Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons says he's
a big fan of rappers who “say something that's meaningful.”
“I want artists to tell the truth,”
Simmons told Larry King during an appearance on Larry King Now.
“But I'm also a fan of social activists who are rappers. Public
Enemy was my big example from Def Jam days.”
“Say something that's meaningful in
terms of social – because I'm involved in many political and social
and philanthropic causes. And gay rights has been a big deal for me.
I've always been a big supporter of gay rights.”
Same Love, Macklemore's fourth
single from their 2012 album The Heist, talks about gay
marriage. The hip hop duo performed the track live at the 56th
Grammy Awards, where Macklemore won four awards including Best New
Artist, Best Rap Album (The Heist), Best Rap Song and Best Rap
Performance (Thrift Shop).
“So, when I heard that record [Same
Love], I was thrilled. And I'm a big fan of Macklemore's,”
Simmons said.
When King asked Simmons to weigh in on
the controversy that Macklemore won at the Grammys because he's
white, Simmons answered: “[expletive] no. I think they just like …
He's easy to digest.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)