Russell Simmons, the man who brought the music of Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys (among many others) to the mainstream with Def Jam Records, has a quiet, simple ritual he has subscribed to for 15 years, and to which he partly attributes his success: Meditation. 
Twenty minutes, twice a day. When asked why he — or anyone — should meditate, the media mogul has a straight answer: “The first, most important thing about meditation is happiness. You become a happier person when you meditate,” he says. With the launch of his new app, Meditation Made Simple (a companion to his best-selling book, Success Through Stillness) Simmons is sharing his straightforward, no-nonsense take on the practice, which he first adopted in yoga class, and later infused with principles from Transcendental Meditation, a mind-focused style he learned of at a school in South Africa. It’s an unorthodox method from a man who knows how to innovate. Here are some pointers he offered to get started. 
Slow Down the Rush Growing up in Hollis, Queens, Simmon’s got his nickname, “Rush” since his attention could never stay put. That drive fueled his early career, but it was when he slowed down, finding value in quiet moments of stillness (like sitting in a silent recording studio working on a final mix), he says he felt more fulfilled and inspired. “Meditation got me to learn to be more patient,” Simmons says, “And the only thing you really need to be a good meditator is patience.”
