Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiË n ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith; December
11, 1973), better known by his stage name Mos Def (/ˌmoʊs ˈdɛf/),
is an American rapper, singer, actor, and activist. Best known for his
music, Bey began his hip hop career in 1994, alongside his siblings in
the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which he
appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He subsequently
formed the duo Black Star, alongside fellow Brooklyn-based rapper
Talib Kweli, and they released their eponymous debut album in 1998. He
was featured on the roster of Rawkus Records and in 1999 released his
solo debut, Black on Both Sides. His debut was followed by The New
Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009). The editors
at About.com listed him as the 14th greatest emcee of all time on
their "50 greatest MC's of our time" list. Some of Mos Def's top hits
include "Oh No", "Definition", and "Respiration".Prior to his career
in music, Mos Def entered public life as a child actor with roles in
television films, sitcoms, and theater. Since the early 2000s, Mos Def
has appeared in films such as 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. He is also known as the
host of Def Poetry Jam, which aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007.Mos
Def has been vocal on several social and political causes, including
police brutality, the idea of American exceptionalism and the status
of African Americans.Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith on December
11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Sheron Smith and
Abdulrahman. The eldest of 12 children and step-children, he was
raised by his mother in Brooklyn, while his father lived in New
Jersey.
11, 1973), better known by his stage name Mos Def (/ˌmoʊs ˈdɛf/),
is an American rapper, singer, actor, and activist. Best known for his
music, Bey began his hip hop career in 1994, alongside his siblings in
the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which he
appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He subsequently
formed the duo Black Star, alongside fellow Brooklyn-based rapper
Talib Kweli, and they released their eponymous debut album in 1998. He
was featured on the roster of Rawkus Records and in 1999 released his
solo debut, Black on Both Sides. His debut was followed by The New
Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009). The editors
at About.com listed him as the 14th greatest emcee of all time on
their "50 greatest MC's of our time" list. Some of Mos Def's top hits
include "Oh No", "Definition", and "Respiration".Prior to his career
in music, Mos Def entered public life as a child actor with roles in
television films, sitcoms, and theater. Since the early 2000s, Mos Def
has appeared in films such as 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. He is also known as the
host of Def Poetry Jam, which aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007.Mos
Def has been vocal on several social and political causes, including
police brutality, the idea of American exceptionalism and the status
of African Americans.Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith on December
11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Sheron Smith and
Abdulrahman. The eldest of 12 children and step-children, he was
raised by his mother in Brooklyn, while his father lived in New
Jersey.
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