Russell Simmons

Spend any time with Russell Simmons and you'll see why early on he was nicknamed "Rush." He talks faster than most Web sites take to load-frequently digressing into tangents-and does so constantly. He's a master at the walk and talk. As he glides down the hallways of his richly appointed Manhattan headquarters, wearing all of his own designs (of course), the ever-present cell phone and earpiece in his ear, assistant trail behind him updating him on missed calls, appointments, and upcoming commitments. When he actually does sit down, he simultaneously bounces his knees, types into his BlackBerry, and juggles phone calls on topics as diverse his next fashion collection, yoga sutras, and rap lyrics with dizzying speed and precision. Though now in his fifties, he still spends days making deals, doing press, and contorting his body into complicated yoga poses with the fervor of someone half his age. It is this journey from an average kid from Hollis, Queens, to the very definition of the modern entrepreneur.

Sometimes dubbed the "Godfather" or "Berry Gordy" of Hip Hop, Russell's success can be attributed to two intangible gifts: 1) the ability to successfully spot the trends within urban youth culture, and 2) the deft packaging and delivery of those urban youth culture trends to the mainstream. Or, as he says, "Get the kids in Compton talking to the kids in Beverly Hills." This uncanny ability to transform Hip Hop into pop culture has made him King of the Crossover. And while today it's no suprise-predictable even-when a successful black artist launches a label or clothing line or fragrance, the phenomenon originated in the uniqe way Hip Hop and Russell Simmons came to be.