Russell Simmons attends at the Argyleculture By Russell Simmons X ModaBox Runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015on February 11, 2015 in New York City.
Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images
Earlier this week, Geraldo Rivera made a series of inflammatory comments about hip-hop in a conversation with HuffPost Live, suggesting that the musical culture “has done more damage to black and brown people than racism in the last 10 years.” He called out Russell Simmons in particular for his part in aiding hip-hop’s rise to power.
In a new video obtained by TMZ, Simmons responded in kind, declaring that Rivera “hasn’t done shit to help nobody.” Watch the clip below.
Simmons didn’t just dismiss Rivera — he took some time to expound on his position. “The prison-industrial complex got people so twisted,” he said. “For 40 years they’ve been locking up diseased drug-addicts, educating them in criminal behavior, and dumping them back in the hood… Geraldo… he needs to just talk, he needs to get himself relevant. And he used to be a progressive, he used to do good work and help people, now he’s just a talking head.”
Geraldo Rivera Criticizes Russell Simmons, Says Hip-Hop Has Done ‘More Damage to Black & Brown People Than Racism’: Watch
Simmons couldn’t resist taking one shot at Rivera’s second-place finish on Celebrity Apprentice. “He lost on Apprentice,” Simmons joked. “I can’t respect that.”