S. Samuel
Reality television star Angela Simmons, daughter to hip-hop pioneer Rev Run, has stepped forward to defend her decision to pose nude for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Ultimately, Simmons said her overall respect for what PETA stands for was the biggest drawing factor.
“Well, I like what PETA stands for as far as the animal cruelty thing and all that stuff. I felt like anywhere I could help to raise awareness for them, I wanted to be part of that and being a vegetarian came natural. Obviously, since I’m a vegetarian I thought this would be a great opportunity for us to collaborate and do something. I know that they already to do that. Obviously, anything that would bring attention to them would be being naked. I think it’s really been a good response from everybody.” (XXL Mag)
She also revealed Rev Run’s reaction to the nude campaign.
“My dad knew I was doing it for a good cause. For him, he was very supportive. He’s been very supportive in everything I do. He made it easy for me,” she added. “[Future PETA involvement?] Yeah, definitely. I think we have a long, bright future ahead of us, you know. My uncle has been dealing with them forever, so it’s like passing the torch.” (XXL Mag)
Last March, rapper Waka Flocka Flame dropped his pants for PETA.
Wearing nothing but strategically placed teddy bear and camera necklaces, Waka Flocka Flame is the first rapper to star in PETA’s Ink, Not Mink ad campaign. He shows off his tattoos, and a lot of skin, in the new ad, which urges, “Ink, Not Mink. Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin and Let Animals Keep Theirs. (USA Today)
Earlier this year, PETA spokesperson Megan Rondeau spoke to SOHH about entertainers going nude for animals.
“Celebrities and athletes don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan,” PETA spokesperson Megan Rondeau told SOHH when asked if Flocka had to give up eating meat to participate in their campaigns. “That’s not a problem at all. I think that people often find there might be one cause that they’re very compassionate about and we love to work with them on it. [Our naked celebrity PETA campaigns] kind of goes both ways. Sometimes an artist will say, ‘I want to do a naked ad.’ I’m not sure if in this specific case whether Waka said that, but a lot of times, yes, artists and athletes will say they want to do it naked and they’re so all about it because it gets so much press — I think people get really excited about it and want to get the message out which is not to support the fur industry. So I think we try to really work with the celebrity and we would never try to push somebody to get naked if that was something they didn’t feel comfortable doing.” (SOHH)
Check out Angela Simmons speaking on the PETA campaign below:
