Russell Simmons and 50 Cent accuse Oprah of bashing Black men in sexual misconduct documentary
Rapper 50 Cent and Russell Simmons have some harsh words for Oprah Winfrey whose latest project will focus on the #MeToo movement in the music industry.
Russell Simmons has a question for Oprah Winfrey: Why is she singling him out in her upcoming #MeToo documentary set to air next year?
“Dearest OPRAH, you have been a shining light to my family and my community. Contributing so much to my life that I couldn’t list a fraction of it in this blog. I have given you the gift of meditation and the groundbreaking book ‘THE POWER OF NOW’ we bonded to say the least. This is why it’s so troubling that you choose me to single out in your recent documentary,” Simmons posted on Instagram along with the photo of himself with Winfrey.
It’s being reported by Fox News that Drew Dixon, who formerly worked at Def Jam, will be featured in the #MeToo documentary. Two years ago, Dixon, the daughter of former Washington, D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly, told The New York Times that Simmons raped her back in the mid-1990s. Simmons vehemently denies this allegation.
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Simmons, however, does acknowledge his part in a number of “embarrassing” and “compromising situations” with women, but said he never crossed the line into misconduct.
“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,” Simmons posted.
Simmons remarks that if he is guilty of anything, it is of “exploiting, supporting, and making the soundtrack for a grossly unequal society, but I have never been violent or forced myself on anyone.”
The rap label executive appears to have public support from entrepreneur/rapper 50 Cent who is slamming Winfrey for focusing her upcoming documentary on Simmons. He points out that there is a clear line of discrimination at hand when Black men including Bill Cosby and R. Kelly are in prison while high-profile white men accused of sexual assault are not.
“I just want to know why she is only going after her own,” 50 tweeted. “When it’s clear the penalties have been far more extreme for African American men.”
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Last week, 50 went a step further. “No Harvey Weinstein, No (Jeffrey) Epstein, just Micheal Jackson and Russell Simmons this s**t is sad. These documentary’s are publicly convicting their targets, it makes them guilty till proven innocent.”
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Winfrey’s #MeToo documentary will focus on the music industry and is part of her overall deal with Apple TV+. She has made no comment in return to Simmons or 50.
