Aoki Lee Simmons' Relationship with Vittorio Assaf: The Impact of Estranged Father Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons blamed for daughter Aoki Lee's romance with Vittorio Assaf, 64

Aoki Lee, Vittorio Assaf and Russell Simmons Spread Pictures/MEGA / Bennett Raglin/WireImage

Aoki Lee Simmons is facing criticism for her relationship with Vittorio Assaf, a man 43 years older than her. Her father, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons, is being held responsible for the controversial romance.

During a recent vacation to St. Barts, photos of Aoki, 21, and 64-year-old restaurateur Vittorio Assaf showed them openly displaying affection, causing a stir worldwide.

The couple was seen kissing on a stunning beach in the Caribbean on Tuesday, April 2. Photos obtained by Page Six show the Serafina co-owner capturing pictures of the model posing in the sand. Afterward, they enjoyed a swim in the ocean together.

A source confirmed to People on Friday, April 5, that they are happily spending time together.

Aoki is the youngest daughter of music legend Russell, 66, and model and mogul, Kimora Lee Simmons, 48. Assaf, on the other hand, comes from Milan, Italy, and has been a well-known figure in the New York restaurant scene since founding Serafina Restaurant Group.

After photos of their affectionate display in public surfaced, fans expressed their disapproval, and even Aoki's mom Kimora seemed to show her disapproval of the relationship. She reposted a video (which has since been deleted) of a mother panda forcefully pulling her baby cub away with her teeth, along with the caption: “On my last nerve right now!”

Aoki Lee Simmons, 21, and Restaurateur Vittorio Assaf, 64,

Aoki Lee Simmons, 21, ‘loved up’ with Vittorio Assaf, 64, Spread Pictures/MEGA

Kimora’s ex-husband, Russell, had a different response. He shared a throwback photo of Aoki from June 2022 and expressed his "unconditional love" for her.

Russell remembered a great Father's Day they had together, just before a viral video surfaced showing him yelling at Aoki during a FaceTime call.

The music legend has shown support for his child by posting on Instagram, but this has also attracted criticism.

The entrepreneur, who has been living in Bali to avoid old sexual assault allegations, has bragged about dating younger women, including starting a relationship with his ex Kimora Lee when she was a teenager in the industry.

His enthusiastic posts about Aoki have received criticism from followers who have labeled him as an "enabler" and a "deadbeat dad" responsible for Aoki Lee's "daddy issues".

Russell Simmons received criticism on his social media post. One follower blamed him for enabling the behavior, pointing out that the man involved was his age. Another commenter held Russell accountable for the situation, calling it "insane."

You ran away to Bali after being accused of misconduct and left your daughter at a crucial age when she needs guidance. Now you are posting pictures of her, even though you and Aoki don’t even speak.

A third person wrote that these are textbook daddy issues for Aoki. They remember how you made her cry and then doubled down after it was made public. Now she has another daddy figure in her life. It’s time to stand back and reflect.

One person commented, "You should be outraged about this. Not posting sweet pics like you approve. She’s a grown woman yes, but this is blatantly a cry for help and her looking for an older man to guide her because you aren’t in her life."

Aoki’s family gained attention in June 2023 when her older sister, Ming Lee Simmons, shared a Father’s Day tribute to Kimora, without mentioning Russell.

Russell later posted on Instagram, suggesting that Kimora had meddled in his relationship with his children. He shared a quote that said, “Stop telling fathers they should have fought harder to see their children and start asking mothers why he had to fight at all.”

Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee, with daughters Ming (L) and Aoki (R) in 2005

Aoki later spoke up, disagreeing with Russell's statements. She publicly stated, "My father has not been well for years. He needs help but refuses to accept it. He won't acknowledge that he is not himself." Aoki shared this message in a now-deleted Instagram post, including screenshots of their previous conversations.

"He has threatened and bullied my sister, my grandma… He lashes out at ANYONE who does not say, ‘Ooh Russell everything is fine.’ Well it’s not fine."

Aoki even accused her father of verbal abuse, which Russell has denied. Kimora, for her part, fervently supported her daughter speaking out via her Instagram Story. Last September Aoki said she felt proud of how she handled her infamous public drama with her father earlier that year.

She told Teen Vogue that she didn't regret calling out her dad online. She felt that some of the information was already known, and she had valid reasons for sharing it because it was a situation that was silently unfolding.

Later that month, Russell issued a public apology to both Aoki and Ming, who are 23 years old. Through Instagram, he encouraged them to stay strong during the challenges they were facing, referring to them as growing pains. He reminded them to draw on the lessons he had taught them throughout their childhood and to remember to "smile and breathe" during tough times.

Aoki shared with Teen Vogue that she has found ways to deal with not having a close relationship with her dad. She mentioned meeting a celebrity who reassured her by saying, "I went through something similar when I was around 20, and it turned out okay."

Even though there has been public drama surrounding her family, Aoki believes they are just like any other family. However, she chose not to address the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against her father, which he has denied. In 2018, Russell faced accusations of assault from 18 women.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the controversial relationship between Aoki Lee Simmons and Vittorio Assaf, a man 43 years her senior. It exposes the criticism faced by both