Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons attends the after party for the Gucci, Cinema Society & the Film Foundation screening of ‘La Dolce Vita’ at the Top of The Standard Hotel on June 1, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Known around the globe as a hip-hop pioneer, Russell Simmons’ passion for breaking new talent, particularly among urban youth, is well-documented and well-respected. What largely flies under the radar, though, is his patronage of the arts in all forms, from the turntable to the easel, and his belief in the transformative effect that exposure to culture and having artistic outlets can have on the lives of urban youth.