Ask the Godfather of Hip-Hop

Inc. regulars know that each month we let readers lob their toughest business questions at a seasoned entrepreneur. (This month Richard Thalheimer, founder of the Sharper Image, responds to a question on the value of infomercials and explains how he used them to launch the Razor Scooter.)

Coming up, Russell Simmons, a serial entrepreneur best known for founding Def Jam Recordings—the company that introduced America to hip hop legends LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys—will take a stab at a reader question. For Simmons, music was just the beginning. He's started more companies than I can count: Phat Farm, Rush Communications, Simmons Lathan Media Group, and Simmons Jewelry Company to name a few. He's also has written books, produced television shows, won a Tony award, and, with his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, become a major political force.

So go ahead, send your toughest business question to askinc@inc.com.

Senior contributing writer Max Chafkin has profiled companies such as Yelp, Zappos, Twitter, Threadless, and Tesla for the magazine. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. @chafkin