Kimora Lee, 51, is reflecting on a warning she received from fellow model and friend Tyra Banks, 52, regarding her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, 68. Lee said that at 16 she was warned not to date Simmons.
While speaking with PEOPLE, Lee admitted hindsight is 20/20 as she recalls her rocky relationship with the music exec and Phat Farm mogul. She did so ahead of her new Lifetime documentary, ‘Kimora Lee: On Her Own,’ which premiered on Sunday (September 20).
In the documentary, the former supermodel and Baby Phat founder recalled her early modeling days and how her friend attempted to stop her from dating her ex-husband and children’s father.
Kimora Lee And Russell Simmons’ Tumultuous Relationship
The couple first met in November 1992, during New York Fashion Week, and shortly after that they began dating. In December 1998, the couple tied the knot in a private civil ceremony in Manhattan, New York. Days later, they had a non-denominational wedding ceremony in St. Barts. Simmons’ brother, Run-D.M.C.’s Reverend Run (Josesh Simmons) officiated it. Banks even ended up serving as a bridesmaid.
In January 2000, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Ming Lee Simmons, 26. In August 2002, they welcomed their second daughter, Aoki Lee Simmons, 24. Banks even serves as her godmother. By March 2006, the duo revealed they had separated, but were living in the same home and running their businesses together.
In March 2008, Lee officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Lee later claimed she was verbally, emotionally, and financially abused for much of their time together. Lee told PEOPLE:
“I didn’t even realize it was abusive until I started putting the pieces together. I was living in a time when those things were very normal, financial abuse or emotional abuse or whatever.”
By January 2009, the divorce was finalized and the couple have maintained a co-parenting relationship.
But before Lee and Simmons tied the knot, had kids, and got divorced, Lee now reveals Banks — whom she hasn’t spoke to in some years — attempted to intervene. In Lee’s documentary, she said:
“When I was doing the fashion shows, he would always be front row at the end, like standing up and so loudly clapping and cheering and doing all of these commotions. I definitely was like, ‘Who is the weird guy at the end of the runway?’ And then he would come backstage, and that’s weird. ‘You let these men come backstage — what are you doing? We’re changing.’ But that’s how it was. I was 16 years old when I met that man. He was 18 years older than me.”
Lee said she started to received large flower arrangements from Simmons. But fellow model and new friend Banks peeped his game from a mile away. Lee recalled, “I remember Tyra kept me in her apartment through the weekend trying to avoid me going home and checking my voicemail.”
Speaking with PEOPLE about the instance, Lee said:
“I felt a little bit like she was hating for sure, just because she was getting in my way and getting on my nerves. I’m sure he had already tried to date her and had gone through the whole thing with her and probably so many other girls. I’m sure this was a ritual. I thought she was a little bit hating, but just how a girlfriend would do. She was trying to protect me. I remember I went off with her that first weekend. I went to her house and spent the night like we often did and hung out. Back then you didn’t have a cell phone. You had to get home to get your messages. I just couldn’t get to my messages. But he did call… Even if the guy did the same thing to her like, ‘Oh well, what does she know?’ We think everything is going to be different. My time is going to be different. Or whatever crazy thing we think.”
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