Danny Simmons, founder of Rush Arts and passionate supporter of Black artists, has died at 72
Mr. Simmons, whose brothers Russell and Joseph are hip-hop royalty, moved to Philadelphia in 2015 and founded Rush Arts Philadelphia. He worked closely with Mural Arts, PMA, and AAMP.
Danny Simmons, founder of Rush Arts Philadelphia, a Philadelphia-based arts community that provided space and motivation for local artists to be discovered and show their work has died at 72. The cause of death was not announced.
Mr. Simmons was the older brother to hip-hop mogul and Def Jam Recordings cofounder Russell Simmons and Rev. Joseph “Run” Simmons, one-half of the classic rap group Run DMC.
Mr. Simmons’ death was announced by his brother, Russell , on Instagram, Monday.
“It is with a profound sense of loss that we honor and celebrate the life of Danny Simmons Jr., a beacon of love and creativity,” Russell Simmons wrote on the social media post.
“He was not just a brother, father, uncle, grandfather, and loving husband; he was a vibrant artist, dedicated supporter of creatives and a cherished friend. Though he has transitioned from this world, his legacy of kindness, generosity, and artistic brilliance will forever shine brightly in our hearts.”
Daniel Simmons Jr. was born on August 17, 1953, in Hollis, Queens. His father Daniel Simmons Sr., was a truant officer and Black history professor who also wrote poetry. His mother, Evelyn Simmons, was a teacher who painted as a hobby.
Both of his parents encouraged Mr. Simmons’ art, but also pushed him to work a stable job with a pension. After receiving his degree in social work from NYU, he worked at the New York Bureau of Child Support through the 1980s.
“He was the true artist in the family,” Russell Simmons said in a subsequent social media post. “Joey and I went into music … but Danny was the one who created from the deepest place. His poetry, art, and ideas shaped how we think and gave us freedom to dream beyond limits.”
In 2003, Simon & Schuster published Mr. Simmons’ Three Days as the Crow Flies, a novel about a drug-addict hustler named Crow Shade, who poses as an artist in New York’s drug and arts scene.
Three Days as the Crow Flies is fictional, but by the 1990s, Mr. Simmons who worked as New York City social worker, had kicked a 20-year heroin addiction, given up his 9-to-5, and leaned into abstract painting.
“I quit my job, started painting, and it started taking off,” he told The Inquirer in 2016. “But I couldn’t find a whole lot of outlets for my work. There were very few galleries dedicated to emerging Black artists. I figured if I was in that position, there had to be other artists in that position.”
Mr. Simmons became an avid collector of Black Art, opened two galleries in downtown Manhattan, and founded Rush Philanthropic Arts Organization, supporting Black artists around the world.
“Danny’s impact has been global,” said Vashti DuBois, executive director of the Colored Girls Museum in Philadelphia. “His investments in and support of Black artists and Black institutions have fundamentally transformed the landscape of the Black art scene.”
In the early 2000s, Mr. Simmons convinced his brother, Russell to produce HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. The show, a spinoff of HBO’s Def Comedy Jam ran for five years from 2002 to 2007, and breathed new life into spoken word poetry, first popularized by the 1970s Black Arts movement.
A prototype of Def Poetry Jam, that often showcased Philly artists Sonia Sánchez and Ursula Rucker, was filmed at the African American Museum of Art Philadelphia.
Mr. Simmons won a Tony for the stage adaption in 2003.
In 2015, the African American Museum hosted his solo show, “Badass Art, Man!” a colorful collection of paintings, collages, and statues he described as “neo-African abstract expressionist.”
Later that year he moved to Northern Liberties, because it reminded him of parts of Brooklyn, into a place with a backyard large enough to store his immense collections.
He purchased an old bank building in the Logan section of Philadelphia on Old York Road and made it a home for Rush Arts Philadelphia, a community center and gallery. Up until last month, the center actively supported the work of Philadelphia artists through a series of shows, exhibitions, and receptions.
“Mr. Simmons had a remarkable ability to bring people together through art, inspiring others to see the world through a more vibrant lens,” said Ashley Jordan, president and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia. “His presence was as memorable as the masterpieces he created and championed.”
Mr. Simmons served on the Mural Arts board from 2022-2025 and was the lead artist on four mural projects in Germantown and North Philadelphia.
His work resides in Woodmere and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and in 2019, he was appointed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art African American Collections Committee.
“Danny was an extraordinary artist and human being,” said Jane Golden, founder and executive director of Mural Arts. “Danny was one of a kind, and he leaves very big shoes to fill in our city and our world.”
Apart from his brothers, Mr. Simmons is survived by his wife, Keia Simmons, his son Jamel Simmons; and other family members and friends.
Memorial services and celebrations have not been announced by the family.
