Russell Simmons, 50 Cent Slam Oprah Winfrey Over #MeToo Docu
Oprah Winfrey's #MeToo documentary will air on AppleTV+ some time next year. Even before its release, however, the documentary is already sparking a lot of controversies.
AppleTV+ acquired the film which Oprah will be executive producing. The film, slated to debut at the Sundance Film Festival, is said to trace the tale of Drew Dixon, a brilliant former music executive who was torn whether to go public with her story of assault and abuse by a distinguished figure in the music industry.
The film will examine race, gender, class and intersectionality.
Drew Dixon is a former executive of Def Jam Recordings who accused Russel Simmons of raping her inside of his apartment in 1995.
On Simmons' Instagram post, he shared his sentiments about Oprah and the docu. While he shared his appreciation of Oprah, he questioned her for singling him out in the documentary.
View this post on InstagramDearest 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.Ihave 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 documentry. I have already admitted to being a playboy more (appropriately titled today “womanizer”) sleeping with and putting myself in more compromising situations than almost any man I know. Not 8 or 14 thousand like Warren Beatty or Wilt Chamberlain, but still an embarrassing number. So many that some could reinterpret or reimagine a different recollection of the same experiences. Please note that ur producers said that this upcoming doc was to focus ONLY on 3 hand chosen women. I have refused to get in the mud with any accusers, but let’s acknowledge what i have shared. I have taken and passed nine 3-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. Now that you have reviewed the facts and you SHOULD have learned what I know; that these stories are UNUSABLE and that “hurt people hurt people”. Today I received a call from an old girlfriend from the early 1980s which means that they are using my words/evidence against me and their COMMITMENT / (all of the claims are 25 to 40 years old) It is impossible to prove what happened 40 years ago, but in my case proof exists of what didn’t happen, mostly signed letters from their own parents, siblings, roommates, band members, interns, and in the case of 2 of your 3 accusers, their own words in their books. Shocking how many people have misused this important powerful revolution for relevance and money. Maybe you should name your documentary “FLAVOR OF LOVE”!? In closing, I am guilty of exploiting, supporting, and making the soundtrack for a grossly unequal society, but i have never been violent or forced myself on anyone. Still I am here to help support a necessary shift in power and consciousness. Let us get to work on uplifting humanity and put this moment and old narrative behind A post shared by Russell Simmons (@unclerush) on Dec 13, 2019 at 6:35am PST
Simmons has appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" more than five times in the past years, and the two did develop a "very close" relationship.
The 62-year-old record executive then said that he took and passed nine lie detector tests for his daughters and maintained he never had to use influence to have sex with any women.
Simmons, in 2017, took a lie detector test to show that he did not sexually assault model Keri Claussen Khalighi or even Fashion PR Maven Kelly Cutrone. Since then, many other women came forward to accuse him of either sexual assault or hasrassment.
According to an image obtained by TMZ, it showed that the rapper took the polygraph test in Los Angeles -- something which his camp insisted was administered by a national leader in the field of polygraphing.
Simmons took the tests, and it all said he was completely innocent.
"It's impossible to prove what happened 40 years ago, but in my case, proof exists of what didn't happen, mostly signed letters from their parents, siblings, roommates, band members, interns, and in the case of 2 of your three accusers, their own words in their books," Simmons furthered.
Russell added, "Still, I am here to help support a necessary shift in power and consciousness. Let's get to work on uplifting humanity and put this moment and old narrative behind."
Simmons was not the only one to slam the media mogul's project, though. Rapper and businessman 50 Cent also chimed in on the issue which he believe is unfair and racist.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent) on Dec 12, 2019 at 7:45pm PST
50 Cent said he does not understand why Oprah is going after black men like Simmons and Michael Jackson, while keeping a blind eye on the likes of Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein.
The rapper went on to name drop another relevant personality, who is also Oprah's best friend, Gayle King.
King infamously distressed singer R. Kelly in March by facing him on TV about the numerous sexual assault allegations leveled against him.
"Gayle hit R Kelly with the death blow documentary. Every time I hear Michael Jackson, I don't know whether to dance or think about the little boys' butts. These documentaries are publicly convicting their targets, and it makes them guilty until their proven innocent."
