Business World

Women accuse rap mogul Simmons of rape

- Times The New York The New York Times Times

NEW YORK — At least three women say that they were raped by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, who recently left his business empire following abuse allegation­s,

reported Wednesday. The 60-year-old hip-hop legend denied the rape accusation­s — which date back to 1988 — and voiced support for the growing movement of women speaking out against abusive men.

Simmons announced on Nov. 30 that he was stepping down from his business roles after two women accused him of assault, which he also denied.

But article described an alleged pattern of behavior by the enormously influentia­l Def Jam Recordings cofounder, who was accused of preying on women entering the industry.

Tina Baker, a singer who has performed back-up for Madonna and Bruce Springstee­n, said Simmons was her manager when he invited her to his apartment in 1990 or 1991.

She told the newspaper that he pinned her down as raped her. The

said the account was confirmed by four people close to her including her ex-husband and therapist.

“I didn’t have sex with a man for almost nine years” afterward, Baker told the newspaper. “I went into a cocoon.”

Simmons said he never had sex with Baker. He said in a statement: “I vehemently deny all these allegation­s.”

“I have accepted that I can and should get dirt on my sleeves if it means witnessing the birth of a new consciousn­ess about women,” he said.

Unlike many in the brash world of hip-hop, Simmons in recent years has developed a clean, spiritual image as he promotes yoga and veganism.

But the newspaper also reported an incident in 2014 in which a woman said Simmons touched her inappropri­ately after encounteri­ng him in a Miami hotel.

Simmons and fellow producer Rick Rubin helped bring hip-hop to wide US audiences in the 1980s when they founded Def Jam, a label that signed major acts such as the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and later Public Enemy.

Accusation­s of rape and sexual harassment against now disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein have opened the floodgates, prompting scores of women to speak up not just about abuse in the entertainm­ent and media industries as well as in politics. —

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