Russell Simmons’ daughter Aoki Lee — who has been involved in a public fight with the fallen music mogul — looked like she didn’t have a care in the world while toasting her 21st birthday at the Southampton Arts Center Gala.
The “After Dark” portion of the gala doubled as an unofficial birthday celebration for Aoki, who got a shout out from her friend the host, young socialite Andrew Warren. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” as a parade of bottles and sparklers were brought to her table.
Aoki was at the event with her sister Ming Lee, 23, and danced with pals like oil heiress Ivy Getty, Damon Dash’s daughter Ava, model Emira D’Spain, Peter Brant Jr., reality stars Batsheva and Julia Haart, stylist Logan Horne, and Brooks and Meredith Marks.
Aoki and her sister have been in a heated battle with dad Russell on social media after Ming posted a tribute to their mother, Kimora Lee Simmons, on Father’s Day in June.
“Stop telling fathers they should have fought harder to see their children and start asking mothers why he had to fight at all,” Russell snapped in a response to the snub on Instagram.
Aoki then took to social media accusing the Def Jam Recordings co-founder of being “awful to [her] for years.”
“My father is not well, for years, he needs help and won’t accept that he refuses to acknowledge he is not himself,” she wrote online in June. “He has threatened and bullied my sister, my grandma, he has harassed my grandma in the middle of the night in poor health, [and sent] a man to my sister’s apartment at 2 a.m. to scare her. He lashes out at ANYONE who does not say, ‘Ooh Russell everything is fine.’ Well it’s not fine.”
Russell has since apologized saying, “DEEPLY sorry for being frustrated and yelling … but know this … there are no conditions … for sure I love you guys more than I love myself.”
He posted a birthday note to Aoki this week saying, “I am always here and I will tell you this again… you are safe, and you have nothing to prove or live up to ALL is in perfect order so rest in Gods perfection and make your happiness your priority IM ALWAYS HERE UNCONDITIONALLY YOUR LOVING DAD.”
Russell has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women dating back to 1983, all of which he has denied.
Kimora was not at the birthday party.
Earlier in the evening, bold faced names like billionaire John Paulson, art world big David Mugrabi, Fern Mallis, Jamee Gregory, Peter Thomas Roth, Candace Bushnell and more honored the Southampton Arts Center’s founding co-chair Simone Levinson at the event.
Broadway star Ariana DeBose sang Stephen Sondheim’s “Everybody Says Don’t,” and Jessica Vosk belted out a heavenly rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” The pair closed out their set with a duet of Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination.”
At one point during the event, some well-heeled guests got an unexpected surprise when an automatic lawn sprinkler went off near the bar that had people scrambling out of the way. A quick-thinking organizer plucked it out of the grass and stopped the geyser.
Also seen at the bash — which had a three course dinner as well as tastings from spots like Hutong and the Golden Pear — were Kenneth and Maria Fishel, Peter Thomas Roth, Stefano Tonchi, designer Frederick Anderson, Anna Rothschild, magician Josh Beckerman, and Lieba Nesis.
The event raised $1 million.
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