Russell Simmons has joined 50 Cent in calling out Oprah over her new #MeToo documentary on the record label exec.
If you thought Russell Simmons would take Oprah Winfrey’s new Me Too documentary lying down, you obviously don’t know the music executive very well. It was reported last week that together with filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, Oprah will be producing a documentary for AppleTV+ that will focus on sexual assault within the music industry. It will follow former Def Jam Recordings employee, Drew Dixon, who was one of six women to accuse Simmons of rape in 2017. At the time, the music label co-founder denied the allegations of rape, and seven others of sexual assault, saying all his encounters had been consensual, and he was shocked by the claims.
Simmons has once again taken to social media, this time regarding the documentary, which is scheduled for release on the streaming service next year. Addressing the television show host, Simmons said he found it concerning that Oprah chose to single him out.
“I have refused to get in the mud with any accusers, but let’s acknowledge what I have shared,” he wrote alongside a photo of the pair. “I have taken and passed nine three-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.’ Today I received a call from an old girlfriend from the early 1980s, which means 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 two of your three accusers, their own words in their books. 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 never been violent or forced myself on anyone.”
Someone else seemingly in Russell’s corner (or maybe just anti-Oprah) is 50 Cent.
50 Cent wrote on Instagram, “I don’t understand why Oprah is going after black men. No Harvey Weinstein, No Epstein, just Micheal Jackson and Russell Simmons, this sh*t is sad. Gale hit R Kelly with the death blow documentary. Every time I hear Micheal Jackson I don’t know whether to dance or think about the little boys butts. These documentary’s are publicly convicting their targets, it makes them guilty till proven innocent.”
The post followed one about Harvey Weinstein’s $25 million settlement deal in which he stated that it seemed to him that the whole thing was a money grab.
