Inside Russell Simmons' Intriguing Family Saga with Ming Lee and Aoki Lee Simmons: Unveiling the Untold Drama

Russell Simmons found himself embroiled in a heated conflict with his two daughters, Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons, which began with a Father's Day incident and escalated into a full-blown social media feud.

The rift between the family members emerged in June 2023 when Ming Lee publicly honored her mother, Kimora Lee Simmons, on Father's Day, indirectly criticizing her father in the process. (Kimora and Russell tied the knot in 1998 but divorced in 2009, and they share two daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, born in 2000 and 2002, respectively.)

Russell turned to Instagram after the diss, sharing a mysterious quote that insinuated Kimora's involvement in the strained relationship with his two daughters. The message conveyed, "Instead of suggesting fathers should have put in more effort to see their children, perhaps we should question why mothers made them fight in the first place."

Aoki Lee responded to the allegations made by the Def Jam founder the following day by sharing a series of intense text messages and video chats with her father, which have since been removed. She expressed concern for her father's mental well-being, stating that he has been in need of help for years but refuses to acknowledge it. Aoki Lee also revealed instances of her father's threatening and bullying behavior towards her sister and grandmother. She mentioned how he has even harassed her grandmother late at night despite her poor health, and once sent a man to her sister's apartment at 2 a.m. to intimidate her. Aoki Lee emphasized that her father's anger is directed towards anyone who does not blindly support him, and she made it clear that the situation is far from being okay.

Kimora defended her daughters when Aoki Lee accused the entrepreneur of verbally abusing them. She took to her Instagram Story to assertively respond, stating, "Stop targeting my children. It is futile to blame the only caregiver and parent in the household for one's own failures and embarrassments. This narrative is over. Finished. Done."

"The founder of Baby Phat persistently addressed her ex-husband, while subtly alluding to the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct that were exposed in 2018. (Russell, on his side, has refuted these accusations.)

"This repetitive pattern of abuse. You manipulate the world and mistreat women without remorse. Your constant threats, lies, intimidation tactics, and maneuvers are disheartening. Please put an end to it. Are you not concerned about your own child? This has gone too far."

Russell publicly took to Instagram to offer a heartfelt apology to Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, after being called out by his daughters and ex-wife.

In his message, he acknowledged that facing challenges is a part of life's journey, and reassured his daughters that they have the strength to overcome these obstacles. He reminded them of the lessons he imparted to them throughout their childhood, urging them to recall the importance of "smiling and breathing." Russell emphasized that they have a vital role as observers in this world, and encouraged them to let go and find peace, as God guides and shapes them. Expressing deep remorse for his frustration and outbursts, he assured his daughters that his love for them is unconditional and surpasses even his love for himself.

Keep scrolling to see a breakdown of Russell’s drama with his daughters:

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Russell Simmons’ Family Drama With Daughters Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons: Everything to Know

Russell Simmons found himself embroiled in a dramatic dispute with his two daughters, Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons, which began with a Father's Day snub and escalated into a heated exchange on social media.

The tension within the family emerged in June 2023 when Ming Lee took to social media to honor her mother, Kimora Lee Simmons, on Father's Day, subtly casting a shadow over her relationship with her father. (Kimora and Russell were married from 1998 to 2009 and share two daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, born in 2000 and 2002 respectively.)

Russell resorted to Instagram after the diss to express his sentiments, where he shared a mysterious quote insinuating that Kimora was the cause behind the strained bond he had with his two daughters. The message conveyed a thought-provoking statement, urging society to shift their focus from criticizing fathers for not fighting harder to see their children, and instead question why mothers make it necessary for them to fight in the first place.

Aoki Lee responded to the claims made by the Def Jam founder the following day. She released a series of intense text messages and video chats with her father, although they have since been removed. In a now-deleted video, she expressed concern for her father's mental state, stating that he has been refusing to accept help despite not being himself. She also revealed that he has threatened and bullied her sister and grandmother, as well as harassed her grandmother late at night while she is in poor health. Aoki Lee further disclosed that her sister had been frightened by a man who was sent to her apartment at 2 a.m. He tends to lash out at anyone who doesn't reassure him, and Aoki Lee emphasized that things are not fine.

Kimora immediately stepped in to protect her daughters when Aoki Lee accused the entrepreneur of subjecting them to verbal abuse. Taking to her Instagram Story, Kimora fiercely defended her children, emphasizing that attacking the only caregiver and parent in the household, both the mother and the kids, in order to deflect from one's own failures and embarrassments, was completely unfounded and irrelevant.

The founder of Baby Phat continued to criticize her former husband, alluding to the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct that were revealed in 2018. (Russell, on his side, has denied these accusations.)

"This is the same abusive behavior. This is how you navigate through life, mistreating both the world and women who surround you. Your threats, lies, intimidation tactics, and manipulative maneuvers are truly disheartening. I implore you to cease these actions. Are you not concerned about your own family? It's time to put an end to this."

Russell publicly expressed his apology to Ming Lee and Aoki Lee on Instagram, responding to the concerns raised by his daughters and ex-wife. He acknowledged that facing challenges is a part of personal growth and emphasized the importance of resilience. Russell urged his daughters to draw upon the lessons he had taught them throughout their childhood, specifically highlighting the significance of maintaining a positive attitude and taking deep breaths. He reassured them that they have the ability to observe and navigate the world around them, and encouraged them to let go and find peace, as God guides and shapes them. Russell sincerely apologized for his moments of frustration and raised voice, emphasizing that his love for them is unconditional and surpasses his love for himself.

Keep scrolling to see a breakdown of Russell’s drama with his daughters:

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Father’s Day Snub

Ming Lee kickstarted the unfolding drama by honoring her mom on Father's Day. She took to her Instagram Story, sharing a heartwarming throwback picture of herself and her mother strutting down the runway at a Baby Phat fashion show, with the caption "Happy Father's Day."

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Russell Simmons Fires Back

Following Ming Lee's post, the music producer took to social media to express his emotions, leaving a mysterious message that hinted at Kimora's influence on his strained bond with their children.

“Stop telling fathers they should have fought harder to see their children and start asking mothers why he had to fight at all,” the quote read.

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Heated Text Messages

Aoki Lee recently shared a series of text messages on social media, although they have since been deleted. These messages were from her father, Russell, in response to his cryptic quote. In the messages, Russell confronted his daughter for not mentioning him on social media and accused Kimora of taking both money and the love of their children, as she had promised.

Furthermore, Aoki Lee claimed that her father threatened her career, stating that she would never be able to secure a fashion job again if she spoke out. She also alleged that her father insisted no one would believe her if she were to come forward with her accusations against him. Aoki Lee then explained to her father that she had to block him because he was not respecting her personal boundaries. She also revealed that communicating with him was causing her extreme distress, resulting in panic attacks for which she required emergency medication.

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Intense Video Chat

Along with the text messages, Aoki Lee posted a screen recording of a video call with Russell who was visibly upset and getting emotional. The clip had no sound.

“This individual is unwilling to accept any form of assistance,” she wrote alongside the video. “The video provided is a single screen recording, and I apologize for not always remembering to press the ‘record’ button when he contacts my friends, my boyfriend, or anyone else, in order to have an opportunity to issue threats, use profanity, and behave erratically.”

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Kimora Lee Simmons Speaks Out

Kimora vehemently criticized her former spouse on Instagram Stories after Aoki Lee exposed the messages from her father. Expressing her deep regret, she revealed, "It pains me to resort to this, but this individual has crossed the line by endangering the lives of my children." She further asserted their unwavering determination to stand up against bullying, threats, and fear, emphasizing, "We refuse to be intimidated. Who cares?!" Kimora persistently condemned Russell's abusive behavior and urged him to cease all contact with them.

“You really thought Aoki (and Ming) would never have another opportunity and that you would destroy her (and them)?! Seriously?” she wrote. “This is a lesson for you — if people don't interfere with you, then they won't interfere with you. No hard feelings.”

Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock ; Courtesy of Ming Lee Simmons/Instagram

His Apology

"God is putting you to the test, but don't worry, stay strong," Russell expressed through his Instagram account later that same day. "These are what we call growing pains...as you know, we become stronger through facing challenges and difficulties...you have read my books and listened to my sermons throughout your entire childhood...go back to those old lessons and remember to 'smile and breathe' ️ 'smile and breathe'...you are the observers of this world...so let go...be at peace...God is in control and He is working on you ️. I deeply apologize for my frustration and raised voice...but know this...my love for you all is unconditional and surpasses my love for myself."