Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee are Splitsville

One has to wonder if it's an April Fools Day hoax, but major news outlets, including the BBC, are reporting the news of the split between hip-hop and fashion moguls Russell Simmons and his wife, Kimora Lee Simmons. This separation at the pinnacle of American music and style royalty may be the first of its kind: Russell a seminal force in the early commercialization and spread of rap music and one of hip-hop's first true massively successful entrepeneurs; She a former model for Karl Lagerfeld and the ruling figurehead of Baby Phat, the spin-off brand from his Phat Farm clothing brand. If this isn't a prank on the part of the hip-hop power couple, then this is a split to which we want front-row, center seats. Will the divorce be messy? Bitter? Acrimonious? Will it be played out in the media in barrage after barrage of he-said she-said insults and gossip? Because the couples' business interests are so intertwined, how will their empire be divied up? Or, will there be a reconciliation? Or ... wait ... might this be the perfect opportunity for a new reality TV series? Stay tuned, kids.

Posted by Thurston Ali at April 2, 2006 03:09 AM