Russell Wendell Simmons, born on October 4th 1957, is an American business magnate as the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label 'Def Jam' and creator of the clothing fashion lines 'Phat Farm', 'Argyleculture', and 'American Classics'. Def Jam became just one piece in Simmons' corporation, Rush Communications, Inc., which included a management company, a clothing company called Phat Farm, a movie production house, television shows such as Def Comedy Jam, a magazine and an advertising agency.  Simmons produced 'Def Poetry' an HBO television series which began as a television series on HBO, which presents performances by established spoken word poets, as well as up-and-coming ones. The show later branched into a Broadway live stage production in 2002. The up-and-coming component of Rush Communications, Inc. is the sneaker company 'Run Athletics', which was started in 2008, a company that produces both the legacy and Russell Simmons clothing line brand shoes.