Hip Hop mogul and long time vegan, Russell Simmons was named PETA’s Person of The Year 2011, a designation formerly held by Bill Clinton (2010), Ellen DeGeneres and Tim Gunn (2009), and Oprah Winfrey (2008).

Announcing the news on Thursday, PETA stated, “Over a decade ago, the Def Jam co-founder and author… decided that riches are counted in more than dollars. Simmons was inspired by the yogic principal of ahimsa (doing no harm) to reject the meat industry. Since then, Simmons has dedicated his career, which spans the music, fashion, and television industries and translates into a personal net worth of more than $300 million to promoting peace and respect for all living beings, regardless of race, species, gender, or religion. This outspoken public advocacy of respect for all has earned Simmons the title of PETA’s Person of the Year 2011.”

HipHopWired reported, “Whether it’s penning essays on cruelty-free living for his website Global Grind, featuring PETA’s vegan campaigns on his Oxygen TV series Running Russell Simmons, or highlighting his clothing line Argyleculture’s fur-, leather-, and wool-free stance, Simmons always points out why going vegan is the ethical choice. So it’s no surprise that when Simmons—who has teamed up with PETA for campaigns against dogfighting and foie gras, among others—is asked what he does for a living, he says he is an “animal activist.”

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