Mos Def

Biography

Yasiin Bey, born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, is an American rapper, singer, and actor formerly known as Mos Def. Growing up in the Roosevelt Houses on Dekalb and Lewis Avenues, he was raised by culturally and politically active parents who instilled in him a strong sense of social responsibility and community activism. A natural performer from an early age, Bey began rapping at age nine and started his professional acting career at fourteen, appearing in the TV movie "God Bless the Child" and the sitcom "You Take the Kids." His most notable early acting role was as Bill Cosby's sidekick on "The Cosby Mysteries."

Bey's hip hop career began in earnest in 1994 when he formed Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger siblings, brother D.c.Q and sister Ces. After the group's short run on Payday Records, he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul before releasing his first solo single "Universal Magnetic" in 1997. In 1998, he formed the iconic duo Black Star with fellow Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli, releasing their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album featuring the singles "Definition" and "Respiration" with Common. His 1999 solo debut "Black on Both Sides" received widespread critical acclaim and established him as a prominent figure in conscious hip hop, followed by "The New Danger" (2004), "True Magic" (2006), and "The Ecstatic" (2009).

Recognized for his sophisticated wordplay and commentary on social and political issues including police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the status of African Americans, Bey has been ranked as the 14th greatest emcee of all time by About.com. His 2000 single "Oh No" with Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg remains his only Billboard Hot 100 entry as a solo act. Beyond music, he has maintained a successful acting career in films such as "The Italian Job," "16 Blocks," "Be Kind Rewind," and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," and portrayed Brother Sam on Showtime's "Dexter." He also hosted HBO's "Def Poetry Jam" from 2002 to 2007. In September 2011, he legally changed his name from Mos Def to Yasiin Bey, a name derived from the Qur'an's 36th surah, reflecting his conversion to Islam in his teens and his desire to move beyond what he felt had become a product rather than a person.

Fun Facts

• Yasiin Bey legally changed his name in 2011, explaining that he had been using 'Yasiin' privately since 1999 for friends and family, and felt 'Mos Def' had become a product rather than a person. The name Yasiin comes from the 36th surah of the Qur'an.
• While studying experimental theatre at New York University in 1993, he formed his first hip hop group Urban Thermo Dynamics with his younger siblings, which was signed to Payday Records but only released two singles.
• Bey began his entertainment career as a child actor at age fourteen, with his most notable early role being Bill Cosby's sidekick on 'The Cosby Mysteries' before launching his music career.
• Despite his prolific hip hop career, 'Oh No' featuring Pharoahe Monch and Nate Dogg from 2000 remains his only entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist, though he achieved significant critical acclaim and influence in underground and conscious hip hop circles.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• De La Soul - Early career influence and collaborator who featured Bey on their albums before his solo career (Guest appearances on De La Soul albums) [1994-1996]
• Early hip hop leaders - Inspired by pioneering hip hop artists who used the genre as a battle of wits to teach, entertain, and provoke thought (N/A) [1980s-1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Talib Kweli - Co-founder of Black Star duo, fellow Brooklyn-based conscious rapper (Black Star album 'Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star' (1998) featuring 'Definition' and 'Respiration') [1996-1998]
• Common - Featured collaborator on Black Star's breakthrough single ('Respiration' from Black Star album) [1998]
• Pharoahe Monch - Collaborator on Bey's only Billboard Hot 100 solo entry ('Oh No' featuring Nate Dogg) [2000]
• Nate Dogg - Featured artist on Bey's charting single ('Oh No' with Pharoahe Monch) [2000]
• Da Bush Babees - Early collaborator who featured Bey on their albums (Guest appearances on Da Bush Babees albums) [1994-1996]
• D.c.Q and Ces (siblings) - Brother and sister who formed Urban Thermo Dynamics with Bey (Two singles on Payday Records) [1993-1994]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Six Days - Remix
2. Ms. Fat Booty (Black On Both Sides)
3. Six Days - Remix
4. Stylo (feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack) (Plastic Beach)
5. Two Words (The College Dropout)
6. Good Night (Graduation)
7. Drunk and Hot Girls (Graduation)
8. Mathematics (Black On Both Sides)
9. Hey Baby
10. Hip Hop (Black On Both Sides)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia