Despite the fact that Oprah Winfrey and Apple TV+ withdrew themselves from affiliation with On The Record, the documentary detailing the sexual assault accusations brought up on Russell Simmons, the film has had moderate success already. The troubling documentary received multiple standing ovations at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and has officially found a home in partnership with the premium cable network, HBO Max this past Monday (Feb. 3). 

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HBO Max’s Head of Original Content, Sarah Aubrey released a statement in support of On The Record documentary:

“The fierce determination of Drew Dixon and all the women who bravely chose to share their stories in ‘On the Record’ moved us profoundly. I’ve been impressed with Amy and Kirby’s work over the years covering this complex subject matter, and look forward to this film finding the widest possible audience.”

The film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering reveals Drew Dixon’s decision to come forward and publicly detail the alleged incident where she claims Russell Simmons forcibly raped her in his New York home while working as a music executive for the music mogul in 1995. 

During an interview with CBS, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she didn’t leave the doc behind due to pressure from Russell Simmons and his family but due to inconsistencies and new information about the allegations coming to light. However, Winfrey insisted she is not in support of the Def Jam Records co-founder stating:

“This is not a victory lap for him. I cannot be silenced by a Russell Simmons after all I’ve been through.”

While Russell Simmons has received support from his associates and former-lovers, he’s also vehemently denied all allegations against him. 

With HBO Max willing to distribute the documentary, the masses will finally get to view On The Record for themselves in the near future. As of right now, HBO has not revealed an official premiere date for the documentary. Stick with HNHH as details unfold. 

One of the most recent victims of 50 Cent‘s public slandering – aside from French Montana – is Oprah. Fif was calling out the media mogul for producing a documentary about the sexual assault allegations against Russell Simmons. The documentary focuses on the testimony of one of Simmons’ accuser, Drew Dixon, who worked at Def Jam alongside Simmons in the 90’s.

On Friday, Oprah announced that she is stepping away from the project due to creative differences between her and the filmmakers. “In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision,” she wrote in a statement. While Oprah revealed that the doc will no longer air on Apple TV+ – as part of the deal she made with the budding streaming service – her statement suggests that the doc is still set to premiere at Sundance Film Festival later this month. “Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering are talented filmmakers. I have great respect for their mission but given the filmmakers’ desire to premiere the film at the Sundance Film Festival before I believe it is complete, I feel it’s best to step aside.”

As expected, 50 Cent supports Oprah’s decision to sever ties with this project. He argued that black men have largely been the ones facing repercussions for the #MeToo movement, while many white men accused or guilty of similar transgressions have walked away unscathed. Fif has shared two Instagram posts that express how satisfied he is about Oprah’s move. “Alright,alright,alright Oprah we love you, thank you for responding and if you ever need me for anything I’m here,” he wrote in the caption of the first post. The second post’s caption read: “Obama’s production company also passed on this documentary. Oprah stepping away from it speaks volume. We are all in support of the me too movement just not this bullshit.” 

Oprah emphasized that she’s not backing away from the doc due to her belief in the credibility of the accusations. “I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women,” she stated. “Their stories deserve to be told and heard.”