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By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
For his groundbreaking Diamond Empowerment Fund, Russell Simmons will be feted with a special honor.
On Oct. 7, the celebrated hip-hop impresario will receive the "Hollywood Soul" award during the 2007 Hollywood Style Awards, held at the Pacific Design Center's SilverScreen Theater in Los Angeles.
The announcement was made by A Diamond is Forever, which is a sponsor of the event.
The mission of the DEF, which the Def Jam Records visionary founded earlier this year, is to raise money to support educational and skill-development schools, colleges and other institutions that empower economically disadvantaged people and communities in African countries.
"Giving is sexy, so anytime you can do something for someone other than yourself, do it," Simmons told The BV Newswire. "Those are the really lasting gifts.
The former Phat Farm honcho's jewelry enterprise -- Simmons Jewelry Company -- designs and manufactures the popular Green Initiative bracelet made from native African materials - genuine green malachite beads and a rough diamond.
It retails for about $125.
Twenty dollars from each bracelet, considered a must-have item worn by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Chris Tucker, David Beckham, Ludacris, Penelope Cruz, Serena Williams, and T.I., is donated to raise funds for educational programs in Africa.
"For me," he continued, "the work we do to raise money for the Diamond Empowerment Fund to help Africa come from our heart and is one of the most important things I've dedicated myself to. If the exposure around receiving this award brings more attention to this cause, that's a good thing."
Comments: (20)
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By: sharifah sadiq on 9/27/2007 8:25PM
Your comment on giving has painted a different picture of you for me. I certainly agree with you GIVING IS SEXY AND SO ARE U!!!
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By: linda aka lindalu aka lindy on 9/27/2007 9:22PM
Oh My ! That cute lil' sly smile, the twinkle in the eyes, very sexy INDEED, Mr. Simmons. I have always admired you and your work. My son, Ali has a SIGNED copy of your first book, I believe. You autographed it during an appearance in Orange County. May your good will and what is obviously a kind heart, continue to be BLESSED. YOU sir, are someone I would consider to be a role model. I hope thats cool wid you. -peace
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By: Donald Robinson(Fasion lord and garden variety nutjob and all around dick. on 9/27/2007 9:08PM
SCREW DAT, WHY DO ALL THESE RICH BASTARDS WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE N-WORDS IN AFRICA? WHY DON'T THEY DO SOMETHING FOR THE POOR BLACK BASTARDS OVER HERE IN THE GOOD OLD USA. LIKE HARLEM OR THE FRIGGING BRONX,OR BROOKLYN. WHAT HIPOCRITAL SONS-OF-BITCHES THEY ARE.US AMERICANS MADE THEM WHAT THEY ARE. DO SOMETHING FOR THE FRICKING USA! FRIGGING SISSY. NO WONDER KIMORA SPLIT. SHE WAS TOO HOT FOR HIS ASS. SHE RAN AWAY WITH A AFRICAN JUNGLEBUNNY TOO. I WOULD BE PISSED IF MY OLD LADY SKIPPED WITH A WATUSI. THEY WOULD NOT GET DOO-DOO.
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By: Dave on 9/27/2007 11:15PM
Hey donald,
Don't you have a parade to go to or something? You know, may be rally? You can grab the sheets from the bath house.
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By: linda aka lindalu aka lindy on 9/27/2007 11:28PM
HEY DONALD - with that nasty screwed-up attitude, yoo ain't NEVER gonna have NObody doin' NUthing for you. Boy, and I do mean BOY, carrying around all that ignorance and even tryin to spread it must be hard work. What a waste of space.
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By: Debbie on 9/28/2007 1:01AM
We do not realize how good we have it here and the opportunities. I have visited 8 countries in Africa and I can tell you personally that they need way more help than we do. Not only on a agricultural basis, but infrastructure is really lacking plus security in many areas.
Debbie
www.DebbieDonovanTravel.com
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By: Jacqueline on 9/28/2007 8:15AM
Donald,
The tumor in your head is caused by the virus. Tough?
Get a catscan, there might be hope for you.
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By: anthony on 9/29/2007 4:43AM
russell simmons is a racist. he is a trouble-maker, and cries racism, but he is the biggest racist. he and his buddy, sharpton and jackson. but they like to take the whitemans money. you'll never see him raise money for poor white people. i have nothing to do with russell simmons or anything he is affiliated with.
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By: anthony on 9/29/2007 5:03AM
how about russell simmons protesting against kfc, and trying to condon what michael vick did. is he a hypocrit or what. dave, aka. lindy and jacqueline, tell me, where did you go to school? if you had to pay for school, get your money back, because they didn't teach you nothing. you all sound ignorant to me.
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By: rdebose on 10/01/2007 8:03AM
Russell Simmons has strengthened his ties to the oppressor class. On the one hand, as head of a major music label he receives tens of millions of dollars from a white/Jewish owned and operated entertainment conglomerate to produce vile Gangsta Rap music. Now he and his ex-wife have entered into a joint business venture with a top diamond jewlery merchandiser who is Jewish. And the predominate source of diamonds will be South African mines. Needless to say the centuries of inhumane treatment and economic exploitation that black South Africans, particularly diamond miners, suffered under Apartheid continues to this day despite Apartheid's abolition and election of a black African to the nation's top political position. Note, jewish funded/owned/operated DeBeers diamond mining company of South Africa, the world's leading diamond entity, has been in business for several centuries and controls upwards to 85% the world's diamond commerce. Also, Israel provided military assistance, i.e., training and weapons, to formerly white ruled South Africa during the height of Apartheid that resulted in the public shooting deaths of black South African protestors, unsolved deaths and disappearences of black South African social activists and the inability of black South Africans to move freely about the country. So, in view of the sordid history of the racist diamond business it is disheartening to see Russell and Kimora Simmons and Sean "P-Diddy" Combs getting deeper in bed with the very same ultra-hypocritical jews who cry foul when the word kink is uttered but who easily assist and greatly profit from the production and distribution of N-word laden Gangsta Rap music.
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