell Simmons, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
TV Credits
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Character:
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC....
The L Word
Character: Self
A group of lesbian friends struggle with romance and careers in Los Angeles....
Moesha
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Moesha was an American sitcom series that aired on the UPN network from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, a high school student living with her family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles. It was originally ordered as a pilot for the CBS network's 1995-1996 television season, who rejected. It was then picked up by UPN, who aired it as a mid-season replacement. It went on to become the biggest success for the ...
The Celebrity Apprentice
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The ultimate sixteen-week job interview where eighteen Americans compete in a series of rigorous business tasks, many of which include prominent Fortune 500 companies and require street smarts and intelligence to conquer, in order to show the boss that they are the best candidate for his companies. In each episode, the losing team is sent to the boardroom where they are judged on their performance in the task. One person is fired and sent home....
The Henry Rollins Show
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The Henry Rollins Show was a weekly talk show hosted by Henry Rollins on the Independent Film Channel. The show featured Rollins' monologues, interviews with celebrities and uncensored musical performances. The show was canceled after the wrap of its second season....
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Character: Self - Guest
Stepping into the late-late slot vacated by David Letterman, Conan O'Brien stars in a show that far outdoes its competition in sheer strangeness. Along with the celebrity interviews and musical numbers typical of late-night talk shows, this program make frequent use of odd walk-on characters and frequent "visits" from celebrity guests....
Hip Hop Honors
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Vh1 Hip Hop Honors is an annual event that airs on VH1. The television special honors old school and golden age hip hop rappers and contributors. It features live performances by most of the honorees along with new school artists who have been influenced by them. The show is taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York City. The first ceremony aired on October 12, 2004 and was hosted by Vivica A. Fox and MC Lyte. The second ceremony aired on September 26, 2005, hosted by Russell Sim...
Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane
Character: Self
Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane is an American reality television series on the Style Network. The series premiered on the Style Network on August 5, 2007. The series ran on syndication on E! but is no longer aired. A spin-off show, Kimora: House of Fab, debuted on January 23, 2013....
The Hamptons
Character: Self
Documentary about The Hamptons, an area in the eastern part of Long Island (New York), famous for being a vacation spot for the wealthiest Americans: a place where wealthy families can spend the summer and weekends by the beach....
The Hip Hop Years
Character: Self
The Hip Hop Years is a three part series of one hour television documentaries, made for Channel 4 in 1999. The series was devised by David Upshal who produced, directed and narrated the series. He also produced the 33-track compilation CD which accompanied the series and co-wrote the book with Alex Ogg, also titled The Hip Hop Years. The series charts the definitive story of Hip Hop, rising from the streets of the Bronx to become, what Upshal calls, "the new Rock'n'Roll". The programmes combin...
Tony Awards
Character: Self - Winner
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre....
America Beyond the Color Line
Character: Self
Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard's chair of Afro-American Studies, travels the length and breadth of the United States to take the temperature of black America at the start of the new century. He explores this rich and diverse landscape, social as well as geographic, and meets the people who are defining black America, from the most famous and influential to those at the grassroots....
Acting Disruptive
Character: Self
'Acting Disruptive' takes viewers inside the businesses and passion projects of Hollywood's top celebrities. Follow host Max Lugavere as he sits down with notable stars and goes behind the scenes of each business, giving fans an all-access look into innovative companies and the famous faces behind them....
Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam All Stars
Character: Himself
Def Comedy Jam is an HBO television series produced by Russell Simmons. The series had its original run from July 1, 1992 to January 1, 1997. Simmons was inspired to make Def Comedy Jam by Jerry Lewis' movie The Nutty Professor. The show returned on HBO's fall lineup in 2006. Def Comedy Jam helped to launch the careers of several African-American stand-up comedians....
The Arsenio Hall Show
Character: Self
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Real Time with Bill Maher
Character: Self
Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's going on in the world....
Russell Simmons Presents: The Ruckus
Character: Self
Russell Simmons' name is in the title -- he's an executive producer -- but it's JB Smoove who is front and center as host of this stand-up showcase, which features a roster of rising comics and veteran stars doing their thing. Smoove gets into the act as well with new material, and JB also gives viewers an added bonus by performing in pre-taped sketches woven into each episode....
Movie Credits
Motown 40: The Music is Forever
Character: Self
Archival music performances and contemporary interviews cover some of the history of Motown Records and Productions....
Robot Dracula
Character: Russell
A scientist with nefarious intentions seeks to dominate the world using his vast expertise in robotics....
Big Fun in the Big Town
Character: Self
New York, 1986: a city of big dreams and equally big problems. Like New York itself, hip-hop music encompassed both of these human conditions. But hip-hop and its cultural birthplace shared other important characteristics, too: the desire to always be original, a hustle-to-survive ambition, and — if the stars aligned — the ability to come out on top, no matter what the odds. Big Fun in the Big Town is about hip-hop when artistry in the game was still at its center. When skills, not hype, got yo...
The Show
Character: Self
A documentary about the culture of hip-hop. Through interviews with some of hip-hops biggest names, the film makers attempt to find out why it has become so popular....
Tougher Than Leather
Character: Himself
Legendary hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. must find and punish the evil drug lord-record company executive who murdered their friend. Along the way, they encounter racist bikers, blonde bimbos, and the Beastie Boys!...
In Prison My Whole Life
Character: Self
William Francome is a fairly typical, white middle-class guy. Typical except for the fact that he is about to embark on a journey into the dark heart of the American judicial system; the tangled world of renowned Death Row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal....
Beastie Boys Story
Character: Self (archive footage)
Here's a little story they're about to tell... Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz share the story of their band and 40 years of friendship in a live documentary experience directed by friend, collaborator, and their former grandfather, Spike Jonze....
Awake: The Life of Yogananda
Character: Self
An unconventional biography by Oscar nominee Paola di Florio and Sundance winner Lisa Leeman about Hindu mystic Paramahansa Yogananda who brought yoga and meditation to the West in 1920 and authored the spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi," which became the go-to book for seekers from George Harrison to Steve Jobs....
Unity
Character: Narrator (voice)
Despite the advent of science, literature, technology, philosophy, religion, and so on -- none of these has assuaged humankind from killing one another, the animals, and nature. UNITY is a film about why we can't seem to get along, even after thousands and thousands of years....
The Hip Hop Project
Character: Self
The Hip Hop Project is the dynamic and inspirational story of a group of New York City teenagers who transform their life stories into powerful works of art, using hip hop as a vehicle for self-development and personal discovery. The film traces the evolution of this award-winning outreach program developed by Kazi, a formerly homeless teenager turned youth mentor. After four years of collaboration, the group produced a powerful and thought-provoking album that provides a revealing look at their...
Krush Groove
Character: Crocket
Russell Walker is a young, successful manager of rap performers, handling acts for the Krush Groove label, including Run-DMC and The Fat Boys. When Run-D.M.C. has a hit record and Russell needs more money to press more copies, he borrows it from a street hustler and soon regrets his decision....
American Rap Stars
Character: Self
American Rap Stars centers on Omar Sharrif (director/host) as we follow him through the world of Hip-Hop....
2 Turntables and a Microphone
Character: Self
Legendary hip-hop DJ Jason Mizell, aka Jam Master Jay, is gunned down in his Queens studio. Security tapes of the incident mysteriously disappear, the five witnesses are uncooperative and no one is talking... until now. 2 Turntables and a Microphone documents the investigation of the unsolved murder of Jam Master Jay, RUN- DMC's groundbreaking DJ and producer, deftly revealing the history of hip-hop and mainstream rap along the way. Exclusive, candid interviews with 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Russell Sim...
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
Character: Self
Arguably the most influential creator, writer, and producer in the history of television, Norman Lear brought primetime into step with the times. Using comedy and indelible characters, his legendary 1970s shows such as All In the Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, boldly cracked open dialogue and shifted the national consciousness, injecting enlightened humanism into sociopolitical debates on race, class, creed, and feminism....
On Meditation
Character: Self
Peter Matthiessen, David Lynch, and Russell Simmons see among the many celebrity devotees interviewed in this case of Zen Buddhist meditation....
Run DMC: Forever Kings
Character: Subject
Run DMC paved the way for rap artists of today when they broke onto the scene in the early 1980s. Pioneers of the ever-evolving genre, they knew early on that rap music was a force to be dealt with, and they've commanded respect ever since. With the passing of Jam Master Jay, one-third of their blockbuster team, the surviving members take a look back at their triumphant career as one of music's most important icons....
G-Funk
Character: Self
G-Funk is the untold story of three childhood friends from East Long Beach who helped commercialize hip hop by developing a sophisticated and melodic new approach – merging Gangsta Rap with elements of Motown, Funk, and R&B....
Brown Sugar
Character: Self
Sidney and Dre can attribute their lifelong friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant... witnessing the birth of hip-hop on a New York street corner. Now some 15 years later, she is a revered music critic at a national magazine and he is a successful, though unfulfilled, hip-hop record company executive. Both come to realize that their true life passions will only be fulfilled by remembering what they learned that day on the corner....
Vegan: Everyday Stories
Character: Himself
A feature-length documentary that explores the lives of four remarkably different people who share a common thread - they're all vegan. The movie traces the personal journeys of an ultramarathon runner who has overcome addiction to compete in one hundred mile races, a cattle rancher's wife who creates the first cattle ranch turned farmed animal sanctuary in Texas, a food truck owner cooking up knee-buckling plant-based foods, and an 8-year-old girl who convinces her family of six to go vegan....
Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth
Character: Himself
FEEL RICH: HEALTH IS THE NEW WEALTH documents the nascent self-love revolution emerging in urban communities. Narrated by Quincy Jones III, the film features interviews with iconic artists, producers, urban farmers and meditators who have made dramatic changes in their lives by opening themselves up to new ideas about what it means to be rich. Our audience will embark on a journey led by Common, The Game, Crystal Wall, Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Russell Simmons, Stic.Man, Afya Ibomu, Jermaine Dupri, Sl...
The Black List: Volume One
Character: Himself
As a new chapter begins in this country, THE BLACK LIST offers a dynamic and never-before-heard perspective from achievers of color. This series of inspired - and inspiring - observations on African-American life in the 21st century forms a roll call of some of the most compelling politicians, writers, thinkers and performers ever to tackle their fields of endeavor. Watch the interview-portraits and get a sharper snapshot of where this country has been and where it's headed....
Rappin' With The Rickster
Character: Self
Join photographer turned public access guru Ricky Powell in this collection of clips from his influential NY TV show, Rappin' With The Rickster....
Shooting Star(s): The Rise of Hip Hop Photographer Johnny Nunez
Character: Self
In this revealing biographical portrait, filmmakers Axel Ebermann and Daniel Frei document the rags-to-riches story of photographer Johnny Nunez, charting his rise from a humble boy in Brooklyn to an in-demand presence on the hip-hop scene. No stranger to high-profile subjects, Nunez made a name for himself photographing wealthy A-list celebrities, but his glamorous lifestyle today belies the poverty and racism he had to overcome in his youth....
Survivor's Guide to Prison
Character: Self
Today, you're more likely to go to prison in the United States than anywhere else in the world. So in the unfortunate case it should happen to you - this is the Survivors Guide to Prison....
ReMastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay?
Character: Himself
Run-D.M.C. DJ Jam Master Jay made a huge impact in music and his community. But friends and family still seek closure years after his unsolved murder....
Beef
Character: Self
A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare....
Street Fury: Envy
Character:
We bring in the year with a bang. Review last year and dive into 2005 with an in depth look at the hottest items coming your way in 2005. Check out the newest aftermarket parts and accessories at the SEMA LAS VEGAS show. We just can't stay away from Mexico, so we visited The Fast and Furious Tour Mexico, to see who Envies Who in the International import game. At the 2004 Magic Show, get a look at the hottest new fashions by -- Von Dutch, Rocawear and Russell Simmon's Phat Farm. Gloria Valez foll...
It's Black Entertainment
Character: Self
A star-studded tribute (from the creators of That's Entertainment) to the contributions of Afro-Americans in film over the last century. Vanessa Williams traces the struggles and triumphs of the superstars of music and film. Among the many artists featured are: Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Cab Calloway, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Little Richard, Also included are today's contemporary superstars: Snoop Dogg, Ice T, Quincy Jon...
Undateable John
Character: Suicide Hotline Operator
A slacker surf instructor, who's on and off the wagon, gets his life together when he falls for a beautiful but troubled young woman he meets in Alcoholics Anonymous....