Prior To Signing With Def Jam, Montell Jordan Recalls An Odd Meeting With Russell Simons

Montell Jordan has said that his first meeting with Russell Simmons to consider joining Def Jam Recordings was quite the event.

The singer of “This Is How We Do It” detailed a lengthy night that began with a lonely supper at the Time Cafe among people like Warren G and Chris Rock in an interview with Vlad TV that was published on Thursday (December 1). He was eventually welcomed to Simmons’ apartment, but the music mogul didn’t give him a personal greeting there.

He says nothing to me, brother. It’s really embarrassing,” Montell added, pointing out that Russ had just occupied himself with a phone call while exercising on a treadmill. Then Rev Run appears out of nowhere! He gets comfortable on the couch and says, “Wassup?” Across the room, Russell exclaims, “That’s my rap singer!” Bro, I’m not bound by any contract at all. Russell claims that he was not paying attention to me.

Later, once the Run-DMC star has left and LL Cool J has appeared, Russell extends an invitation to the movies, but Montell was not seated next to him. Instead, a man by the name of “Dre” joined him in front of him. Montell was shocked that no one spoke anything as the couple “giggled like school girls” the entire time the movie was playing.

The evening came to a close in a strip club where, once more, Russell ignored him. But on the way, he had forced Montell to perform in front of Dre, who informed Russ, “I’d sign him.” She made the connection for her naïve boyfriend when he subsequently recanted the story to his girlfriend: she was with the late Andre Harrell, a significant figure in the Hip Hop industry.

Before Andre would ever sign a Hip Hop artist, Montell said, “he would take him to Russell.” And Russell would say, “Yeah, I’d do it. Russell wouldn’t sign in the R&B genre, for example, without Andre’s agreement.

“I got signed to Def Jam because Andre Harrell, God rest his soul, told Russell, ‘I’d sign him,’ and when he did that, that’s how I went back to L.A. and got my lawyer,” he continued. That’s how I ended up signing with Def Jam Records. Russell saw it because Paul gave it to him, but Andre gave it to him.”

Montell revealed a few years ago that after signing the deal in 1995, Russell was hesitant to release “This Is How We Do It,” the singer’s breakout hit and the label’s first No. 1.

“‘He’s a new artist,’ everyone said. “Every DJ is playing ‘This Is How We Do It,'” he recalled. “And we all agreed that ‘This Is How We Do It’ was the best option.” It was Def Jam’s first number one single. However, it overshadowed all of the other songs from that album that we attempted to release.”

Prior To Signing With Def Jam, Montell Jordan Recalls An Odd Meeting With Russell Simons

Montell Jordan has said that his first meeting with Russell Simmons to consider joining Def Jam Recordings was quite the event.

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