Russell Simmons for Marriage Equality

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons appears in the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality video series from the Human Rights Campaign, now playing on taxi televisions in New York City.

In the new video, the cofounder of Def Jam Records and head of Rush Communications says, “I’m happy that we’re coming to a time when we can make a change.” Advocates hope for a vote by June on the marriage equality bill, which failed in the New York state senate in 2009.

A long-time supporter of marriage equality, Simmons will receive the Excellence in Media Award next month at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York City.

HRC also announced that the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality series will play on Taxi TV in the taxicabs of New York City. Until now, the videos had only been available online. The initial ad buy will run for two weeks from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. beginning Thursday and reach an estimated 1.5 million people, with more advertising anticipated.

The video testimonials feature prominent New Yorkers expressing their support for marriage equality and urging state residents to lobby for the issue. Other videos in the campaign so far have included Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Julianne Moore, Moby, Fran Drescher, Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Kenneth Cole, John Slattery, and Daphne Rubin-Vega.