While touting an inspirational message about entrepreneurialism, the godfather of hip-hop addresses those pesky down-low rumors and the allegations made by phony homo-emcee Caushun, who claims Simmons' estranged wife is a closeted lesbian

RUSSELL DOES DALLAS: Spreading his eloquent gospel of success and happiness, Simmons stops at the Barnes & Noble at the Preston Royal Shopping Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Why is Def-Jam founder Russell Simmons talking to a gay newspaper? Isn't he aware of the scandal that broke a few weeks ago about Caushun, the gay rapper who was exposed as a fraud?

"What?" Simmons laughs during a phone interview earlier this week. "Um I don't know how to respond."

In 2003, a New York-based rapper began generating serious buzz. Caushun (pronounced Caution) was a stage name taken by Jason Herndon, a gay hairstylist who once appeared on "America's Next Top Model." Soon reports surfaced that Russell's now-estranged wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, was going to sign Caushun to her Baby Phat record label. Then came heaps of press: features in The Advocate, Newsweek, London Observer and The New York Times.

But the debut album, "Shock and Awe" slated to drop during Pride Month of 2003 never surfaced. That's because Caushun was a hoax: a J.T. LeRoy for the hip-hop community.

Last month, Caushun's "manager," Ivan Matias, told Allhiphop.com that he wrote and performed all of Caushun's material. It all began as a joke. Matias, a straight dude, called into a radio station and pretended to be a flamingly gay rhyme-spitter. He cut some demos and then recruited Herndon to play the public figure. Last year, the ruse began to unravel when Herndon began facing charges of identity theft and grand larceny.

But the story doesn't end there.

Now the blogosphere is replete with unsubstantiated reports that Herndon and Matias are shopping a book titled "The Gay Superhead." This tell-all apparently chronicles Caushun's wave of publicity, and promises to expose Kimora Lee's alleged sexual affair with a woman and Russell's alleged sexual affair with a male record executive.

As I explain the sordid tale to the super-mogul, the strange details sink in and Simmons begins piecing together a response.

"Well, being told that I'm gay is nothing new. But I always thought Caushun was a dope rapper. Kimora wanted me to help him put out a demo. He was a nice enough guy. Now he wants to " Simmons drifts off. "Whatever, man. If you talk to Caushun, tell him for me that God loves him."

Since Simmons is talking to a gay newspaper, I bring up another tidbit: that the New York Post and Vibe.com says Simmons lost his Blackberry at a fashion show last year and the device is being held for ransom because it contains "steamy" messages supposedly between Simmons and another guy.

"Oh, man," Simmons exasperates. "Which came first? Me losing my Blackberry after being single for a year-and-a-half or Caushun trying to expose me for being gay? Don't drag me into an interview that's lower than my person a catty-ass he-said, she-said I believe gay people deserve dignity," Simmons says.

"Caushun doesn't mean nothing to me. He's not worth it. Essentially he wants to make himself famous. I thought he was a good rapper," Simmons continues. "Listen, I'm not gay. If I was, I would have the gift of another burden, and I would probably be instantly out. I fight for gay rights all the time. How about that?"

He's right.

Simmons just released "Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success" (Gotham, Penguin Audio). Surprisingly straightforward, the book melds an awesome motivational-spiritual message aimed to inspire indie entrepreneurialism. With an Oprah-like approach, Simmons built the first hip-hop empire that began with the successes of Run-D.M.C. and The Beastie Boys. And throughout his book, Simmons repeatedly disses homophobia with all the other institutions of hate that bring society down.

"Hip-hop is not music's most homophobic genre. It's music's most honest genre," Simmons explains.

"I know that 50 Cent is perceived as a homophobe. But if you asked him about gay marriage, I'd bet you 10-to-1, he'd approve. And if you asked Ludacris, he'd say the same thing," Simmons continues. "Rap is an expression of what we see. These artists are simply expressing the homophobia that's in our society. Are rappers as violent as our government? No. Are the gangster rappers as gangster as our government? Hell no."

Simmons also explains that when rap artists use the word "faggot," it doesn't automatically refer to a gay person.

"I'm not excusing them. But "'nigger' doesn't always mean an uneducated, low-class, less-than-human person. I hear it in context," Simmons explains. "Unfortunately, however, there are not enough songs about the struggles of gay people."

True dat.

So let's put the vision contained in "Do You!" to the test. Can Simmons' "12 Laws" be applied to an openly gay hip-hop star who wants to achieve major mainstream success?

Actually, Simmons has already tried.

"I'm sorry Caushun didn't make it and we couldn't find any support for him. I heard him rap. But I don't do the gimmick thing," Simmons remembers. "If he's gay and he's rapping, I told him to be honest that stuff about cumming in the mouth and blah, blah, blah I asked him, "'Why do you have to be all about that shit?"

He encouraged Caushun to be a dignified voice for the gay community.

"He had songs about bullshit. About low energy. I said, "'Don't talk about that. Talk about your real struggles about coming up gay and people treating you differently and how it made you feel. Inspire gay people to be stronger. Other than that, I said his work was bullshit and that I didn't want to fuck with him," Simmons says. "And you know what? He did write some songs like that following my direction. But that was the end of it."

And Caushun isn't the only gay project Simmons has considered. He was hit up to do a reality show about gay rappers. And MTV said they'd green light the show if Russell Simmons branded the project.

"But most of the energy was just low. I told them they had to give the show an upbeat slant. Listen, I don't do reality shows with dirt," Simmons says.

"The first openly gay rap superstar should be like my friend Herb Ritts, who was a source of pride for the gay community. Just like all the gay people who go to work every day and do a good job. The people who beat up on the burden. Who are bigger than the burden and stronger than the burden. They're a great inspiration to me," Simmons says.

While Simmons turns down more TV offers there was one that he accepted. He appeared as himself on the second season of "The L Word." Coincidentally, the scene he had involved Dallas-raised actress Sarah Shahi, who plays Carmen, a DJ and spicy-hot Latina.

"The girl who busted her ass when I walked into her trailer?" Simmons laughs. "Yeah, when I first met her, she had just farted in her trailer."

That's her. Shahi publicly joked that it was one of the most embarrassing moments of her professional career.

"Later someone gave me her e-mail address and it was something like stinkyfarts.com. She's crazy," Simmons laughs.

Since he knows that Shahi hails from Dallas, Simmons asks if I have her phone number.

Now that his heterosexuality is practically certified, would it be unimaginable for Russell Simmons admit that he could be sexually attracted to another guy?

"Well, I'm 49 years old, and all these years it just hasn't occurred to me. It's not unimaginable. Not for me. Shit, I read that I'm gay all the time. That ain't nothing," he says. "They say Eddie Murphy is gay. And they said Prince was gay."

Maybe rap's first superstar won't be a man. Just like in professional sports, maybe it will be a woman who's at the height of her career who'll come out of the closet. Maybe someone like Queen Latifah.

"Queen Latifah is one my kid's godmother. Wait, right? I know Tyra Banks is one of my kid's godmothers and I'm pretty sure that Queen Latifah is the other," Simmons says. "I've known Queen Latifah for a long time. I never got a lesbian vibe "

Say what?

Does Russell Simmons honestly believe that if Queen Latifah came out as a lesbian that anyone would be surprised?

"Fuck if I know. I don't know who is gay unless they make a pass at me," he says. "In the press, everyone has been gay so much, how would I know who's really gay."


Sucker Emcee WHO WAS CAUSHUN?

Even now the details are sketchy. In 2003, the Brooklyn-based rapper Caushun, pictured, said he wanted to be hip-hop's homosexual Jackie Robinson complete with gay twang and flippy wrists. Newspapers were also saying he was a celebrity hairstylist for J-Lo and Rosie O'Donnell. At best, Caushun was an assistant to celebrity hair-god Oscar Blondie.

Some Web sites are reporting that GLAAD gave Caushun an award, but that's completely false. There are gay rappers out there. And Dallas Voice just found out that queer white-boy rapper Cazwell booked a gig at Minc Lounge on July 21.


WELL WORTH THE READ

Russell Simmons is a fearless author. His "Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success" is a refreshing motivational title. Pulling no punches, Simmons weaves a candid tale about having a dream and doing whatever it takes to follow it. Even if you don't get paid.

He also doles out financial advice and tells readers to look past the bling of hip-hop culture, to become homeowners and most importantly to give back. The most powerful man in hip-hop quotes Gandhi and the Bhagavadgitha, and preaches about the power of yoga. He's a vegetarian and a non-partisan Bush hater who has the ears of Colin Powell and Arnold Schwarzenegger. And Simmons loves going on Bill O'Reilly and Hannity & Colmes to hash out his message.

Is a career in hip-hop politics next?

Simmons holds a book singing and discussion at Barnes & Noble, 616 Preston Royal Shopping Center. June 13 at 7 p.m. 214-363-0924.



This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, June 8, 2007.