Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee split up

[high maintenance]

Russell, Kimora Lee Simmons Split

Friday Mar 31, 2006 11:00am EST
By Stephen M. Silverman with Tiffany McGee

CREDIT: ALBERTO TAMARGO / JPI


Rap mogul Russell Simmons and his wife Kimora Lee Simmons are splitting, a rep for Kimora confirms to PEOPLE. An announcement is expected later today.

A spokesperson for Russell had no comment.

Russell, 48, and Kimora, 30, married in 1998 and have two daughters: Ming Lee Simmons, 6, and Aoki Lee Simmons, 3. Both girls model for Baby Phat Clothing, Kimora's offshoot of her husband's Phat Farm clothing line.

The former Kimora Lee, whose father is African-American and mother is Japanese-American, was a model, for Chanel and others, when she began dating Simmons, a cofounder of Def Jam Records.

The pair met in November 1992 during New York City's Fashion Week. She was 17 and about to finish high school; he was 35 and a self-admitted ladies man.

"I was skeptical," model Tyra Banks told PEOPLE in 2002 of her initial reaction to the relationship. But, she said: "She turned the man about town into a loving husband and papa."

The couple were married by Simmons's brother, Pentecostal minister and rapper Joey "Reverend Run" Simmons of Run DMC, on the Caribbean island of St. Bart's on Dec. 20, 1998. --->

 

[Sugarmama]

I'm not surprised at all.

 

[greeneyebeauty]

I really do not like either one of them!!!!!

 

[J'ador-DioR]

....i didn' t expect this for some reason.

 

[daddyslittlegrl8]

Wasn't she getting arrested a lot?

dlg

 

[roppal222]

She dated him when she was 17 and he was 35?!

 

[high maintenance]

My girlfriend said she saw this coming because she watched some kind of special on vh1 about her and she is very arogant and talks to russell like he is a child. Like if it wasn't for her phat would not do so well and she is an ***.

 

[markie]

She has the worst neck in Hollywood, second only to Britney Spears. You can tell her age by the amount of rings in it!

 

[DosViolines]

Do you think this will be the end of Baby Phat?

*villainous hand-wringing*

 

[brokenenglish]

I hope he had a prenup!!
She sure loves money and the lavish lifestyle.
Too bad for their little ones.

 

[Spike413]

Do you think this will be the end of Baby Phat?

*villainous hand-wringing*

I was thinking (hoping, really) the same thing.

 

[eternitygoddess]

I was realy wondering how long Russell would put up with her.

 

[Diorling]

She was his beard!!

 

[twiztedsista]

She was his beard!!

Swingers....100%.

 

[arlekindearrabal]

so now we know who's been putting the damage on her "soon to be ex-husband's credit card"

 

[Whitelinen]

But,but...what will happen to my favourite Baby Phat and the true class and luxury?

 

[twiztedsista]

Word is Russell has been romancing Denise Vasi...

http://www.idmodels.com/denisevasi/index.html


That is what they are saying on http://www.allhiphop.com/rumors/index.asp?ID=978

 

[sterlinger]

unless you really know the girl you shouldn't be calling her a b*tch, on this Vh1 special Simmons was equally nasty to her by cutting her off with a blunt comment and she was being very sweet. Maybe her "bitchyness" on camera is a front for her failing marriage and falandering husband, who knows? Baby Phat is also as much hers since she was the chief marketing and designer, so she deserves whatever monetary income she might receive. Russell though, ugh if it's true about Denise Vasi, he sure loves those young chickens

 

[heaven]

I actually think that the two of them are so arrogant that they deserve one another. I remember reading an article with her (think it was vanity fair) and she was so obnoxious and spoiled and he was no better.

 

[Urban Stylin]

The marriage of hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and his model-turned-entrepreneur wife, Kimora Lee, may be coming to an end.
In a statement provided to The Associated Press on Friday, Simmons announced the pair had decided to break up after seven years of marriage. Rumors had swirled for the past week that a split was imminent. The couple have two young daughters.
"Kimora and I will remain committed parents and caring friends with great love and admiration for each other," Simmons said. "We will also continue to work side by side on a daily basis as partners in all of our businesses."
Simmons is head of Rush Communications, but is perhaps better known as the co-founder of Def Jam Records and for his Phat Farm clothing line. In recent years, he has become more involved in politics, and helped to create the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
Over the years, Kimora Lee Simmons has become almost famous as her husband, thanks to her successful Baby Phat clothing line and her glamorous diva persona, which has been documented in numerous magazine spreads. Although the pair have appeared at public events together in recent weeks, the statement said they had been separated for "some time," even though they were still living together.

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