Russell Simmons Accuser Says She Was 17 When He Raped Her [VIDEO]
Russell Simmons Accuser Says She Was 17 When He Held Her Down & Raped Her
Two of the many women alleging sexual misconduct against Russell Simmons are speaking out. Today, actress Natashia Williams-Blach and musician Sherri Hines share their stories, recalling alleged jaw dropping experiences with the music mogul. Hines says Simmons raped her in 1988 when she was 17. Simmons vehemently denies the claims.
Hines said she met Simmons at a club one night in 1983. She says she accepted an offer to stop by his office only to question him on why he did not sign her all-female rap group, Mercedes Ladies. When they got to the office though, things quickly took a turn.
My thought – I was like, I’m going to go. I want to know why you did us wrong, you know, as far as with the record deal.
She continues,
When I got there, he told me to sit down. And he sat down next to me. And it was weird because it just happened so fast. It was like, next thing you know, I’m being pinned down.
See the clip and swipe below to see her comments.
Hines said she was unable to maneuver out and eventually gave in to Simmons. She says,
He came to my home and met my mom. Was a single mom that had ten kids that she was raising. For him to do this. I ran back and I got my friend, Simone, and she was like, what happened? I was like, let’s go. But I was crying and I told her. And she’s like, “we have to tell your mom.” I was like, “no. I’m not telling my mother. [She would ask] what did you go up there for? And she was going through things.
The other guest, actress Natashia Williams-Blach, shared her story, explaining that she didn’t want to go public with her alleged experience.
I followed the story when it emerged. And I wasn’t going to say anything at all. I was going to stay on the sidelines and watch this unraveling’.
She says that when she read Simmons’ response to Keri Claussen Khalighi’s accusations she found herself needing to speak.
He said, “how can I be a rapist when I’m a yogi and a vegan?” I don’t know why that’s relevant, but it should be. I fell out of my seat. You can’t write this. You can’t make this up.’
She continued:
We literally just went to yoga. We literally just did the downward dog before you acted like a dog. We had a moment. I just said, I know there’s a propensity for everyone to enshrine themselves, on the religious or the civic stuff. There is a lot of philanthropy coming from his side. There is a lot of good actions, good meaning intentions, but they become dirty by the other things done in the darkness.
Williams-Blach, who appeared in the Simmons-produced film How to Be a Player, alleges that in 1996 Simmons tried to force her to perform oral sex on him. She says that the incident took place after Simmons took her to a hot yoga class in Los Angeles. Simmons took Williams-Blach to his home under the pretense of watching a movie. However, she says the mood quickly shifted. She claims that Simmons tried to kiss her, but she moved away. She said,
He pushes the crown of my head swiftly down while he’s got his hand on his zipper. It was just a few seconds.
She then told Simmons she needed to return to UCLA, and he agreed to drive her. A total of 12 women have come forward in recent weeks to accuse Simmons of sex crimes.
Simmons has denied the allegations.
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