Black Men, Watch the Russell Simmons Documentary

After months of controversy, ‘On the Record’ delivers a haunting #MeToo story that puts Black women first — but Black men were few and far between at its Sundance premiere

Still from ‘On The Record.’ Photo: courtesy of filmmakers

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“This emotional force keeps informing my mind, keeping me blind from the reality of what’s being done,” sings Lauryn Hill. “I keep playing the fool to help everyone.” The unreleased song, “Damnable Heresies,” is haunting and mournful — the perfect complement to play over the closing credits of the new documentary On the Record, which premiered Saturday night at the Sundance Film Festival.

The movie centers largely on former music executive Drew Dixon, one of at least 18 women— some of whom appear in the documentary — who have accused hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual misconduct and crimes, including assault and rape, dating back to the 1990s.

You’ve undoubtedly heard of Simmons but may not be familiar with Dixon, even after she came forward in late 2017. Which is exactly why Oscar-nominated filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering wanted to tell her story and why they stood behind the film…