Russell Simmons isn’t sweating his 21-year-old daughter Aoki Lee Simmons’ romance with a much older man.
Three days after photos surfaced of the model packing on the PDA with the 65-year-old restaurateur Vittori Assaf, the record executive told TMZ that he doesn’t plan to “kick and scream about her choices.”
“All I can do is offer my advice and unconditional love,” Russell, 66, said Monday.
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The rapper also subtly showed his support for his youngest child over the weekend with a pointed Instagram post.
As Aoki’s St. Bart’s touchy-feely vacation snaps with Assaf went viral on Friday, Russell reminisced on Father’s Day 2023.
“Throw back from last fathers day nyc …bode bikram yoga express class .. vegan lunch cryotherapy vitamin drip … all around amazing day ❤️,” the Def Jams co-founder wrote on Saturday.
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“@aokileesimmons love you always im always waiting for any call any time ❤️,” he concluded.
Russell shares Aoki and her 24-year-old sister, Ming Lee Simmons, with his ex-wife, Kimora Lee Simmons — and the Baby Phat creator, 48, has yet to comment on the controversial relationship.
Kimora did, however, hint at her unhappiness when she posted an Instagram Story video of a panda bear and her cub.
“On my last nerve right now!” she captioned the cryptic clip on Friday.
The former model has her own experience with age gaps in a relationship. She and Russell, who were married from 1998 to 2009, had 18 years between them.
As for Aoki, the Harvard University graduate appeared unfazed as she attended a Columbia Law School gala Sunday amid fans’ concern.
The model looked pretty in pink wearing a slinky dress paired with black boots — but did disable comments on Instagram photos from the event.
Before Page Six published exclusive shots of her loved-up trip with Assaf, she shared an Instagram Live from their travels.
Aoki asked the Serafina mogul, who was previously married to model Charlotte Bonstrom, about his “favorite” part of their getaway in the “disturbing” footage. He replied from offscreen, “You.”