Russell Simmons Quotes (34 Quotes)

Hip hop is from the underground. It's from the underbelly of America. The poetry music is an expression from people from the trailers to the projects whose stories are not told.

I try to make my life about service, and hope that one day we can all 'see' a little better because God is with everyone and everywhere.

Is that because I was ugly in my picture ... I think it's because in person you get the energy.

I've been blessed to find people who are smarter than I am, and they help me to execute the vision I have.

They say we're putting out bad messages to the kids. Our image is clean, man. Kids beat each other's heads every day. They are fighting because they were fighting before I was born. ... We're role models.

We're going to register millions of young people to vote and the benefit concert will help us fulfill our goal,

Art is a way to express yourself and through that you can escape a bad situation.

The mindset of poverty is something that has to be overcome. I don't believe that those people who are living in this struggle -- I'm not saying what Bill Cosby is saying, for instance. I'm saying that it's our job to continue to give back.

Judgment of the people in the situation is not helpful. How can you help them is the question.

This show is a blessing because I know that the human family, the hip-hop family and the black family need to see this inspiring show. They're not rich, spoiled kids. They're kids who are going to contribute a lot to the world.

If you learn late, you pass it on to people so they can learn early. It's a step process.

Look at all the billionaires. If I know 15 billionaires, I know 13 unhappy people.

College kids go off to school and they get twisted with credit.

My experiences have been, from the very beginning, cultural and creative. And my business has been a way of exposing the culture, exposing the artists so that the world could hear and see them.

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.

We are committed to speaking the truth, ... We must continue to tell the truth about the street if that is what we know, and we must tell the truth about God if that is who we have found. Part of telling the truth is making sure that you know and talk more about what you know then speak or do music to appease those who are in power.

Last year my wife got a Rolls-Royce.

This is the most devastating thing to their community they've seen in their lifetime. I've never seen a bigger outpouring of love and giving. I've never seen anything like it.

We have high aspirations, but we know to fulfill the aspirations of the hip-hop generation. We have to take the subjects of financial literacy and empowerment seriously, and talk with your youth in a way that is appealing to them.

It's all about the work, ... Nothing is going to fall into your lap. If you want to be a lawyer, see yourself as a lawyer, go to the library and start learning the law. If you want to be a rapper, start rapping and get out there. Live your life as if you already are where you want to be.

Art allows people a way to dream their way out of their struggle.

These blacks here today see the poverty and ignorance that is keeping us at a certain place. They know where the forces are, and they will come together and force our government to respond to the poverty and ignorance that's rampant in our country.

Seeing these heroes is inspiring. T. I. has authority.

I want to promote poetry to the point where you got all the baldhead kids running around doing poetry, getting the music out of the way and having only words, the spoken word, and then see what happens.

Hip-Hop icon Russell Simmons has joined the Honorary Committee for Daniel Pearl Music Days 2005 , a 10-day network of performances named for the late journalist. I am very pleased to be involved with the Daniel Pearl Music Days committee because its message resonates with me on a very personal level, ... My own career is an example of the universal power of music, especially the power of Hip Hop, to bring people of different backgrounds together for a common purpose. I hope that my commitment to the Daniel Pearl Music Days committee will encourage all music lovers - both amateurs and professionals - to get involved with the Music Days performance network and contribute to the 'Harmony For Humanity' e-Stage.

Poverty and lack of knowledge must be challenged.

It's not a signal to the end of hip-hop. We know it will be a lasting fixture. And it should be. All over the world hip-hop is expression of young people's struggles, their frustrations and opinions.

You'll see a lot of funny stuff, you'll see a lot of daddy-knows-best stuff, you'll see a lot of me and my wife trying to hold the family together.

I want to fight poverty and ignorance and give opportunity to those people who are locked out.

We are excited to honor three individuals who have done so much to support the creativity of so many.

My wife is an excellent driver, and she's not guilty of any crime.

Well, it's the last step of the civil rights movement: You know, wrap your hands around some money, right?

I'm not a politician. I only want to help relieve the suffering in communities, and I want to help people see their community in each other.

The commemoration deserves the respect and support of all people of good will who cherish the universal love of humanity, ... The time has come for the Hip-Hop community and all of us to come together and participate in a movement which will have a fundamental influence on the lives of this generation and generations to come.