Angela, Vanessa, Joseph "Rev. Run," Russell, Daniel, Joseph Jr., and Justine Simmons | Source: Getty Images
Angela Simmons is the eldest of seven siblings from the legendary rapper Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons. The large family spent many years as staples on reality TV, and Angela Simmons and her siblings have since grown up to prove they inherited their father's talent in performing.
Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons is an American rapper who reached icon status for his time as part of the rap group Run-D.M.C. The rapper is also a doting family man and introduced the world to his lovable family on his hit reality series "Run's House."
The world met and loved Angela Simmons and her siblings on the show, including her half-siblings from her famous father's second marriage. It's been years since "Run's House" stopped playing on TV, and the rapper's children have followed in his footsteps as performers in music and acting.
Vanessa, Angela, Joseph "Rev. Run," Justine, Joseph Jr., Daniel, and Russell Simmons at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. | Source: Getty Images
Vanessa Jean Simmons
After Angela, Rev. Run and his first wife, Valerie Vaughn, welcomed Vanessa Jean Simmons in September 1987. She went into business with her big sister and co-founded Pastry, a footwear line; Glitter and Lace, a clothing brand; and Sugar Me, a skincare line. Vanessa shared:
"I believe you must bring your whole self to the table if you want to thrive in today's crazy world; your personality, your sense of humor, and most importantly, your heart. All of these elements brought me to found all of my businesses."
In addition to being a businesswoman, Vanessa is an actress and kickstarted her acting career with a role in the 2000s series "Guiding Light." She has since shared the screen with Romeo Miller in "Could This Be Love?" Lauren London and Sarunas J. Jackson in "Games People Play," Monica Calhoun in "Deadly Entanglement," and more.
Vanessa is also a mother. During an interview, she revealed, "[...] Life is all about the balance. [...] Balance is essential for trying to 'get it all done.' [...] Being a mother and also working in entertainment is a blessing, and I truly enjoy what I do. But to remain sane, I make sure I prioritize myself by embracing self-care [...]."
Joseph Simmons Jr.
Joseph Simmons Jr. is Rev. Run's eldest son, born in September 1989. Like his other siblings, he pursued a career as an actor and played Drew in "King of Newark," Young Kenny Wright in "Fade Away," and reprised his role in "King of Newark 2."
In 2019, he married his girlfriend of nine years Tanice Amira in front of family and friends at The Legacy Castle in New Jersey. The couple already shared a daughter, and Rev. Run's eldest son said:
"Tanice and I have been together for a long time and have a beautiful daughter. We always knew it would be forever, and this was the perfect time to make it official. Surrounded by our family and closest friends. I've never been happier to be able to call her my wife."
In addition to being a multi-faceted entertainer, Joseph Jr. is also an entrepreneur. He is the CEO and co-founder of the music production company Whos House Entertainment. He also serves as the General Manager of Whos House Ballers, a traveling basketball team for underserved youth.
In 2006, Rev. Run and his wife decided to grow their family again but learned halfway through their pregnancy that their little girl had an omphalocele.
He is also the co-founder of 3isFor, a media production company, and supports non-profits like the Cannabis Voter Project and Backline. This organization connects people in the music industry and their families with "a trusted network of mental health and wellness providers."
Daniel Dwayne Simmons III
Daniel "Diggy" Dwayne Simmons was born in March 1991 and is Rev. Run and his second wife Justine's eldest child together. After spending years appearing on "Run's House," Daniel followed in his famous father's footsteps and pursued a career as a rapper.
He released his album "Unexpected Arrival" in 2012 and "Lighten Up" in 2018 and released his single "Knowing Me, Knowing You" in 2020. In addition to being a musician, he is also an actor and went from playing a minor role in "Grown-ish" — co-starring Yara Shahidi, Chloe Bailey, and Halle Bailey — to becoming a cast regular and fan favorite. Daniel said:
"[...] It meant so much to me to be a part of a young group of people where not only was everyone so talented and cool and doing their own thing, but the message in the series was so clear. I wanted to be a part of that, of course. So it's been a dream come true, to be honest."
Diggy Simmons during press for "Grown-ish” at the 2023 SCAD TVfest on February 11, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Getty Images
Russell Simmons II
Russell Simmons was born on August 25, 1997, and according to his Instagram — where he had amassed nearly 50,000 followers at the time of writing — he is a screenwriter and an actor.
After appearing in "Run's House" for four years, Russell, who was named after his father's older brother, landed a role in the series "In the Flow with Affion Crockett." He has also appeared in his father's shows "Rev. Run's Sunday Suppers," and "Rev. Runs Around the World."
Victoria Anne Simmons Was Angela Simmons' Sibling Who Only Lived a Few Hours
In 2006, Rev. Run and his wife decided to grow their family again but learned halfway through their pregnancy that their little girl had an omphalocele. This congenital disability caused her organs to grow outside her body.
As devoutly religious people, Rev. Run and Justine followed through with the pregnancy, and on September 26, the latter gave birth to their daughter, Victoria Anne Simmons.
Sadly, the couple's bundle of joy died two hours after she was born, and their family show documented the heart-wrenching experience. Justine later said:
"I've always wanted to adopt, and now my husband is with me. We're doing the paperwork now and praying that God gives us the right baby girl. We celebrate life. We know Victoria is with God in a wonderful place looking down on us [...]."
Justine's wish came true, as she and her husband adopted a little girl named Miley. As one of the youngest of Rev. Run and Justine's children, little is known about Miley, who was born in 2007. The fourth season of "Run's House" captured Miley's adoption.
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