Russell Simmons Slams Kimora Lee Simmons Amid Co-Parenting and Financial Dispute
Russell Simmons has shared his perspective on his former wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, following her recent claim that they lack any form of personal rapport.
“I provided you with $50,000 monthly for two decades. I was your closest/sole companion,” Russell, 68, posted on Threads on Sunday, December 14. “I am the godfather to your three other children, until you appropriated my stock one day.”
He added, “I have been struggling to maintain my kids’ affection and my financial support ever since. You threatened that if I initiated a lawsuit against you, I would be cut off from communicating with my children. Every narrative possesses two viewpoints.”
Russell’s message follows closely after Kimora, 50, asserted that she does not maintain communication with any of the fathers of her offspring. Kimora and Russell are parents to daughters Ming, 25, and Aoki, 23. The designer of Baby Phat also shares a son, Kenzo, 16, with Djimon Hounsou, and another son, Wolfe, 10, with Tim Leissner. Additionally, Kimora adopted son Gary, 16, in 2020.
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“Typically, I would say I manage coparenting successfully, but the children reside with me full-time,” Kimora stated to People in a Thursday, December 11, article. “I am essentially the primary parent. It’s challenging, but sometimes I don’t understand what others are thinking. Men are peculiar.”
Kimora has not publicly addressed Russell’s claims. Us Weekly has sought comment from her representatives.
Despite Russell’s allegation that he cannot contact his daughters, Kimora has clarified that she has never imposed such a restriction.
“It’s quite strange because I believe things used to be slightly different,” the Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane star mentioned on the “Not Skinny Not Fat” podcast earlier this month. “They are not involved. I handle things alone. They aren't truly present, and I want to clarify for the record that they are welcome to be around.”
She continued, “They are welcome to visit at their own discretion and convenience. My children are all sufficiently mature to pursue their own relationships and activities. It truly isn't dependent on me.”
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Kimora subsequently agreed with podcast host Amanda Hirsch that it represents “a disadvantage” for her children to be estranged from their fathers. “I am unsure of their knowledge base; perhaps they feel intimidated,” Kimora speculated about her ex-partners. “Or maybe they think, ‘She has everything under control [and] I don’t want to disrupt her methods.’ Perhaps they think, ‘I don’t like her.’ I genuinely don’t know. I suspect a lot of their decision-making revolves around the other parent rather than the child’s best interests. As a mother, you cannot fathom it.”
Specifically, Ming and Aoki have been outspoken regarding their distant relationship with their father. In summer 2023, Aoki uploaded screenshots of FaceTime calls with Russell to Instagram, which she later removed, showing the music executive seemingly yelling at her.
“I have no regrets,” Aoki told Teen Vogue in September 2023 regarding her decision to publish the alleged exchange with Russell. “Parts of the situation were already publicly known. I felt there were valid reasons to make it public, because it was unfolding within a kind of silent bubble.”
Russell later issued a public apology to Aoki and her sister that same year.
