Russell Simmons News

The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research has announced that six-time GRAMMY winner and Multi-Platinum selling artist, Carrie Underwood will be honored at its 38th Annual Honors Gala on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 with the 2013 Artist Achievement Award. The gala will be held at the legendary Cipriani in New York. Underwood will join other honorees which include Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Marketing CITI (Spirit of Music Award), Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports (Humanitarian of the Year Award), John Sykes, President of Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises (Lifetime Music Industry Achievement Award) and Target Corporation (Spirit of Excellence Award). Celebrity performers and presenters will be announced throughout the summer.

Tonight, August 16, 2013, real R&B music takes center stage with a very sexy, very special performance by two time EMMY award winning violinist Damien Escobar. Bringing the ultimate fan experience for one night only to Toshi's Living Room in Manhattan, this New York Philharmonic virtuoso promises a show to remember.

Multi-platinum singer/songwriter Ne-Yo and his charity, the Compound Foundation are pleased to honor Academy award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. and celebrity photographer Johnny Nunez

On Friday, August 16, 2013, real R&B music takes center stage with a very sexy, very special performance by two time EMMY award winning violinist Damien Escobar.

FilmBuff has just announced their slate for films set for VOD release this month. Check out details, trailers, and dates for the movies below!

Armed with a trademarked style, incomparable delivery, impeccable comedic timing and a signature voice, comedian Chris Tucker brings his 2013 World Tour to the Fabulous Fox Theatre on October 5!

Universal Music Group (UMG) announced today that it has partnered with Russell Simmons, Brian Robbins and Steve Rifkind to launch All Def Music

Expert life coach Shanel Cooper-Sykes releases new mini-book titled 'Elevation,' to help women transcend their lifestyle to unprecedented new heights.

Russell Simmons PRESENTS STAND-UP AT THE EL REY regular, Mark Viera, will showcase his comedic routine at Comix at Foxwoods this July. From tonight, July 18 through July 20, Mark Viera will perform nightly at 8 p.m. on the Comix stage. On July 20, Viera will perform an additional late night show titled, 'Nasty Show with Mark Viera' at 10:30 p.m.

MC Lyte, one of Hip-Hop's pioneering and iconic leaders, is back with the buoyant new single, 'Cravin',' Lyte's first release for the Loudbox Entertainment/Sunni Gyrl Inc label and her first new single since 'Rhino Hi-Five' in 2007. The collaborative effort brings Lyte and the production team, The Natives / Loudbox Entertainment, together to forge soul and authenticity back into the foundation of Hip-Hop.

Milton 'Lil Rel' Howery, best known for finishing as a semi-finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing, will hit the Comix stage for the first time when he appears for three performances at 8 p.m. nightly from Thursday, August 29 through Saturday, August 31.

Chinese Theatres, LLC along with comedy producers Jeru Tillman and Chris Spencer, creator of the hit BET comedy, Real Husband's Of Hollywood, have partnered to create the new comedy club, Inside Jokes, which launches Friday, July 5 with Russell Simmons' Presents All Def Digital Comedy (A-D-D) inside the historic TCL Chinese 6 Theatres at the Hollywood and Highland Center.

On June 15th, 2013, EMMY Award winning violinist Damien “Dame” Escobar kicked off the summer by gracing the stage at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, raising $50K to help send underprivileged youth to summer camp.

Ahh, it's summertime. Coca-Cola and BET Networks are heating up the season for talented teens by offering an exclusive opportunity to perform with young hip-hop star Diggy on the No. 1 video countdown show on TV.

The David Lynch Foundation will launch its new performance division, DLF Live, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival today, June 15, 2013. DLF Live will harness the power of arts and creativity to bring meditation to at-risk communities. The launch will be marked by a screening of Meditation, Creativity, Peace, a documentary highlighting filmmaker David Lynch and his decades-long dedication to meditation and the arts. The screening is sponsored by the David Lynch Foundation (DLF) and will be hosted by James McCartney, musician and son of legend Paul McCartney and Bob Roth, Executive Director of DLF.

Below preview Vittorio J's just-released Kickstarter campaign video that imagines Marilyn Monroe and President John F. Kennedy in a provocative bedroom scene, with flavors of '50 Shades of Grey'. The screening of the controversial segment will take place at the site of Monroe's legendary appearance in 'The Seven Year Itch' today, June 5 at 2 p.m. (in front of 590 Lexington Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets). The creative team behind the project will discuss the Kickstarter campaign and development of the video, which features the Monroe doppelganger suggestively tied to a bed.

RUSSELL SIMMONS PRESENTS STAND-UP AT THE EL REY regular, Mark Viera, will showcase his comedic routine at Comix at Foxwoods this July. From July 18 through July 20, Mark Viera will perform nightly at 8 p.m. on the Comix stage. On July 20, Viera will perform an additional late night show titled, "Nasty Show with Mark Viera" at 10:30 p.m.

The David Lynch Foundation will launch its new performance division, DLF Live, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on June 15, 2013. DLF Live will harness the power of arts and creativity to bring meditation to at-risk communities. The launch will be marked by a screening of Meditation, Creativity, Peace, a documentary highlighting filmmaker David Lynch and his decades-long dedication to meditation and the arts. The screening is sponsored by the David Lynch Foundation (DLF) and will be hosted by James McCartney, musician and son of legend Paul McCartney and Bob Roth, Executive Director of DLF.

Carolines on Broadway, “America's Premier Comedy Nightclub,” announces its all-star line-up of talent for the month of May 2013, highlighted by headliners Donnell Rawlings, “Ashy Larry” from Comedy Central's “Chappelle's Show” and from MTV2's “Guy Code” and “Hip Hop Squares” and E!'s “Chelsea Lately,” May 2 – 5; Rob Stapleton, from Comedy Central's “Russell Simmons Presents: The Ruckus,” “Mike Epps Presents: Live from Club Nokia,” and the film, Death of a Dynasty,” Mothers' Day Weekend, May 10 – 12; Anthony Jeselnik, star of Comedy Central's “The Jeselnik Offensive” and from the Comedy Central Roasts of Charlie Sheen and Donald Trump, May 16 – 19; Tracy Morgan, from NBC's “30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live,” Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 – 26; and Jay Pharoah, from NBC's “Saturday Night Live,” May 30 – June 2.

On Monday evening, April 8th at the finale of Marty Richards' star-studded-sold-out Memorial to benefit his beloved New York Center For Children, which he co-founded with his wife Mary Lea Johnson Richards, Chita Rivera quieted the crowd to make an important announcement regarding the future of the American Theatre and the New York centric film and television's East Coast community. Dan Gallagher and Michael Milton, Mr. Richards' co-workers and right-hand visionaries for over fifteen years, have power-teamed with Producer/General Manager, Cheryl Dennis, to form the new Producer Circle Co. with offices in Manhattan.