Russell Simmons And Kimora Lee Simmons Age Difference
Matthew Wilson
Updated on January 04, 2026
Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons age difference is 18 years. Russell was 35 and Kimora was 17 when they started dating.
Entrepreneur and record executive Russell is back in the hot seat after his daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, opted to celebrate mom Kimora instead of their dad on Father’s Day.
The celebration led to a messy back and forth for the Simmons family.
“Happy Father’s Day,” Ming Lee Simmons wrote on her Instagram Story on June 19, sharing a picture of herself with her mom walking the runway during a Baby Phat fashion show.
Following this, Simmons took to his social media handle to post a message that implied that his ex was the reason behind his troubled relationship with his girls.
Aoki responded to her dad’s post by sharing a series of heated texts between her and her father the day before. She also released an emotional clip explaining the drama on her IG.
Kimora, for her part, stood by her girls’ side throughout the drama. She even shared the messages and clips on her respective social media.
Russell Simmons And Kimora Lee Simmons Age Difference
Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons age difference is 18 years. Kimora was just 17 when she met Russell who was 35 years old.
The model was born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri, as Kimora Lee Perkins. She grew up in the northern St. Louis suburb of Florissant, where she was a frequent target of bullying.
Because of her multiethnic background (born to a Japanese-Korean mother and African-American father) and height (5’10” by age 10), she struggled to find confidence.
When she reached 11, her mom enrolled her in modeling classes to bolster her confidence.
Speaking of Russell, he was born on October 4, 1957, in the Hollis neighborhood of NYC’s Queens borough. He grew up alongside his two brothers -Daniel Simmons Jr. and Joseph Simmons.
Over the years, there have been conflicting reports about whether or not the record executive began dating Lee when she was underage.
“She turned 18 right after I met her February fashion week,” he explained in a now-deleted comment to a fan who said Perkins was underage.
“Tyra Banks (our bridesmaid) Cindy Crawford Naomi were all backstage at the Mary McFadden show they said I was a modelizer and that I wasn’t gonna stick around,” he added.
After realizing that he mentioned that they met in February, he clarified his statement confirming she was 17 when they met and noted her mom and manager approved their relationship.
“We got to know each other by May. She was legal at 17, But she turned 18 that May,” Russell Simmons wrote.
How old was Kimora when she married Russell?
The pair married on December 20, 1998, when Simmons was 41 years old and Lee was 23 years old. The two tied the knot on the island of Saint Barthelemy.
In March 2006, the entrepreneur announced that he and his wife had ended their relationship -nearly eight years after marriage.
The former couple officially divorced in January 2009, when Simmons was 52 and Lee was 34.
Kimora Lee Simmons Kids Ages
Kimora Lee Simmons kids ages are Ming – 23, Aoki – 20, Kenzo – 14, and Wolfe – 8. She welcomed her child, Gary, by adoption when he was 10.
The model shares her two daughters, Ming and Aoki, with her ex-husband Simmons, her son Kenzo with model Djimon Hounson, and her son Wolfe with investment banker Tim Leissner.
Ming Lee Simmons
Born on January 21, 2000, Ming is 23 years old. The eldest of five siblings has decided to pursue modeling just like her mother.
“I grew up on the runway, walking with my mom and sister at the end of every Baby Phat show during fashion week in New York,” the aspiring model told W Magazine in 2017.
Aoki Lee Simmons
Aoki was born in 2002. She is 20 years old and celebrates her birthday on August 16.
The second child and daughter of Lee and Simmons is also pursuing a career in modeling. Lee made her runway debut last year for Pyer Moss Paris Couture.
Kenzo Lee Hounsou
Born in 2009, Kenzo is 14 years old. The only child of Lee and Hounsou celebrates his birthday on May 30.
Three months after his birth, the model shared that his name means “third and wise” in Japanese, People reported.
Wolfe Lee Leissner
Wolfe was born to Lee and Leissner on April 10, 2015. He is 8 years old.
Speaking to People about Wolfe’s birth, the model said his birth was the most challenging of her four.
Gary Lee Foster
Lee welcomed Gary by adoption in January 2020, when he was 10 years old. He was born on October 14, 2009, and is 13.
The mother of five’s decision to adopt a child had always been a thought in her mind. She had previously vocalized her desire to do so.
How Much Did Russell Simmons Pay In Child Support?
Simmons agreed to pay $40,000 per month in child support for his kids. The monthly payments were $20,000 for each child until the youngest reaches the age of 19.5.
Music mogul Simmons and model Lee remained married for nearly a decade before separating in March 2006.
“Kimora and I will remain committed parents and caring friends with great love and admiration for each other,” Simmons told People Magazine in a statement at the time.
The fashion designer filed for divorce in March 2008, two years after their split, citing irreconcilable differences.
Lee requested full legal and physical custody of their daughters, requesting Simmons gets reasonable child visitation to be accompanied by the kids’ nanny and security personnel.
Their divorce was finalized in January 2009. The following month in February, Simmons agreed to pay $20,000 per month for each daughter in child support until they turn 19.5.
He also agreed to give them each a new car worth at least $60,000, when they are old enough to drive.
Despite shelling out nearly $500,000 annually, the hip-hop mogul was reportedly satisfied with the arrangement, which required him to shell out $480,000 a year.
