Russell Simmons, one of the godfathers of hip-hop music and a cultural icon for decades, is stepping away from his several businesses after a second woman accused him of sexual assault.
Acclaimed screenwriter Jenny Lumet wrote an open letter to Simmons in Hollywood Reporter today, accusing him of coercing her into a sexual encounter in 1991.
Simmons, who became famous as a member of Run DMC and later founded Def Jam Records, responded with a statement that reads, in part, “While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real…As the corridors of power inevitably make way for a new generation, I don’t want to be a distraction so I am removing myself from the businesses that I founded.”
Earlier this month Simmons was accused of sexually assaulting model Keri Claussen Khalighi when she was 17, which he denies.
