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You Need To Know Designer-Russell Simmons.

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 younger brother of Daniel Simmons, Jr., and he is the older brother of Rev. Joseph Simmons, better known as "Run" of Run-DMC, and son of Daniel Simmons, Sr, a public school administrator and Evelyn Simmons, a New York City park administrator. His brother Daniel Simmons, Jr., is an accomplished abstract artist.

Russell Simmons is the third richest figure in hip-hop, having a net-worth estimate of $340 million.

Simmons met model Kimora Lee simmons in November 1992 at New York's fashion week. They dated for six years and married on December 20, 1998 on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy. Officiating was Russell's brother, the Reverend Run, now an ordained minister. They have 2 daughters together, Ming Lee (born 2000) and Aoki Lee (born 2002). Before the couple's divorce, they owned a 4-acre (16,000 m²), 49,000-square-foot (4,600 m²), 10-bedroom marital home located in Saddle River, New Jersey. The home includes both indoor and outdoor pools, a wine cellar and a movie theater. Just down the road is the home of his brother, Joseph Simmons, a.k.a. Rev Run.

In March 2006, Lee and Simmons announced that they would be getting a divorce. Their divorce finalized in January 2009. They would continue to work together on Phat Farm and Baby Phat clothing lines. As of January 2009 Russell has begun dating Sports Illustrated model Julie Henderson.

Russell Simmons has been vegan since 1998 and advocates the adoption of practicing Ahimsa and veganism citing animal rights along with the environmental and health benefits.He is also a Buddhist.

In May 2009, Simmons was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Slavery Memorial at the United Nations to Honor the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Simmons is a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and a supporter of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which was established to ensure that any child in America who wants to learn and practice TM can do so.

He is also majority shareholder in Hip-Hop website, www.GlobalGrind.com

Def Jam became just one piece in Simmons' corporation. Rush Communications, which included a management company, a clothing company called Phat Farm, a movie production house, television shows such as Def Comedy Jam, a magazine and an advertising agency. His nephew Jamal "Redrum" Simmons and his group Flatlinerz released the highly controversial album U.S.A. in 1994 on Def Jam but was dropped from the label soon after. Simmons sold his stake in the record company for $100 million to Universal Music Group in 1999. The up-and-coming component of Rush Communications is the sneaker company Run Athletics, which was started in 2003, a company that produces both the Legacy and Arthur Ashe shoes.