Two of the 13 women who have accused Russell Simmons of sexual assault and rape recently paid a visit to Megyn Kelly Today to publicly speak out about their disturbing interaction with the former Def Jam CEO.
Actress Natashia Williams-Blach revealed that she never planned on coming out with her claims but decided against it after Russell denied the first allegations in which he mentioned his "spirituality."
“That was the main impetus to come forward because I followed this story when it emerged, and I wasn’t going to actually say anything at all. I was going to stay on the sidelined and just kinda watch this unravelling," she said. “He said, ‘How can I be a rapist when I’m a yogi and a vegan?’… There is a lot of good actions, good meaning and intentions but they become dirty by what he’s done in the darkness.”
Sherri Hines, who was part of the hip-hop group Mercedes Ladies, detailed her encounter with Russell where he pinned her down in his office. She told the audience how it all "happened so fast" and the next thing she knew her pants were down and he was having sex with her. She said how Russell knew Mercedes Ladies was a group of empowered women, and how he took advantage of the situation left her shocked.
“When he finished, I ran out of there and I left. I was crying… I just couldn’t believe I was just violated like that,” she said. “And more so that I felt embarrassed, I felt used, worthless and why I use those words, is because Russell knew how Mercedes Ladies, we went up against an all-male arena… He came to my home, and he met my mom, who was a single mom who had 10 kids she was raising… so for him to do this.”
Watch a clip from the show below.