Russell Simmons Quotations | Page 4

You don't expect a 94-year-old white guy to pick "Dope," which was an awesome movie not even close to being considered by the Academy. And that's what it's all about, like, promoting people who might not otherwise get promoted and celebrating people who might not get celebrated.

That was never my intention to compete with the Oscars.

The reason I got a break in Hollywood when I moved here a few years ago is my good buddy, who I was on the beach with when he was a publicist, is now the chairman of HBO.

I ask everyone - white Hollywood and black Hollywood - to get outside of your comfort zone and make friends. That's where they're going to learn from each other, and that's where they're going to make better movies and make Hollywood a better place.

I just try to, in my own way, contribute to making a better Hollywood, to move Hollywood to be a leader in social justice, as it always has been, and not to have any holes in their own backyard while they continue to push for equality and all the things that they always stand up for.

I applaud what the Oscars are doing to promote diversity. I think it's great.

I would like to employ more people but I don't want to empower my charities at the cost of exploiting people or doing things that are not useful, so I'm working on that.

I had too many businesses that are frivolous. I have enough. What interests me most is under-served communities. We need a new style of empowering these people, and new approaches.

Young people, when they're left alone, always want to have compassion, and they always want to give. They always want to help people who are less fortunate.

I don't eat anything that runs away from me.