Joe Budden Defends Russell Simmons Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
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Joe Budden defended Russell Simmons amid his sexual assault allegations. On a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Joe and his team discussed Usher visiting Simmons in Bali.
Budden’s co-hosts wondered why Usher didn’t receive backlash from the internet for staying in contact with someone accused of heinous crimes. Budden answered the question from a different perspective and asked why Usher would still visit Simmons. The retired rapper answered his own question, stating that “they love Russell Simmons.” He also defended the music icon because of how many lives he positively impacted in and around Hip-Hop.
“They love Russell Simmons,” he asserted. “I know y’all don’t want to say it. Y’all don’t want to admit to it. I know people seen whatever doc they seen, people believe what they believe. There’s nothing y’all can do to make people stop loving Russell Simmons. Not a thing in the world. Not a thing in the universe is going to make people stop loving Russell Simmons for as many lives as he impacted.”
“[Russell] has been nothing but kind, gentle, sweet, generous, and amazing if you don’t have that horror story.”
Budden then spoke about hypothetical women accusing people of sexual assault. He pointed out that there were ladies “auctioning their pu**y” to remain relevant and or move up professionally. Joe insisted that he wasn’t talking about Russell Simmons’ situation but a situation nonetheless.
“As somebody that has spent a lot of time in the music business, nobody speaks to the side where the women were auctioning their pu**y to move up in the ranks of the system,” he said. “This existed way before I got to town. But that was happening, too. But nobody says that part. Again, I’m not speaking about Russell Simmons, I’m just talking blanket, broad.”
Simmons has been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by numerous women over the years. Most recently, the mogul was accused of sexual harassment and rape. The woman, who allegedly served as an executive at Def Jam in the ’90s, filed her lawsuit as a Jane Doe in New York in February. The suit also accuses the man of battery, emotional distress, and false imprisonment.
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