Russell Simmons was brought onto the ‘Drink Champs’ podcast for a discussion with Bun B, Marc Lamont Hill, Mysonne, and Talib Kweli.
Earlier today, Revolt TV was embroiled in a lighthearted beef with Eminem over a line from a Conway single, but now, Diddy’s media venture is seemingly getting backlash from most of Twitter for recently hosting controversial media figure Russell Simmons on its Drink Champs podcast during a discussion about the Black Lives Matter movement. Jay-Z’s Tidal, which hosted the discussion, also came under fire.
The discussion, which also included academic Marc Lamont Hill and rappers Bun B, Mysonne, and Talib Kweli, drew negative attention on Twitter after Tidal’s official account posted a promotional tweet with a preview of the panel responding to host N. O. R. E.’s question about police officers “beating the case” against them for the recent death of George Floyd. Author Sil Lai Abrams, who accused Russell Simmons in 2018 of raping her in 1994, questioned the mogul’s presence on the panel, writing, “What in the entire hell are Jay-Z and Tidal doing by giving Russell Simmons a platform to discuss #BlackLivesMatter?”
What in the entire hell are Jay Z and @TIDAL doing by giving Russell Simmons a platform to discuss #BlackLivesMatter? Why do people continue to give him a pass? @marclamonthill did you ask him about the multiple rape allegations against him??? https://t.co/oDI7fQtJHW
Sil Lai “Scrappy” Abrams (@Sil_Lai) June 23,2020
Abrams followed up with a tweet accusing “powerful Black men in music” of using their power to protect Simmons and “whitewash his legacy.” “Jay Z and Puff won’t stand up for Russell via public statements but they are still rape apologists,” she continued. ” By quietly giving him an unchallenged voice on their media platforms they make a huge statement: Black survivors of sexual violence are an irrelevant casualty of hip-hop.
