Kimora Lee Simmons Changes Her Name Amid Legal Ordeal

BY Zachary Horvath
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HollyRod 2023 DesignCare Gala
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 15: Kimora Lee Simmons attends the HollyRod 2023 DesignCare Gala at The Beehive on July 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
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Kimora Lee Simmons is looking for a reset so she's making a name change that she feels will impact her business ventures in a positive way.

Kimora Lee Simmons is moving on and looking towards the future. The reality TV star and fashion designer is doing by making a name change. According to numerous outlets like Complex, the 50-year-old is dropping the Simmons surname both for personal and business reasons.

It's a reset that hopes to bring some newfound "clarity" amid what's been a difficult stretch as of recently. "Kimora’s decision to change her name legally—back to Kimora Lee—is rooted in a commitment to clarity and ownership," a statement reads.

Gold House 4th Annual Gold Gala
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Kimora Lee Simmons attends Gold House 4th Annual Gold Gala at The Music Center on May 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Olivia Wong/WireImage)

It then touches on those issues and what she says are fallacies about her in the news. "She is no stranger to controversy. Recently, The New York Post published an article based on a flawed premise and full of inaccuracies. That piece has since been quietly revised on multiple occasions in an attempt to evade accountability."

Russell Simmons & Kimora Lee Celsius Lawsuit

Argyleculture By Russell Simmons - Front Row & Backstage - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 05: (L-R) Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons attend Argyleculture By Russell Simmons during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Helen Mills Event Space on September 5, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

In addition, "She has threatened to sue—and is suing others—in order to combat bad deals and dishonest attempts to bully and extort her out of what has always been rightfully hers. Her focus remains on protecting her family, building a legacy, and moving forward with grace and power."

Lee's statement ends with a sense of great optimism. "While some areas of her business and brand portfolio will reflect this evolution, she welcomes the transition as an opportunity to move forward with greater intention and cohesion."

We will see if Russell Simmons has anything to say about this. They are already in a fierce lawsuit against one another, with him suing his ex-wife. He accused Kimora of conspiring with her estranged husband, Tim Leissner, to fraudulently transfer around four million Celsius shares to cover Leissner’s legal expenses.

Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs banker, plead guilty in connection to the 1MDB scandal. He admitted to stealing millions and participating in a global fraud scheme. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison.

About The Author
Zachary Horvath is one of the Music Freelance News Writers at HotNewHipHop and has held that title since August 2023. Prior to this position, he held another freelance gig covering local high school football, girls and boys varsity basketball, in addition to recapping Cleveland Cavaliers games remotely. He's taken the previous experience and used it to become a jack of all trades at HotNewHipHop. Zach has thoroughly enjoyed tackling some of the trending topics in sports, with a larger focus on hip-hop and pop culture. Some of those include Bronny James's draft stock, a multitude of angles swirling around the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, as well as Diddy's arrest and lawsuits. Separate from the headlines that everyone wants to hear about, he was fortunate enough to help spread Zaytoven's current thoughts at the time around mid-December in 2023. Even though being able to give his expertise on these stories is fulfilling, being able to share his passion for releases trumps that ever so slightly. Having the chance to express his excitement indirectly about what he thinks our readers should be checking out/revisiting grows his passion for writing that much more.

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