Music mogul Russell Simmons is opening up about the sexual assault allegations brought against him in the HBO documentary “On the Record.” The documentary gives first-hand accounts of rape claims made against Russell by multiple women, allegations that he has repeatedly denied.
In an interview with the Breakfast Club, Russell talks about how he felt when he heard the accounts of these women.
“I could never say that someone doesn’t feel victimized,” Russell Simmons said. “Thirty years ago…these stories are 25 to 40 years old. I can’t say someone doesn’t feel victimized. I can tell you that I don’t feel that I victimized them.”
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He also explained that he’s taken nine separate lie detector tests to prove his innocence but he did reveal that he told Oprah, who conducted the initial investigation but later bowed out of her executive producing position, that he read the reports from one of the women and that he “believed her.”
“It broke my heart when I read it,” Russell said. “I never heard it, 30 years later, I read it and I believed her. She said she got in the car and the car door locked and my first instinct was, ‘S**t. Car doors lock in 1990. Loud, Cadillacs.’”
Russell continued, “It was a misunderstanding as far as I can tell ‘cause I believe her. But I also passed nine tests because I believe me, that are 95% accurate.”
He further explained that he feels terrible about the women who “may have felt victimized.”
“I am certainly not a monster or victimizer,” Russell declared.
The documentary launched on HBO Max in late May and has received an 100% rating on the movie critic site Rotten Tomatoes and 85% rating on Metacritic.
This appears to be one of the very few times Russell has addressed it. We’ll keep you posted on any updates.
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