Russell Simmons, the 1990s rap and hip-hop music business impresario, is facing a claim of sexual harassment and battery brought by a former executive at Def Jam Recordings, the pioneering label Simmons founded with producer Rick Rubin.
The “Jane Doe” plaintiff, described as a former senior music executive and video producer at the label, filed suit in New York federal court on Tuesday, saying her career was stalled by Simmons’s alleged harassment of her in the 1990s.
According to the court filing, “Ms Doe’s career in the music industry was disrupted and derailed by a devastating experience at the hands of Mr Simmons.”
The plaintiff alleges that while she and Simmons had a professional working relationship at first, “Mr Simmons revealed his true colors and, through his assaultive behavior, disabled Ms Doe’s career at Def Jam, a job she loved, at the height of her success and financial viability.”
On one occasion, the complaint alleges, Simmons asked her to visit his apartment in New York to approve a new video. He initially began to “wrestle” with her “in an attempt to appear playful”, but the “situation escalated into aggression”, with him allegedly pinning her down on a bed.
“Ms Doe repeatedly told Mr Simmons to get off of her, but he refused,” the complaint states. “Mr Simmons proceeded to rape her.”
The plaintiff alleges she subsequently struggled to perform her executive job duties due to frequent panic attacks, depression and anxiety, and was subjected to repeated harassment by Simmons at Def Jam’s Manhattan offices.
“He would sit on her desk, lean over her, aggressively invading her personal space while making sexual innuendos, suggestions and advances, and rubbing the front of his pants,” the complaint states.
The harassment became so pervasive, the suit alleges, that a senior executive would tell Simmons to leave his accuser’s office.
“Mr Simmons would follow Ms Doe to the door or block her path to prevent her from opening it again,” the complaint continues.
The complaint is one of a number brought against music business executives under New York’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA), including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jimmy Iovine, ex-Grammys chief executive Neil Portnow, Cuba Gooding Jr and Jamie Foxx.
The year-long look-back window for sexual assault claims that would otherwise fall outside the statute of limitations closed in November.
It is unclear if the lawsuit can proceed under the ASA or under a subsequent Gender-Motivated Violence Act in which the plaintiff claims “Simmons committed a ‘crime of violence’ against Ms Doe because she is a woman and, at least in part, because he has an unlawful animus towards women”.
The complaint estimates that Simmons amassed a fortune of $340m. After being previously accused of sexual assault and rape in 2017, it states, Simmons announced plans to step down from his various corporate roles.
In a statement on a prior claim, Simmons said: “I completely and unequivocally deny the horrendous allegations of non-consensual sex against me with every fiber of my being.”
The complaint, brought by attorneys Kenya Davis and Sigrid McCawley at Boies Schiller Flexner, says: “Ms Doe has sustained in the past and will continue to sustain, monetary damages, physical injury, pain and suffering, and serious psychological and emotional distress” that entitles her “to an award of compensatory, consequential, exemplary, general, and punitive damages in an amount to be determined at trial”.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
