Russell Simmons Sued for Defamation by Former Def Jam Exec Drew Dixon
variety.comJem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Just two days after Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons was sued for rape by a former Def Jam executive, he was hit on Thursday with another lawsuit for a former employee, Drew Dixon, who has leveled claims of sexual assault against him in the past.
She is suing Simmons for defamation for calling her a “liar” after she made those statements, according to court documents filed Thursday and obtained by Variety; the lawsuit was first reported by Rolling Stone.
Dixon, who worked as a Def Jam A&R executive from 1993 until 1995, filed suit in New York on Thursday and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
The comment in question came in a December interview with Simmons in which he disputed the definitions of harassment and sexual assault, saying “Yeah, [rape is] a serious word, but I think they’ve changed the meaning.” He further suggested that his accusers could be “thirst[ing] for fame” and said that all of his relationships had been consensual.
Read more on variety.com
