Russell Simmons sued for alleged rape of ex-Def Jam executive

A former Def Jam Recordings music exec alleges co-founder Russell Simmons derailed her career after he raped her in the '90s.

Music mogul Russell Simmons has been sued by a former Def Jam Recordings executive who says the label co-founder raped her at his apartment in the mid-1990s.

The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit filed in New York federal court Tuesday, said her career in the music industry was "disrupted and derailed" by Simmons' alleged abusive behavior, which the suit claims went unchallenged for decades due to his wealth and influence.

"While at first Mr. Simmons and Ms. Doe had a professional working relationship, Mr. Simmons revealed his true colors and, through his assaultive behavior, disabled Ms. Doe's career at Def Jam, a job she loved, at the height of her success and financial viability," the complaint states.

Simmons co-founded Def Jam Recordings with Rick Rubin in the 1980s, solidifying the pair as pioneering figures in the hip-hop world. Jane Doe says she was working as a senior-level music executive at the label, leading the video production division through "rapid growth and expansion," when the alleged harassment began.

On one occasion, Doe says she went to Simmons' Manhattan apartment to get his approval of a music video, which she says was a common practice at the label. That time, however, Simmons' alleged continued sexual harassment — which she claims included him making innuendos, advances and following her around the office — escalated.