In his new book Super Rich, Russell Simmons goes as far as to dedicate a chapter outlining how one meditates. He is a firm believer that meditation or “quiet time” can solve many problems throughout our country, in a variety of landscapes. He also says that even entertainers can benefit from the practice. He mentions Jerry Seinfeld and Howard Stern in the book as examples, and references Chris Brown as someone who could be an example.
“The other day I had a meeting with Chris Brown, the young R & B singer who unfortunately has become best known for the incident in which he hit his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna,” wrote Simmons. “While we were talking, I mentioned my meditation practice and Chris immediately expressed interest in learning TM himself.”
The mogul continued that he introduced Brown to his personal yogi, and believes that the practice will keep him grounded and, at peace, and focused. Simmons also contends that had the singer been exposed to meditation at an earlier age, the incident with Brown’s ex-girlfriend may not have transpired as traumatically.
Brown began the journey to redemption in the eyes of America’s mainstream in 2010 – slowly winning back fans through heartfelt performances at the B.E.T. Awards and climbing the charts with feel-good tracks like “Yeah 3X.” However Brown ended 2010 on a down note, once again issuing a public apology after sending out a number of racist and homophobic rants on Twitter to another young R & B singer.
So what happened to the meditation?
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Simmons called in to “The Ralphie Radio Show” to chat about his new book, the follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, Do You.
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“I haven’t spoken to Chris in quite a while,” Simmons revealed in an interview that aired on “The Ralphie Radio Show” Monday. “But, I’m hopeful… many celebrities are (practicing meditation), I bet a lot of talk show hosts are going to start talking more about it.”
Certainly if Brown were practicing the Transcendental Meditation Program, commonly referred to as “TM” – Simmons would be aware. Remember, it was “Uncle Rush” that introduced Chris Breezy to his yogi. Still – part of Simmons hope lies within the growing trend in meditation and its supporters.
“Meditation is becoming a trendy item again, like it was in the 60’s,” noted Simmons – who referenced The Beatles in early supporters of the movement. “That’s very good, because if we can get it in the schools, we can change the school systems dramatically.”
Simmons believes the formula is simple: “quiet time” leads to more focused students who live healthier life styles, perform improved on tests, and behave better in class. He points to a number of schools who have implemented this program as shining examples.
Super Rich, the follow-up to Simmons’ New York Times bestselling Do You, touches on more than meditation. Another point he drives home: give it until they need it. He points to the current business model in music, with artists such as Lil Wayne and even his nephew, Diggy Simmons, giving away free music to build a buzz – only to then set up an album that can sell successfully. Although teaching the basic concept of “Super Rich” (having it all without needing anything) to someone Diggy’s age could be difficult – Simmons credits his brother, Rev Run, with the 15 year-old’s upbringing.
“My brother’s pretty good at that, he’s a preacher,” said Simmons of his younger sibling. “These are good kids he’s raised; he’s done a tremendous job.”
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