Tidal & Revolt Pull Russell Simmons Podcast After Social Media Outcry

Tidal and Revolt TV have pulled an episode of the podcast and video series Drink Champs featuring Russell Simmons, the Def Jam co-founder and hip-hop mogul who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by 20 women, following an outcry on social media. On the episode, hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN were joined by Simmons, Marc Lamont Hill, Talib Kweli, Mysonne, and Bun B to discuss Black Lives Matter, the Wrap reports.

Writer and activist Sil Lai Abrams, who has accused Simmons of rape and was recently featured in the HBO Max documentary On The Record, publicly called out Tidal, which is owned by Jay-Z, and Revolt, which was founded Puffy, over the episode. "What in the entire hell are Jay Z and TIDAL doing by giving Russell Simmons a platform to discuss #BlackLivesMatter? Why do people continue to give him a pass?" she tweeted.

"There is *absolutely* an underground movement by powerful Black men in music to help Russell avoid accountability and whitewash his legacy," she continued. "Jay Z and Puff won’t stand up for Russell via public statements but they are still rape apologists. By quietly giving him an unchallenged voice on their media platforms they make a huge statement: Black survivors of sexual violence are an irrelevant casualty of hip hop."

Following the backlash, Tidal and Revolt both pulled the episode, and social media posts promoting it have been deleted. Drink Champs co-host N.O.R.E. apologized for having Simmons on, tweeting, "so I apologize for me not being fully aware of what was going on!!! I just wanted to put black men together who are powerful for a powerful convo !!! Moving forward I will be more aware of guests and who and how they are presented !!!"

Temple University professor and BET News host Marc Lamont Hill, who was also a guest on the episode, said he wasn't informed that Simmons would be on the show and requested that his portions not air. "I had NO IDEA he was scheduled. I would NEVER have appeared if I had known," he tweeted. "During Russell’s 20ish minutes on the show, I was texting the producers telling them that I was not comfortable with his presence and asking to wrap. After the show, I expressed my frustration with what happened. I also asked them not to air Russell’s portions."

"When the show was aired, Russell was not on it," Hill continued. "I assumed that my request was honored. Today, I see a Part 2 was posted with his commentary included. I am beyond disappointed that this is the case. I stand with, and fully believe, the women who have come forward about Russell’s sexual violence. I am sorry that I shared space with someone who has caused such harm without accountability. Although I had NO IDEA he’d be on, I am nonetheless deeply sorry that I was a part of it."