Video: Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons endorses Michael Steele
posted at 9:50 pm on August 24, 2006 by Bryan
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Def Jam records founder Russell Simmons hosted a reception for Maryland Lt Gov and Senate candidate Michael Steele in Baltimore tonight. The upshot: Steele picked up Simmons’ key endorsement.
Video credit: Ian Schwartz
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Ok, this surprised me.
Welcome to the dark side, Mr. Simmons. Please do not bring Kamora Lee with you. She frightens me.
Stormy70 on August 24, 2006 at 10:18 PM
It was Russell Simmons only because Richard and Gene weren’t available.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on August 24, 2006 at 10:40 PM
As Mr. Bean would say “This is BIG”!
So is this.
I question the timing???
Entelechy on August 24, 2006 at 10:43 PM
The plantation gate has now swung wide open.
Kid from Brooklyn on August 24, 2006 at 10:57 PM
Wonder if Gilliard has the balls to do Russell in blackface.
B Moe on August 24, 2006 at 11:15 PM
Not entirely new. Back when Simmons was endorsing (Republican) Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in 2005, he said, “Many blacks are very conservative. The natural party for them [is Republican], if things were more equal. The race issue is become less important in this country.”
He also said that Ehrlich “raised the whole party up. He makes every Republican open for discussion” among black voters.
Tanya on August 25, 2006 at 7:41 AM
I think Simmons is a pretty good man. I just hope he doesn’t support Steele just because he is black. (Black leaders have been known to do that from time to time, and Simmons is a leader in his own right). He is also a very sharp guy.
Shmo on August 25, 2006 at 10:06 AM
Holy Crap. There IS a God.
venmax on August 25, 2006 at 10:54 AM
We appreciate the endorsment; however, please leave Kamora and funny herb (and her bong) at home.
Thanks.
ar_basin on August 25, 2006 at 12:12 PM
How did Rove do it?
Rick on August 25, 2006 at 12:35 PM
I have zero respect for Russell Simmons.
He has made a fortune off gangster rap, reportedly uses hit man to enforce his music business contracts and is a drug dealer.
It is disgusting that a racist thug and criminal is viewed as a positive move in the Republican Party.
ScottyDog on August 25, 2006 at 2:49 PM
ScottyDog, it’s a big umbrella and we need to be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember how Australia started.
Look for the long haul, if you’re conservative; if you’re not, you’re just jealous that the ‘big umbrella’ is not a myth.
Entelechy on August 25, 2006 at 3:50 PM
More than a Republican thing, it would appear to be a Black thing. Whatever his track record, I’m certain that Mr. Simmons has a lot more pull among black people than do the individuals that recently threw Oreos at Steele.
Let’s assume that everything SD says about Simmons is true. What truly differentiates him from hypocritical race pimps like Jackson and Sharpton? If Simmons’ endorsement of Steele helps break the Democratic yoke around the Black man’s neck, then perhaps we should welcome it.
Kid from Brooklyn on August 25, 2006 at 3:51 PM
Entelechy
I am a conservative but that is irrelevant.
I will not support thugs and criminals because it is fashionable to do so. That is why there is a moral decay in this country and the continuing moral relativism that eats away at our Republic.
Russell Simmons has pushed gangster rap into he mainstream and it has effected the very fiber of our country where young people idolize criminals and thugs as their heroes.
Turn on BET or MTV and you can see his handy work and tell me if you think his “music” is good for America.
Debbie Schlussel “exposed billionaire hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network’s political/voter registration efforts on behalf of not only Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, but also radical Palestinian and anti-Semitic, anti-Israel activists and groups.”
ScottyDog on August 25, 2006 at 5:39 PM
ScottyDog, I vote with you, though I’m not a registered Republican. I don’t wish to fight with you because we have no fight to go for. I haven’t ever listened to any rap music, nor do I plan to. I don’t support it or its message. I don’t even know Russell Simmons and beleive what you wrote of/about him. I only know that he’s famous and that he supports a Republican.
If that brings more black voters to think that it’s possible, that’s good:
- it might give the voters a choice from the current ‘plantation’ lock of voting Left, with not thoughts
- it might give those who are affected by what you describe, above, hope for a better/cleaner future/life
Trust that I’m not against the spirit of what you convey, sincerely,
Entelechy on August 25, 2006 at 6:36 PM
ScottyDog said:
I agree with ScottyDog 100%!!!
Let’s list some of the crap Simmons stands for other than the trash he’s made a fortune off of.
- Legalization of drugs.
- Reparations for people who were never slaves.
- A pawn for PETA.
This man has never stood against abortion, but he is against the death penalty and he agrees with Steele on that one. For Steele, his being against the death penalty is a matter faith. (Although I as a Christian disagree with his view of the issue, but I respect his opinion.) For Simmons it’s because he even wanted killer Tookie Williams not to be put to death! Basically if you’re a BLACK GANSTER KILLER Simmons might stand for you. While Steele is against it, he had the sense to know you don’t go running with a protest sign on behalf of gansta killers.
This is not the kind of endorsement Steele should be saying much about.
I like Steele too, but I like him because my views are more closely aligned with Steele’s than his opponents, with the exception of the death penalty. Simmons simply wants Steele to protect him from the social scorn he deserves and would also like Steele to become a Liberal pawn. Because Simmons is simply a Liberal playing on whoever he finds to be vulnerable.
IndependentConserv on August 26, 2006 at 3:19 PM
If Larry Flint wanted to have a fund raiser for George W. Bush back during his last Presidential run, would Bush show up? And would any self respecting Conservative be happy if he did?
IndependentConserv on August 26, 2006 at 3:28 PM
As much as I am for Steeles’ election, I think it was a very bad move to hug up to Simmons endorsement. That it my mind is a blight on his campain. Simmons represents much that is wrong whith why the black community is haveing such a hard time rising above the lower income, and to be blunt, class of their people.
Bill Cosby understands it. As does Walter Williams. What I do NOT understand is why other blacks do not understand it. To me, it is just too easy. I have no problum with rap in general, although it it not my music of choice, if only as a style of music. But to fill it with hate and denigration of women is not what I feel to be a good influiance. And alot of big rap artists are current or former gang members. Not my idea of cool people, nor anyone I care about the political views of.
Steele made a bad move here in my opinion.
MalkinFan on August 27, 2006 at 1:00 AM
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