Yasiin Bey

"Dante Smith" redirects here. For the basketball player, see Donta Smith.

Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Background information
Birth nameDante Terrell Smith
Also known as
  • Mos Def (1994–2011)
  • Black Dante
  • Dante Beze
  • Flaco
  • El-Bey the Moor
Born (1973-12-11) December 11, 1973 (age 50)
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
  • activist
DiscographyYasiin Bey discography
Years active1987–present
Labels
Member ofBlack Star
Formerly of
Children6, including Laila!

Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/ yass-EEN BAY; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def (/ˌmoʊs ˈdɛf/ MOHSS DEF), is an American rapper and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social and political issues, such as police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the status of African Americans in the United States.

He began his hip hop recording career in 1994, joined his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), and guest appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. In 1996, he and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Black Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998) spawned the singles "Definition" and "Respiration". He released his debut studio album, Black on Both Sides (1999), which was followed by The New Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009).[4] Bey's 2000 single, "Oh No" (with Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg) remains his sole entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo act.[5] In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".[6]

A former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, Bey has appeared in the films Something the Lord Made, Next Day Air, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, Be Kind Rewind, The Italian Job, The Woodsman, Bamboozled, and Brown Sugar and in television series such as Dexter and House.[7] He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.

  1. ^ Reese, Eric (2018). "Rise of Hip-Hop in the 2000's". The History of Hip Hop: Volume 1. Barnes & Noble Press. ISBN 9781538076798.
  2. ^ Johnson, Josh (May 27, 2014). "Steal This Track from Courier GT". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  3. ^ O'Connor, Christopher (March 29, 2000). "Common Moves Toward a Progressive Hip-Hop". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Jason Birchmeier. "Mos Def | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  5. ^ "Mos Def Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Mos Def | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.