Kanye West’s public rant on NBC’s The TODAY Show last week has left fans divided, but at least two of the biggest names in the Rap World are voicing their support for the self-assessed egomaniac.

The “Golddigger” rapper found himself at the center of controversy — So what else is new? — when former George W. Bush hit the promo track ahead of the release of his latest book Decision Points. Bush told NBC anchor Matt Lauer that one of the low points of his presidency was when West said Bush doesn’t “care about Black people” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of West’s TODAY interview with Lauer regarding his five-year-old comments branding Bush a racist, Russell Simmons and Jay-Z want everyone to know they’re 100 percent behind Kanye. Def Jam mogul Simmons wrote an open letter on his Global Grind blog titled, “Dear Kanye…An Open Letter By Russell Simmons,” that clearly states in a very long letter exactly what he thinks of Kanye’s latest outburst.

“When you spoke about President Bush during the Katrina telethon, it was not the particulars of your words that mattered, it was the essence of a feeling of the insensitivity towards our communities that many of us have felt for far too long,” Russ writes.

“It was the image of the President, our President, the President of the United States Of America, peering out the window of an airplane, as the people on the ground were drowning, that hurt us the most,” he continued. “For centuries, our people have relentlessly tread water as hard as they could to stay afloat, and here we were, literally drowning, and it felt like the President was insensitive. There is no need to apologize, Kanye. You spoke from your heart and that is all we will ever ask from you.”

Yeezy’s pal Jay-Z shared a similar sentiment during a NPR radio interview on Tuesday. Hov insists criticism is part of the president’s “job description.”

“He’s the president. People should insult him a lot. That’s part of the job description. It didn’t feel like a natural disaster; it felt like it was happening directly to blacks, and immediately those images of people in suits getting beaten, sprayed with hoses, beaten on the bridge at Selma, all these emotions were going on inside of us,” Jay said about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“Kanye really spoke what everyone else felt,” the 40-year-old hip-hopster added.

Simmons and Lathan currently executive produce the hit MTV reality shows Run’s House and Daddy’s Girls.

The Russell Simmons Project will follow the female assistants who “manage his business deals… family life, party planning and love life,” the basic cable network behind reality hits like Tori & Dean said Tuesday.

“Russell Simmons is a fascinating man, and seeing his world through the eyes of his dream team comprised of strong, passionate women provides a unique experience for our viewers,” said Amy Introcaso-Davis, senior vice-president of programing, for the Oxygen network.

Russ is ecstatic to have such a pivotal portion of his life playing out of the small screen.

“Throughout my career I have surrounded myself with people smarter than me,” Simmons said. “This show will let them shine and provide insight into how we build our empire from the inside out.”

Simmons was recently named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 25 Years.”

The Russell Simmons Project will premiere early next year.

“Sophie Monk is one of the most famous people in Australia as well as a renown pop singer around the world. For her, coming to America is having the paparazzi stand in front of her house 24/7, but no one in the streets knows who she is,” Russell blogged on GlobalGrind.com on Wednesday. “I was with her yesterday and I felt like I was hanging out with Britney Spears! (Sorry to disappoint you guys but I’M NOT DATING HER…) Sophie now joins the Global Grind family and tommorow is her first entry.”-Russell

In a personal statement posted Russ’ GlobalGrind.com on Wednesday, Ashley says the last year has served as “a period of awakening.”

“Russell was there, reaching out to give me hand placement tips and educate me about the virtues of yoga that he’s discovered throughout the years. He explained the importance of understanding that our actions sometimes have far reaching consequences — a lesson that certainly resonated with me.”

“I’ve gained a perspective on life that I probably never would have been able to achieve if not for all of the heartache. In great part, discovering my identity came through the quiet reflection I enjoyed while practicing yoga, and the inner strength I’ve developed attracts powerful things,” the 23-year-old writes.

In his own blog on Dupre, entitled “Meeting Miss Ashley,” Russell says he was impressed that the brunette bombshell hadn’t used her notoriety to earn a little cash. “She told me that she hadn’t taken a nickel since the scandal broke and the reason was because every deal that had come in front of her involved further destroying her spirit.”

Russell Simmons, 51, has taken to his popular Global Grind blog to explain the recent court “order” granting his ex-wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, $40,000 a month in child support. The hip-hop entrepeneur calls the decision to shower his two daughters with the massive monthly figure his own.

“I am reading these stories today about how a judge ordered me to pay Kimora $40,000 a month in child support and I want to make something very clear. Nothing was ordered, it was given. My kids have a fabulous life; they are exposed to a broad range of artistic and scholastic educational programs and I’m very happy to contribute to that. As long as I have it, they can have it. If I ever don’t have it, I’m coming to live with them!”

The divorce between Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons has ended with an unprecedented payday for the Baby Phat designer.

Russ has agreed to pay child support for daughters, Ming, 9, and Aoki, 6, of $20,000 each per month until the girls turn 19, according to court papers filed in Los Angeles on Los Angeles

Kimora will retain sole legal and physical custody of the girls, with monitored visitation for Simmons.

“When the children are in [Simmons's] custody, they shall be accompanied at all times by a nanny and security person.”

Pop also agreed to provide a new car, worth at least $60,000, for the children’s use, until they turn 16. The car must be replaced every three years…

Hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons played peek-a-boo with a bikini-clad blonde over the weekend.

Kimora Lee Simmons is demanding $480,000 in child support as part of her divorce settlement with estranged husband Russell Simmons.

In documents filed on Wednesday at Los Angeles Superior Court, the Baby Phat designer is asking the rap mogul to pay $20,000 per month for each of the couple’s two daughters, Ming Lee, eight, and Aoki, five.

Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons are at odds over custody of their two children, Ming, 8, and Aoki, 5.

In documents filed Tuesday in Los Angeles court, the hip hop mogul is requesting asking for joint custody of his two daughters in his divorce from estranged wife Kimora Lee, CelebTV.com reports. Kimora Lee, on the other hand, asked for sole custody in her March divorce filing, requesting that Russell get only “reasonable child visitation … to be accompanied at all times by the children’s nanny and security personnel.”

Fifty year old Russell married former model Kimora Lee in 1998. The couple separated in 2006.