Who is Ralph Derek Simpson and where is he now? India Arie reveals alleged childhood s*xual abuse from Dad

Singer India Arie has spoken about alleged s*xual abuse she faced from her dad, Ralph Derek Simpson, during her childhood.

On Father’s Day, which fell on June 15, 2025, this year, the singer took to her Instagram to make a dark revelation about her family. She shared a few notes on her handle, writing:

“I’m not posting this today to tell you that I’m struggling, because I’m not. I’ve spent my entire adult life working through my issues with my father. I’ve come a long way. My mother, though, is coming to terms with her feelings, and we’re supporting each other in telling a deeply personal, shared, story. A family story.”

She pointed the readers to a Substack link in her bio, where a voice recording of her mother, Joyce Simpson, narrated the experience of being r*ped by him and molesting his daughter at a very young age.

India’s father, Ralph Derek Simpson, is a former NBA player, born on August 10, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan. He played as a shooting guard and small forward in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1970 to 1980, according to Basketball Reference.

Here are more details about Ralph Derek Simpson.

Who is Ralph Derek Simpson? All we know as India Arie accuses him of s*xual abuse

Ralph Derek Simpson was one of the most popular NBA players in the 1970s. He was a five-time ABA All-Star from 1972 to 1976. He went to Pershing High School in Detroit and became a star under the guidance of his mentor, Will Robinson. He was also invited to the 1968 Olympic tryout camp, but he turned it down, according to a report in Colorado Sports.

He reportedly signed with the Denver Rockets/Nuggets of the American Basketball Association and had his best scoring season in 1971 – 1972, averaging 27.4 points per game.

During his 10-year career with the NBA–ABA, Ralph Derek Simpson scored 11,785 points and collected 2816 rebounds and 2,357 assists, per a report in Michigan Sports. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Simpson is currently retired from professional basketball. According to Celebrity Birthdays, he is living in Denver, Colorado. As per his birthdate, he would be 76 years old this year. Not much is known about his current projects.

However, India Arie’s mother, Joyce Simpson, highlighted in her voice message on Substack that he is undergoing a financial crisis these days. She reflected on how he had asked for money from her daughter, India, when they had their last conversation.

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She allegedly accused him of stealing his son J’On’s money, who worked all summer after college, bussing tables, to purchase his car. However, he gambled the money away. She also noted in her message that her son has been paying his rent these days to keep a roof over his head.

India Arie’s fans and followers have come out in her support after she spoke about the allegations of physical and s*xual abuse at the hands of her father. This has significantly affected his public image.

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