(AllHipHop News) Three women have accused Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons of rape. Drew Dixon, Tina Baker, and Toni Sallie spoke to the New York Times about the accusations.
Dixon has not only come forward to name Simmons as an alleged sexual abuser, she also implicated former Epic Records CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid. Dixon claims Reid sexually harassed her while she worked as an executive at Arista Records in the 2000s.
“It was a quid pro quo: ‘I have power, you want access, sleep with me — or I’m going to be really mean to you the next day. And there will be consequences,’” said Dixon about the harassment.
Earlier this year, Reid resigned from Epic Records after he faced accusations of “unlawful harassment of an employee.” Reid told the NYT, “I’m proud of my track record promoting, supporting and uplifting women at every company I’ve ever run. That notwithstanding, if I have ever said anything capable of being misinterpreted, I apologize unreservedly.”
Simmons stepped down from his businesses last month following other abuse allegations. The Los Angeles Times recently published an article where even more women accused Simmons of sexual misconduct going back decades.
“These horrific accusations have shocked me to my core, and all of my relations have been consensual,” said Simmons in a statement to Rolling Stone, “I am blessed to have shared extraordinary relationships, whether through work or love, with many great women; and I have enormous respect for the women’s movement worldwide and their struggle for respect, dignity, equality and power. I am devastated by any reason I may have given to anyone to say or think of me in the ways that are currently being described.”
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