The once closely-knit Simmons family has become embroiled in a public dispute, shedding light on the challenges faced by hip-hop families in the spotlight. Fashion mogul Kimora Lee and music mogul Russell Simmons, who were once known for their successful union, are now at odds as their daughters reveal allegations of abuse, harassment, and familial discord. The Simmons family’s turmoil highlights the public airing of private struggles faced by other prominent hip-hop dads and their kids including Master P and son Romeo, Benzino and daughter Coi Leray, Diddy and his son Justin and the years-long beef between 50 Cent and his estranged eldest son, Marquise.
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The Simmons family drama unfolded on Father’s Day when Kimora Lee’s oldest daughter, Ming Lee Simmons, took to her Instagram story to honor her mother, captioning a photo of the two with “Happy Father’s Day” and a mention to Kimora. The absence of any mention of Russell Simmons sparked curiosity and controversy on social media, leading to a public outcry questioning the dynamics within the Simmons family.
Kimora Lee jumped on her Instagram live platform to expose the deep-rooted issues within the family. The former Baby Phat fashion icon clapped back saying, “Leave my kids alone. This narrative of attacking the only caregiver, the only parent in the home with the kids, the mom, AND the kids for one’s own shortcomings and embarrassments is dead. Dead. Dead.”
Russell’s daughter Aoki shared her own experiences and grievances against her father. Aoki accused her father of displaying narcissistic and abusive behavior throughout her life. She further revealed that Russell had attempted to coerce her sister, Ming Lee, into signing over her inheritance by sending henchmen to their residence. Aoki expressed her frustrations, emphasizing her continuous support for her father amidst mistreatment.
Kimora Lee also detailed the extent of Russell’s actions, including his attempts to harass Aoki and herself by contacting their friends. She asserted that Russell Simmons had blackballed Aoki Lee in the fashion industry, prompting Aoki to consider pursuing legal action. Kimora passionately defended her role as the primary caregiver, denouncing the attack and affirming that she was done with the abuse.
She then wrote, “The same abusive ish. This is how you maneuver with the world and women all around you. Your threats and lies and intimidation maneuvers and tactics are sad. Stop it please. Your own flesh and blood? Enough is enough”
Aoki Lee Simmons shed light on further disturbing incidents involving her father, such as him advising her to take the subway at night instead of arranging for her safety with services like Uber. The youngest daughter of the Simmons family expressed their attempts to keep the family disputes private, but stated Russell constantly antagonizes them, creating a toxic environment.
She suggested that the behavior displayed by her ex-husband and other men in the industry is not uncommon, stating, “They all stick together… we don’t do this to your many women or men.”
Responding to the online uproar, Russell Simmons took to Instagram to address the situation, posting pictures of his daughters, Aoki Lee Simmons and Ming Lee Simmons. In his captions, he referred to growing pains and conveyed messages of spirituality and love and apologized saying, “DEEPLY sorry for being frustrated and yelling . . but know this . . . there are no conditions . . . for sure i love you guys more than i love myself.”
However, the former Def Jam CEO’s actions and history of allegations have sparked intense reactions on social media, with many users expressing their beliefs regarding previous accusations of sexual assault against him.
The public feud within the Simmons family adds to a string of conflicts among prominent hip-hop families. From Diddy’s recent clash with Misa, the mother of Justin Combs, to previous disputes involving Coi Leray and her father Benzino, Romeo and Master P, and 50 Cent and his son Marquise, the challenges faced by these families in the public eye are evident.
In early June, Misa, the mother of Justin Combs, publicly criticized Diddy, alleging that he is a negative influence on their son. The comments came after Justin’s arrest for DUI.
Without specifically addressing her son’s arrest, she slammed Diddy in a series of posts. In one Instagram story, she stated, “a fish rots from the head down,” seemingly implying that Diddy, as the head of the family, has failed to provide guidance and support to their son. Misa further expressed her discontent, stating that she is no longer willing to protect anyone except her son. The rant continued in a series of eight posts, with Misa ultimately stating, “I should have kept my child with me!”
Rapper Coi Leray publicly beefed with her dad, Benzino, after she shared in an interview about the financial hardships her family experienced. After The Breakfast Club radio interview was released, Coi took to Twitter to announce that Benzino didn’t like what was said in the interview and began to threaten the artist and her mother.
Coi tweeted, “I hate to bring this shit to social media but my father need help. Sorry if I offended you on breakfast club but don’t mistreat me or my mom because you hate to admit that we went broke after The Source.”
A public feud erupted on Twitter between rapper Romeo and his father, Master P. The exchange included allegations and confrontational statements, exposing the strained relationship between the two.
“This was my last straw pops, stop trying to play the victim.” The “Romeoland” artist said. “I followed you blindly for 30+ years …You aren’t the man who you paint to be … I seen a man avoid his own children struggle with suicide and depression but post another man whom passed today that he doesn’t even know…I’ve never been paid for anything accomplished as Lil’ Romeo.”
The tumultuous relationship between rapper 50 Cent and his first son, Marquise, is documented in a timeline that highlights the ongoing conflict and challenges they have faced over the years.
The beef between 50 Cent and his son Marquise started in 2014 when reports revealed that he felt abandoned by the rapper as he began to show more attention to his younger son Sire Jackson. In 2016, it appeared the rapper-turned-TV-producer and his son were able to rekindle their relationship when they spoke to each other on Instagram. However, in a 2022 post, Marquise shared that he’s already attempted to reach out to his father for several years with no luck. He also added that public interviews are the only way to reach out since the rapper-turned-TV mogul blocked him on social media.
Beyond conflicts between rap dads and their children, the challenges faced by hip-hop families navigating fame, success, and personal relationships continue to capture public attention and scrutiny. Recently, the public conflict between cousins Quavo and Offset has emerged since the murder of Migos’ Takeoff. Things got so volatile that Cardi B had to stop the pair from getting into a physical altercation backstage earlier this year at the Grammy Awards.
