Russell Simmons - 787 Words

Russell Simmons has been successful because he turned an idea into an opportunity. Mariotti and Glackin (2013) states while Russell attend college he saw an opportunity in the underground music genre Hip-hop (p.154). From that moment on Russell knew he could capitalize off hip-hop. Not only did Russell take a chance on an opportunity, he formed a great record label with his friend Rick Rubin called Def Jam Records. However his success did not stop there Russell went on to create a clothing line, Rush Communications and many other ventures. With his knowledge of street entrepreneurship and the philosophy of â€Å"keeping it real† (p.154-155), Russell Simmons was able to promote his ventures with great success, making him one of the biggest†¦show more content†¦Russell not only made hip-hop mainstream he gave youths around the world artist they could relate to such as Run DMC. Run DMC was a good group to market because they stayed true to their roots and their fas hion was part of the hip-hop culture. Russell marketing advantages did not stop there. He realized that the clothing that the youth were wearing was making a statement of who they were. It was then Russell created and promoted the clothing line Phat Farm. Phat Farm is urban apparel that the urban youth embraced because it represented their lifestyles. By Russell good marketing strategies more consumers were embracing and purchasing the products that they were becoming familiar with. Further more Russell Simmons urban roots also gave him an advantage with the youth on political issues. Mariotti and Glackin (2013) inform readers that in 2002 Russell organized a youth summit at New York City Hall to protest the then mayor proposal to cut the education budget (p.155). Russell new if he marketed the event through social media, radio and TV networks he could get the youth attention. Being that Russell had the information and associated artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys to address the issues, 20,000 youth showed up to support the cause. Around 1985 Russell Simmons invested $5000 to start Def Jam Records. However in 1999 he made the decision to sell his business to Polygram records for $100 million giving him a return on investments of 2 millionShow MoreRelatedMinority entrepreneurs have many barriers they have to overcome in order to be successful. Some1100 Words   |  5 Pagesinvestors. They also generally live in run down areas, with poor schooling and less access to successful people. One entrepreneur who has hurdled over all the barriers and became extremely successful is Russell Simmons, the co-founder of Def Jam Records. Biography of Russell Simmons Russell Simmons was born in Queens, New York, on October 4, 1957. Growing up in Queens, he spent part of his adolescent years as a street hustler. During his middle school years, he sold marijuana and was even a memberRead MoreHip Hop Dance : Dance1287 Words   |  6 Pageslocking, and breaking. Some of the great artists and producers that have had a big influence on hip hop from the time period of 1970-1979 and 1980-1989 are: Grandmaster Flash, Russell Simmons, The Beastie Boys, and Dr. Dre. From 1970- 1979 other than Dj Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash and Russell Simmons also known as â€Å"The Hip Hop Pioneer† had a huge influence on Hip-hop dance. Grandmaster flash was taken under Dj Kool Herc’s wing. He began to work on a new and revolutionary techniqueRead MoreHip Hop : A Cultural Force1568 Words   |  7 Pages1970’s. Hip-hop has since become a multifaceted cultural force. It’s more than just music some people say and others th ink it is negative promoting bad things for young listeners. Now hip-hop is something people can relate to. A man by the name of Russell Simmons and co founder of Def Jam Recordings once said â€Å"The thing about hip-hop is that it’s from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized.† Hip hop is no longer limited to justRead MoreCharles James Simmons1175 Words   |  5 PagesSimmons, Charles James (1893-1875), politician and evangelical preacher, was born on 9 April 1893 at 30 Brighton Road, Mosley, Birmingham. His father, James Henry Simmons (1867-1941), was a master painter and his mother, Mary Jane (1872-1958), a schoolteacher. They were Primitive Methodists, temperance advocates, and Liberals. His maternal grandfather, Charles Henry Russell (1846-1918), a Liberal, Primitive Methodist lay preacher and friend of Joseph Arch (leader of the Agricultural Labourers’Read MoreViolent Video Games: When a Game Becomes Reality1085 Words   |  4 Pages caregiver after playing violent video games† (Russell). The child was so immersed in his game that he decided that it would be a good idea to see how it worked in real life. The boy was playing Grand Theft Auto IV, an incredibly violent game in which players are encouraged to kill and injure innocent people for fun. The boy appeared to have no other motive, as he deeply cared for his caregiver, and neighbors were perplexed as to why this had occurred (Russell). Some believe that the game had no effectRead MoreHip Hop : The Commodification Of African American Women1717 Words   |  7 Pageshe swiped a debit card down a young woman’s backside received much backlash; for instance students at Spelman College protested against his appearance at the institution due to the video. At the 2004 Detroit Hip-Hop Summit when hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons was asked how he felt about Spelman students challenging the sexual objectification of black women in hip-hop, he steered away fr om the topic by discussing how he enjoyed Nelly’s drink â€Å"Pimp Juice†. When re-asked the same question, he exasperatinglyRead MoreThe Fusion Party And The Election Of 18962022 Words   |  9 PagesNorth Carolina. For the first time since Reconstruction, a Republican governor was elected, Daniel Russell. Russell was a leader of the Fusion party and won the state election with 46.57% of the vote, beating out the Democratic candidate, Cyrus B. Watson. Daniel Russell was raised in a family with unusual political beliefs, including an opposition to secession during the years of the Civil War. Russell gained an interest in politics, joined the Fusion party and ran for governor, known as a man whoRead MoreThe Power of Hip-hop in the Business World Essay2228 Words   |  9 Pages but after a while it occurred to Russell Simmons, the president of Run-DMCs label Def Jam Records, that the group should be getting paid for the promotion they were giving to Adidas. He approach ed the German shoe company about kicking in some money for the acts 1987 Together Forever Tour. Adidas executives had a skeptical reaction about being associated with rap music, which at that time was known for starting riots. To help change their minds, Simmons invited a couple of Adidas representativesRead MoreThe Hip Hop Culture Essay2107 Words   |  9 Pagesparody of the culture, pop crossovers, and the threat of white rappers taking over the music† (Hess 4). The lifestyle, that people thought would be a passing fade, it has grown to become a permanent part of world culture. Some hip hop artists like Russell Simmons have become some of today hero’s. Many other artists such as 50 cent, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg are now recognized as successful hip-hop moguls. The hip hop culture started among the African Americans, Latinos of Bronx, and New York in theRead More A Phenomenon; Hip-hop Essay1937 Words   |  8 Pagesstars. The first step is lyrics to stop this violence, which have the most powerful one. The music authorities are aware of the dirtiness in lyrics, such as Russell Simmons, the hip-hop producer, â€Å"†¦have proposed banning three particular words from clean hip-hop music and the airwaves†(Gayle, 2). However, hip-hop authorities, such as Russell Simmons, earn money with these splashes, they know how the power of hip-hop so they estimate damages on youth. Marks emphasizes this power with an example, â€Å"The