Black Quotes by Russell Simmons

12 Black quotes by Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons brings a business‑savvy angle to the conversation about Black culture. In a dozen brief statements he shares insights drawn from music, fashion, and entrepreneurship, giving a quick look at his perspective.

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[T]here's nobody Black in charge of anything in Hollywood.

Russell Simmons

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You need Black [people] sometimes to understand things about Black culture.

Russell Simmons

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But rich or poor, black or white, none of us are entitled to anything.

Russell Simmons

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My idea is to integrate black stars into mainstream stars. It hasn't been explored properly. That's what Im doing in Hollywood.

Russell Simmons

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Black actors on the road, flying around the country working as poets. Those people are inspirations for millions of kids who write.

Russell Simmons

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I have a pilot called The Re-Education of Oliver Cooper starring the white kid from Project X where follows a black girl…

Russell Simmons

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86% of its audience was made up of people of color. That tells you that the full potential of many black stars…

Russell Simmons

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I just said let's get some poets on tv. And when they said that sounded unlikely, I made it worse. I said,…

Russell Simmons

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When I started the diamond business, no black person, period, was in it to do what we're trying to do to change…

Russell Simmons

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I think Hollywood is incredibly segregated. I've never seen any place like it. The gatekeepers who are the most progressive activists inspired…

Russell Simmons

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No one wants to sell to just 12% of the population for the entire length of their careers. It creates a difficult…

Russell Simmons

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I ask everyone - white Hollywood and black Hollywood - to get outside of your comfort zone and make friends. That's where…

Russell Simmons

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I'm born into the cycle of giving that we're all born into, and I recognize it. So just because something is a good business,…

Russell Simmons

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Compassion is the ultimate expression of your highest self

Russell Simmons

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If you don't break a hole through the brick wall, don't just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that…

Russell Simmons

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A large portion of American citizens, especially people of color, have lost confidence in our criminal justice system. Many have called for appointing special…

Russell Simmons

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There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…

Russell Simmons

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I used to think anxiety and insomnia drove me to success, but it was the stillness that let me be good at anything. When…

Russell Simmons

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[Performing artists] are making greater percentages. People are going to live events more and it's a big success story for everyone - except the…

Russell Simmons

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I think I will always have a connection to young people, to try to bring their voices to the polls, bring their voices wherever…

Russell Simmons

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The best defense for any group of people is what we do to defend other people.

Russell Simmons

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You have to be present, awake and happy now.

Russell Simmons

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Culture in America and everywhere else comes from the suffering, from those who don't want the old ways. They want to bring in the…

Russell Simmons

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I try to use my voice. I know that celebrity is valuable, and people do listen.

Russell Simmons

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They're lacking culture in Hollywood. That gives me a big up, right? I know something about pop culture.

Russell Simmons

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Meditation helps everything.

Russell Simmons

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If you talk about the prison-industrial complex, I've fought against the prison-industrial complex when I called for a repeal of the Rockefeller drug laws.…

Russell Simmons

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