Moguls Russell Simmons and Bill Cosby have been at odds with each other for years, ever since the two disagreed about Cosby’s infamous critiques concerning rappers and the black community. As Simmons now reveals, the legendary comedian threatened him at a recent awards ceremony after he tried to apologize and end their feud.
Simmons posted on his blog on globalgrind.com, a site he founded, that the incident occurred last week at the annual Jackie Robinson Awards Dinner, for which Cosby served as emcee.
While standing at the podium, presenting the “Renaissance Man of The Decade Award” to Diddy, Simmons attempted to apologize to Cosby.
“Anyhow, I wanted to find him to apologize, to tell him I was sorry about my statements and to tell him that I loved him,” wrote Simmons. “Suddenly I turned and he was behind the curtain and I said, ‘I love you,’ and he responded on some real hip-hop [stuff], ‘Get the f— out my face!’ ”
As Simmons also wrote in the blog, despite questioning whether Cosby fully understood the long-lasting effects that drugs, the
American prison system, and racism have had on today’s “suffering” black men, he understands why Cosby feels disappointed in the black community.
“I knew I had once said he was too judgmental of black folks, and especially rappers, but I also knew for sure that he had dedicated his life to the betterment of our people and I have come to understand his feelings that we and the next generation had let him down,” wrote Simmons, remorsefully. “We didn’t march through the doors he, Harry Belafonte and the Civil Rights Movement opened.”
According to Simmons, Cosby got in one last blow as the two crossed paths on stage.
“He walked by me and bumped me with his shoulder as I walked off stage after presenting my award to Sean, just like the cool a– character in Let’s Do It Again,’” wrote Simmons. “I then loved him even more …’cause I am those suffering men. And after that elbow I knew he was, too.”
What do you think of Simmons’ cold encounter with Cosby? –nicholas robinson
