Usher slammed for Russell Simmons friendship as pals seen bonding in Bali weeks after Def Jam founder accused of rape
WEEKS after his stellar performance at the Super Bowl, Usher now faces backlash for his friendship with Russell Simmons who has been accused of đâŻđual assault.
The outrage comes after Simmons, 66, shared photos and videos from Bali, Indonesia, on Instagram while praising his friend, Usher, 45.
Usher (left) has been slammed for his relationship with Russell Simmons (right) after Simmons was accused of đâŻđual assaultCredit: Instagram/unclerush
The pair have been pictured spending time together in BaliCredit: Instagram/unclerush
Simmons began his post by stating that Usher was at his side at the “lowest point in his life.”
“When I was at the lowest point in my life I woke up and this man was sitting by my bed,” Simmons wrote.
“I had known Usher since he was a kid but we really bonded because of our mutual love for self-discovery and our belief in Yogic science as a direct route to realizing God’s consciousness in ourselves.
“People, remember to remember this…a friend walks in when others walk out.”
He said he’d never forget the generosity of spirit he witnessed in Usher then wrote, “God bless you đđđđą bro Usher love you!!!!”
The post included photos of Simmons and Usher posing together, including shots of the two partaking in yoga.
However, the sentiment wasn’t reciprocated by some, who called out Usher for his friendship with Simmons after the music executive was accused of raping a woman in the 1990s.
The victim, identified as Jane Doe, claimed Simmons assaulted her while she worked at Def Jam Recording – a hip-hop record label co-founded by Simmons in 1984.
The woman alleged that Simmons wrestled her down to his bed despite her telling him to “get off” and “stop” several times, read a civil complaint.
Usher was slammed on social media after users saw the photos of his visit.
“While people were defending Usher all weekend he was in Bali with Russell Simmons…big yikes!” wrote one person on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Usher was hanging with Russel Simmons??” asked another person.
A third wrote, “Usher taking pics with Russell Simmons and making them public was definitely a choice. No way he’s oblivious to those allegations.”
“Usher ain’t never gonna beat the allegations!” wrote another person. “He should’ve not been in Bali with Russell Simmons.”
DISTURBING CLAIMS
Simmons was previously accused of đâŻđual assault in 2017 during the height of the Me Too movement.
In the past five years, he has faced allegations of đâŻđual misconduct by at least a dozen women.
The documentary On the Record was released in 2020 and went into detail about the allegations made against him.
Because of the accusations, Simmons stepped down from his leadership role in Def Jam Recording in December 2023.
He apologized for his behavior but notably denied any serious wrongdoing.
“I’ve never been violent to anybody,” he said in an interview last year on In Depth with Graham Bensinger.
“Of course, I’ve been insensitive, but certainly never been forceful in any of my relationships, all of which I’ve had have been consensual,” he said.
Simmons also claimed to have slept with “thousands” of people over the years and “was in so many compromising situations that people can have a recollection from 30 or 40 years ago, and it can be different from my recollection.”
Jane Doe came forward after learning there were other victims, according to the civil complaint.
“When Ms. Doe learned about the accounts of the other survivors, she was struck by how similar they were to her own horrible experience at the hands of Mr. Simmons,” the suit read.
The alleged assault affected her career, her attorneys said.
“She was proud of her contributions to the burgeoning musical genre of hip hop, but her hard work and her career in music were disrupted and derailed by Mr. Simmons, a rich and powerful celebrity whose wealth and influence allowed his abusive behavior to go unchallenged for decades,” said Kenya Davis and Sigrid McCawley.
“Now a successful writer and producer in the entertainment industry, Jane Doeâs traumatic experiences with Simmons echo those of so many other women who he has preyed upon for decades.”
Doe said she was “forever changed” by the violence allegedly inflicted on her and she has since suffered from depression and anxiety.
Her civil complaint has been filed with the Southern District Court of New York and the case remains ongoing.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Usher’s reps for comment.
Simmons has been in Bali ever since the accusations were made publicCredit: Instagram/unclerush
Usher was slammed on social media after users saw the photos of his visit to BaliCredit: Getty
