Russell Simmons Research Paper
Russell Simmons: An Entrepreneurial Icon that Shifted American Culture
Florida State College at Jacksonville
“If you aren 't passionate about a vision, it 's hard to have faith in it” (Simmons & Morrow, Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, 2008). Russell Wendell Simmons’ passion for his vision is what drove him when he started in the music business over three decades ago. Simmons, the original hip-hop mogul, is one of the most innovative and influential figures in modern American business and culture. When no one outside of inner-city New York had even heard of hip-hop, Simmons saw the seeds of a global force that would change the way people talk, dress, listen to music, and choose the heroes they hung on their walls. Simmons is the founder or co-founder of …show more content…
numerous successful companies and philanthropic organizations, including Def Jam Records, Phat Farm clothing, the dRush Advertising Agency, and Rush Philanthropic (Reingold, 2003). At the same time he has broadened his interests and influence and pushed hip-hop to new plateaus of power. Russell Simons has become an inspiration to young entrepreneurs everywhere, particularly in the African American community, because of his phenomenal impact on the American music, comedy, and fashion industry.
Russell Simmons did not invent rap music, but he is, arguably more than any other individual, responsible for the music 's astonishing success and growth over the past 30 years. As a young man, he heard a thriving, vibrant music in the ghettos and middle-class Black neighborhoods like his own, and he gravitated towards the sound and culture that became hip-hop.
Simmons was born in Queens, New York in 1957 to parents who both worked for the city of New York; his father a public school administrator and his mother a park attendant. He was one of three brothers and according to his family was very ambitious and energetic from a very early age (Simmons & George, Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, and God, 2001). Though Russell was raised in a fairly stable household compared to many of his peers, he still could not escape the allure of the streets. When Russell was 14 years old he sold marijuana on 205th Street along with many of his friends. As he entered adolescence in the early 1970s heroin usage was a dominant part of life in his neighborhood of Hollis. Aside from his drug activities, he also was deeply involved with another of young New York 's early '70s passions, gangs. Russell became a warlord in the 17th division of a gang called the Seven Immortals, which he later wrote gave him a sense of leadership and purpose at the time. Though unlike most of his friends in Hollis, Russell went to a predominately white school in a white working class area instead of his neighborhood school. Russell was getting a private school education while simultaneously learning the street life (Simmons & George, 2001).
After a brief stint at City College of New York, Simmons left school to become a promoter for local musicians. Russell became captivated with the hip-hop subculture that was blossoming in the streets of New York. By the time he was 26, Simmons knew that he wanted to build a company centered on that culture. Simmons’ education, both from the classroom and from the street corners, helped him develop into a savvy businessman. According to Simmons (2001) selling drugs back when he was a teenager taught him business basics such as cash flow, client relations and networking.
In 1984, Simmons met Rick Rubin, an NYU student who also wanted to promote rap music.
The two scrounged up $8,000 and founded Def Jam. Rubin was a production genius who loved loud, rebellious music. Simmons was a relentlessly enthusiastic and canny businessman. The combination of Rubin 's and Simmons ' personalities and talents proved to be a powerful mix. Just two years into their bare-bones operation, Columbia Records approached Def Jam with an offer to promote, market and distribute Def Jam 's new rap recordings for a share in their profits (Giles, 2008). But Def Jam and Run DMC were primarily making black music for black people. The label 's next two moves, however, would change that.
First, Def Jam teamed Run DMC with Aerosmith to record a rap version of the rock band 's hit "Walk This Way." The song was a smash and landed Run DMC on MTV, which until then had played rap only reluctantly. When the song reached a new white audience, Run DMC and Simmons found themselves with a No. 4 Billboard hit-the first rap song to break the top five. The single also helped the band 's third album, "Raising Hell," sell 4 million copies (Giles,
2008).
Next Def Jam signed the first all-white rap act, the Beastie Boys. The group 's bratty lyrics and rock 'n ' roll -based riffs brought in an even wider white audience, and the band 's first album, "License to Ill," sold 8 million copies. The success of these albums prompted Def Jam to sign additional acts, including Public Enemy, Oran "Juice" Jones, and rap duo D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith). Amazingly, every record the label released through 1990 went gold (Giles, 2008).
At the same time Simmons was developing Def Jam with Rubin, he was also becoming involved in other media. In 1985, in cooperation with Warner Brothers, his Def Pictures produced its first film, "Krush Groove," a rap musical based loosely on Simmons ' life. The film, which cost only $2.2 million to produce, grossed almost $20 million at the box office (Reingold, 2003). Simmons ' second film, "Tougher Than Leather," an action-comedy starring Run-D.M.C., achieved similar success. Later Def Picture films would include "The Addiction" (1995) and "The Funeral" (1996)-both directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken and Eddie Murphy 's "The Nutty Professor" (1996).
Next, Simmons ventured into television with "Def Comedy Jam." Co-produced by Simmons and his TV partners, Bernie Brillstein and Brad Grey, the show, which showcased black stand-up comedians, was an instant sensation. Simmons further expanded his communications empire in 1992 to include the magazine Oneworld, which features articles on music, fashion and hip-hop personalities. In that same year, Simmons launched a line of clothing called Phat Farm, which by 1998 was grossing almost $22 million a year and grew to exceed $100 million in the year 2000. A year later, Simmons started SLBG Entertainment, which serves as an agency for actors and other entertainers.
The key to Simmons success, more than anything, has been his keen sense of promotion. At a time when the record industry was looking for the next one-hit-disco-wonder, Simmons actively sought out artists who could have a career, then promoted them and his label at the same time. In retrospect, Simmons was branding when everyone else was still marketing. As the label took off, Simmons, like another master of promotion, Virgin Group 's Richard Branson, looked for other places to use his name and his company 's name to sell new products. Though now considered an icon in the hip-hop community and the business world, Russell claims his vision has remained the same: "My goal has been to present urban culture in its most true form to the people who love it and the people who live it" (Reingold, 2003).
Thanks to Simmons, hip-hop is no longer black culture or even urban culture, it 's American culture. And no one is counting is out as a fad anymore. According to Simmons, "With my first act in '79, people said hip-hop would be dead in two years. Now look, over 30 years later, the culture is so strong we 're selling underwear" (Giles, 2008). Russell Simmons embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, and the success of his vision has expanded far beyond anything he could have ever thought possible as he has helped shape American culture.
References
Giles, C. (2008, July 8). Russell Simmons: Hip-Hoppreneur. Entrepreneur Magazine, p. 71. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197696
Reingold, J. (2003, November 1). Rush Hour: Russell Simmons, The Godfather of Hip-Hop. Fast Company Magazine, p. 64.
Simmons, R., & George, N. (2001). Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, and God. New York: Random House.
Simmons, R., & Morrow, C. (2008). Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success. New York: Gotham.
Florida State College at Jacksonville
“If you aren 't passionate about a vision, it 's hard to have faith in it” (Simmons & Morrow, Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, 2008). Russell Wendell Simmons’ passion for his vision is what drove him when he started in the music business over three decades ago. Simmons, the original hip-hop mogul, is one of the most innovative and influential figures in modern American business and culture. When no one outside of inner-city New York had even heard of hip-hop, Simmons saw the seeds of a global force that would change the way people talk, dress, listen to music, and choose the heroes they hung on their walls. Simmons is the founder or co-founder of …show more content…
numerous successful companies and philanthropic organizations, including Def Jam Records, Phat Farm clothing, the dRush Advertising Agency, and Rush Philanthropic (Reingold, 2003). At the same time he has broadened his interests and influence and pushed hip-hop to new plateaus of power. Russell Simons has become an inspiration to young entrepreneurs everywhere, particularly in the African American community, because of his phenomenal impact on the American music, comedy, and fashion industry.
Russell Simmons did not invent rap music, but he is, arguably more than any other individual, responsible for the music 's astonishing success and growth over the past 30 years. As a young man, he heard a thriving, vibrant music in the ghettos and middle-class Black neighborhoods like his own, and he gravitated towards the sound and culture that became hip-hop.
Simmons was born in Queens, New York in 1957 to parents who both worked for the city of New York; his father a public school administrator and his mother a park attendant. He was one of three brothers and according to his family was very ambitious and energetic from a very early age (Simmons & George, Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, and God, 2001). Though Russell was raised in a fairly stable household compared to many of his peers, he still could not escape the allure of the streets. When Russell was 14 years old he sold marijuana on 205th Street along with many of his friends. As he entered adolescence in the early 1970s heroin usage was a dominant part of life in his neighborhood of Hollis. Aside from his drug activities, he also was deeply involved with another of young New York 's early '70s passions, gangs. Russell became a warlord in the 17th division of a gang called the Seven Immortals, which he later wrote gave him a sense of leadership and purpose at the time. Though unlike most of his friends in Hollis, Russell went to a predominately white school in a white working class area instead of his neighborhood school. Russell was getting a private school education while simultaneously learning the street life (Simmons & George, 2001).
After a brief stint at City College of New York, Simmons left school to become a promoter for local musicians. Russell became captivated with the hip-hop subculture that was blossoming in the streets of New York. By the time he was 26, Simmons knew that he wanted to build a company centered on that culture. Simmons’ education, both from the classroom and from the street corners, helped him develop into a savvy businessman. According to Simmons (2001) selling drugs back when he was a teenager taught him business basics such as cash flow, client relations and networking.
In 1984, Simmons met Rick Rubin, an NYU student who also wanted to promote rap music.
The two scrounged up $8,000 and founded Def Jam. Rubin was a production genius who loved loud, rebellious music. Simmons was a relentlessly enthusiastic and canny businessman. The combination of Rubin 's and Simmons ' personalities and talents proved to be a powerful mix. Just two years into their bare-bones operation, Columbia Records approached Def Jam with an offer to promote, market and distribute Def Jam 's new rap recordings for a share in their profits (Giles, 2008). But Def Jam and Run DMC were primarily making black music for black people. The label 's next two moves, however, would change that.
First, Def Jam teamed Run DMC with Aerosmith to record a rap version of the rock band 's hit "Walk This Way." The song was a smash and landed Run DMC on MTV, which until then had played rap only reluctantly. When the song reached a new white audience, Run DMC and Simmons found themselves with a No. 4 Billboard hit-the first rap song to break the top five. The single also helped the band 's third album, "Raising Hell," sell 4 million copies (Giles,
2008).
Next Def Jam signed the first all-white rap act, the Beastie Boys. The group 's bratty lyrics and rock 'n ' roll -based riffs brought in an even wider white audience, and the band 's first album, "License to Ill," sold 8 million copies. The success of these albums prompted Def Jam to sign additional acts, including Public Enemy, Oran "Juice" Jones, and rap duo D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith). Amazingly, every record the label released through 1990 went gold (Giles, 2008).
At the same time Simmons was developing Def Jam with Rubin, he was also becoming involved in other media. In 1985, in cooperation with Warner Brothers, his Def Pictures produced its first film, "Krush Groove," a rap musical based loosely on Simmons ' life. The film, which cost only $2.2 million to produce, grossed almost $20 million at the box office (Reingold, 2003). Simmons ' second film, "Tougher Than Leather," an action-comedy starring Run-D.M.C., achieved similar success. Later Def Picture films would include "The Addiction" (1995) and "The Funeral" (1996)-both directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken and Eddie Murphy 's "The Nutty Professor" (1996).
Next, Simmons ventured into television with "Def Comedy Jam." Co-produced by Simmons and his TV partners, Bernie Brillstein and Brad Grey, the show, which showcased black stand-up comedians, was an instant sensation. Simmons further expanded his communications empire in 1992 to include the magazine Oneworld, which features articles on music, fashion and hip-hop personalities. In that same year, Simmons launched a line of clothing called Phat Farm, which by 1998 was grossing almost $22 million a year and grew to exceed $100 million in the year 2000. A year later, Simmons started SLBG Entertainment, which serves as an agency for actors and other entertainers.
The key to Simmons success, more than anything, has been his keen sense of promotion. At a time when the record industry was looking for the next one-hit-disco-wonder, Simmons actively sought out artists who could have a career, then promoted them and his label at the same time. In retrospect, Simmons was branding when everyone else was still marketing. As the label took off, Simmons, like another master of promotion, Virgin Group 's Richard Branson, looked for other places to use his name and his company 's name to sell new products. Though now considered an icon in the hip-hop community and the business world, Russell claims his vision has remained the same: "My goal has been to present urban culture in its most true form to the people who love it and the people who live it" (Reingold, 2003).
Thanks to Simmons, hip-hop is no longer black culture or even urban culture, it 's American culture. And no one is counting is out as a fad anymore. According to Simmons, "With my first act in '79, people said hip-hop would be dead in two years. Now look, over 30 years later, the culture is so strong we 're selling underwear" (Giles, 2008). Russell Simmons embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, and the success of his vision has expanded far beyond anything he could have ever thought possible as he has helped shape American culture.
References
Giles, C. (2008, July 8). Russell Simmons: Hip-Hoppreneur. Entrepreneur Magazine, p. 71. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197696
Reingold, J. (2003, November 1). Rush Hour: Russell Simmons, The Godfather of Hip-Hop. Fast Company Magazine, p. 64.
Simmons, R., & George, N. (2001). Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, and God. New York: Random House.
Simmons, R., & Morrow, C. (2008). Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success. New York: Gotham.