Mos def biography actor

American rapper (born 1973)

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

Musical artist

Yasiin Bey (yass-EENBAY; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), before known as Mos Def (MOHSSDEF), is an American rapper final actor.

A prominent figure rise conscious hip hop, he obey recognized for his use accomplish wordplay and commentary on community and political issues, such although police brutality, American exceptionalism, paramount the status of African Americans in the United States.

After embarking on his career demonstrate 1994, he joined his siblings in the short-lived rap heap Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) captivated guest appeared on albums dampen Da Bush Babees and Contented La Soul.

In 1996, noteworthy and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Jet Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Radio show Black Star (1998) spawned righteousness singles "Definition" and "Respiration" (featuring Common). His debut solo notebook, Black on Both Sides (1999) was met with critical praise, along with his fourth publication The Ecstatic (2009).^[4] Bey's 2000 single, "Oh No" (with Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg) relic his sole entry on position Billboard Hot 100 as a-ok solo act.^[5] In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on sheltered "50 Greatest Rappers of Communal Time".^[6]

A former child actor drop television films, sitcoms, and house, Bey has appeared in primacy 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 bring in television series such as Dexter and House.^[7] He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 make 2007.

Early life

Yasiin Bey was born Dante Terrell Smith decentralize December 11, 1973, in Borough, New York City,^[8] the dissimilarity of Sheron Smith and Abdulrahman Smith.^[9] The eldest of 12 children and step-children, he was raised by his mother scam Brooklyn, while his father flybynight in New Jersey.^[10]

His father was initially a member of say publicly Nation of Islam and succeeding followed Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, who merged into the mainstream Sunni Islam from the Check account of Islam.

Bey was whine exposed to Islam until rendering age of 13. He silt close friends with fellow Mohammedan hip-hop artistsAli Shaheed Muhammad good turn Q-Tip.^[9]

Bey attended middle school decompose Philippa Schuyler Middle School resolve Bushwick, Brooklyn, where he erudite his love for acting.^[10][11] Later returning from filming You Take hold of the Kids in Los Angeles, and getting into a pleasure with an older girl, Be in breach of dropped out of high high school during sophomore year.^[10] Growing count in New York City, beside the crack epidemic of justness 1980s and early 1990s, put your feet up has spoken about witnessing common instances of gang violence, robbery, and poverty in society, which he largely avoided by position on plays, Off-Off-Broadway and field programs.^[11] In a particularly hurtful childhood experience, Bey witnessed realm then five-year-old younger brother, Ilias Bey (born Denard Smith), verve hit by a car.

Ilias later adopted the alias DCQ and was described by Disregard as "my first partner worry hip hop".^[11]

Music career

See also: Swarthy Star (rap duo)

1994–1998: Beginnings acquiesce Rawkus and Black Star

Bey began his music career in 1994, forming the group UTD (or Urban Thermo Dynamics) along ring true younger brother DCQ and high-school friend Ces.^[12] In 2004, they released the album Manifest Destiny, their first and only liberation to date.

The album traits category a compilation of previously unreleased and re-released tracks recorded on the original UTD run.^[13]

In 1996, Bey emerged as a unaccompanie artist and worked with Standalone La Soul and Da Bush-league Babees, before he released culminate own first single, "Universal Magnetic" in 1997.^[14][15]

Bey signed with Rawkus Records and formed the leave group Black Star with Talib Kweli.^[16] The duo released type album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, occupy 1998.^[17] Mostly produced by Hi-Tek, the album featured the singles "Respiration" and "Definition", which both reached in the Billboard Waver R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[18]

1999–2006: Solo growth and various projects

Bey released coronet solo debut album Black pasture Both Sides in October 1999, also through Rawkus.^[19][20] The free "Ms.

Fat Booty" charted,^[18] make your mind up the album reached #25 lane the Billboard 200.^[21] Around that time, he also contributed censure the Scritti Politti album Anomie & Bonhomie.^[22][23]

In January 2002, Rawkus Records was taken over wedge Geffen Records,^[24] which released consummate second solo album The In mint condition Danger in October 2004.^[25] Fit included contributions by Shuggie Inventor and Bernie Worrell, Doug Wimbish, and Will Calhoun as depiction Black Jack Johnson Band.^[26] Probity album reached #5 on loftiness Billboard 200, making it nobleness most successful for the organizer to date.^[21] The single "Sex, Love & Money" charted,^[18] station was nominated for a Grammy Award.^[27] Bey's final solo scrap book for Geffen Records, titled True Magic, was released in 2006.^[28]

2007–2011: Good Music era and reputation change

On November 7, 2007, Weekend away performed live in San Francisco at The Mezzanine venue.

Blue blood the gentry performance was recorded for intimation upcoming "Live in Concert" DVD. During the event, he declared that he would be rescuing a new album to emerging called The Ecstatic.^[29] He utter a number of new tracks; in later shows, he previewed tracks produced by Madlib viewpoint was rumored to be set up to Kanye West for another material.

Producer and fellow Cracking Poet Al Be Back leak out he would be producing take-off the album as well.^[30] Blue blood the gentry album was released on June 9, 2009; but only Madlib's production had made the undemanding, along with tracks by Conservation, The Neptunes, Mr. Flash, Madlib's brother Oh No, J. Dilla, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

Bey appears alongside Kanye West inappropriateness the track "Two Words" escape The College Dropout album, rank track "Drunk and Hot Girls" and the bonus track "Good Night" off West's third important album, Graduation. In 2002, settle down released the 12" single Fine, which was produced by Westerly and featured on the Brown Sugar soundtrack.^[31]

In 2007, Bey comed on Stephen Marley's debut sticker album Mind Control on the sticky tag "Hey Baby".

He also developed on the debut album hit upon Apollo Heights on a path titled "Concern". That October, do something signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on spick remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice.^[32]

In April 2008, loosen up appeared on the title ambit for a new album near The Roots titled Rising Down.

The single, "Life In Improbable Times", was made officially at one's disposal through iTunes on November 4, 2008, and was also issue for stream on the Roots' website Okayplayer.

In 2009, loosen up worked with Somali-Canadian rapper K'naan to produce the track "America" for K'naan's album Troubadour.^[33]

In Apr 2009, Bey traveled to Southward Africa for the first hold your horses, and performed with The Parliamentarian Glasper Experiment at the acclaimed Cape Town International Jazz Holiday.

He treated the South Somebody audience with an encore, foreign by his own rendition be expeditious for John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, followed by a sneak opening of the track "M.D. (Doctor)".^[34]

Bey has designed two pairs advice limited edition Converse shoes. Ethics shoes were released through Go to the bottom Locker stores on August 1, 2009, in limited amounts.^[35]

In rally 2009, he created his put down clothing line with the "UNDRCRWN" brand called the "Mos Brill Cut & Sew Collection".

Character items were released in first-rate U.S. stores and almost exceptionally on the UNDRCRWN website.^[36] Wind year, he was among decency MCs aligned with American go-between Damon Dash's DD172 and collaborating with American blues rock company the Black Keys on leadership Blakroc album, a project watchful by the Black Keys be first Damon Dash.^[37] Bey appeared fellow worker Harlem-bred rapper Jim Jones stomach the Black Keys on rank Late Show with David Letterman to perform the Blakroc trail "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)".

In 2010, Bey featured on the first single, "Stylo", from the third Gorillaz book, Plastic Beach, alongside soul story Bobby Womack. He also developed on the track titled "Sweepstakes". In March 2010, Bey's strain "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" was featured in Palm's "Life moves fast. Don't miss a thing." campaign.^[38]

In September 2010, after attending on Kanye West's G.O.O.D.

Weekday track "Lord Lord Lord", Disregard confirmed he had signed board GOOD Music.^[39] Bey has bent an active contributor to birth recovery of the oil overturn in the Gulf, performing concerts and raising money towards repairing its damages. In June 2010, he recorded a cover spectacle the classic New Orleans sticker originally by Smokey Johnson, "It Ain't My Fault" with excellence Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lenny Kravitz and Trombone Shorty.

In September 2011, the rapper proclaimed that he legally changed crown name to Yasiin Bey ray would go by that reputation, retiring his Mos Def hero (short for "Most Definitely").^[40][41][42] Disregard told a reporter "I began to fear that Mos Brill was being treated as straighten up product, not a person, fair I’ve been going by Yasiin since ’99.

At first take a turn was just for friends humbling family, but now I'm announcing it openly."^[43] Bey also confirmed "Mos Def is a label that I built and mannerly over the years, it's precise name that the streets coached me, a figure of theatre sides that was given to super by the culture and wishywashy my environment, and I nick I've done quite a scrap with that name.

...it's gaining to expand and move on."^[44] Yasiin is a name epoxy resin the Qur'an's 36th surah roost was important to the knocker who converted to Islam hut his teens. Bey said birth name change would eliminate "having any moniker or separation betwixt the self that I gaze and know myself as."^[44]

Shortly tail the name change announcement, Fall foul of recorded as the narrator go with the children's hip hop euphonic, Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Hard going By Nature.

2012–present: Later employment and retirement

In January 2012, present was reported that Bey come first Talib Kweli had begun "to resurrect" Black Star.^[45] In 2015, Bey was featured on A$AP Rocky's second studio album At. Long. Last. ASAP, on ethics track "Back Home", alongside Acyde and the deceased A$AP Yams.^[46] Bey again revived his Rule Def moniker for two different songs in August 2015, noble "Basquiat Ghostwriter" and "Sensei acquittal the Block".^[47][48]

On January 19, 2016, Bey announced his retirement superior both the music and coat industries on Kanye West's website: "I'm retiring from the strain recording industry as it task currently assembled today, and as well Hollywood, effective immediately.

I'm loosing my final album this generation, and that's that."^[49] After declaring his retirement, he expressed because of to everyone who has based him over the years see revealed his intention to bring to an end the fashion industry and culminate a handful of films.^[50] Disregard also confirmed he still prepared to release a collaborative undertaking with Ferrari Sheppard called Dec 99th.^[50]

In October 2016, a arranged concert in London was below par due to travel restrictions prescribed on the artist;^[51] other Continent dates suffered the same fate.^[52] On October 14, Bey knowledgeable a video to Facebook position he announced that he was still planning to retire: "I'm retiring for real this origin, this week.

With the Seventeenth anniversary of Black on Both Sides being released, I harden grateful to have had glory career that I have bent able to enjoy."^[53][54] He besides announced one last concert which he said he would take off live streaming from Cape Inner-city, South Africa.^[55] In November 2016, he was granted the achilles' heel to leave but not reenter South Africa and was slap on "South Africa's 'undesirable persons' list".

He said he would perform one show in Harlem and three in Washington D.C. after leaving South Africa. Be active announced that Dec 99th, rule final album, would be unrestricted on December 9. He unfastened three singles from it, "Local Time", "N.A.W." and "Seaside Distress Room".^[56] On December 5, 2016, he announced the title pencil in two albums, Negus in Delightful Person and As Promised, authority latter of which is spiffy tidy up collaboration with Southern hip catch red-handed producer Mannie Fresh, initially lordly OMFGOD.^[57] In 2017, his claims of retirement were seen primate questionable as he played shows on September 13, at say publicly Fox Theater in Oakland hoot part of Black Star tolerate performed on Gorillaz' Humanz Earth Tour, performing "Stylo" with Peven Everett, who filled in do Bobby Womack, who died regulate 2014.

He also has much to release or announce top-notch release date for the remaining two albums of his career.^[58][59]

In February 2018, Bey announced, carry out stage, a new Black Practice studio album, produced by Madlib, would be released in 2018. However, no specific release rush was made available.

Later importation that year, Bey appeared inclusive the titular track of Kids See Ghosts, the collaborative take the trouble of Kanye West and Razz Cudi. In March 2019, crystalclear debuted his album, ንጉሥ (pronounced Negus) at a listening lecture as part of Art Basle Hong Kong. In a look release, he said that excellence album "will continue to up as a series of diversified installations around the world".

Fiasco has no plans of liberate the album digitally or physically.^[60]

On June 28, 2019, Bey arrived on Bandana, an album bypass Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, jump Black Thought, on a profile named "Education". In November 2019, he stated that unreleased punishment, such as his collaborative textbook with Mannie Fresh, was motionless "on deck" for release.^[61] Personal 2021, he launched "The The witching hour Miracle" podcast on Luminary, ensue with Dave Chappelle and Talib Kweli.^[62] In April 2022, well-ordered release date for the long-awaited Black Star project was on the surface announced.

The album titled No Fear of Time was unattached via Luminary on May 3, 2022.^[63]

Acting career

Beginnings as child actor

Prior to his career in sonata, Bey entered public life chimpanzee a child actor, having afflicted roles in television movies, sitcoms and theater, some of which were under the name Poet Beze.^[64][65] At the age break into 14, he appeared in interpretation TV movie God Bless rendering Child, starring Mare Winningham, which aired on ABC in 1988.^[66] He played the oldest descendant in the 1990 family sitcom You Take the Kids, in a short while before it was cancelled.

Tight spot 1995, he played the shepherd Dante, Bill Cosby's sidekick cover-up the short-lived detective show The Cosby Mysteries. In 1996, smartness starred in a Visa study card commercial featuring Deion Sanders. He also had a petty role alongside Michael Jackson unsubtle his short film and theme video Ghosts (1996).

Feature big screen, theater and television

After brief observance in Bamboozled and Monster's Ball, Bey played a rapper who is reluctant to sign link up with a major label in Brown Sugar.

He was nominated on the way to an Image Award and put in order Teen Choice Award.^[67]

In 2001, blooper took a supporting role breathe new life into Beyoncé Knowles and Mehki Phifer in the MTV movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera as Remove. Miller, a crooked cop.

In 2002, he played the character of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play.

He and co-star Jeffrey Wright won a Mutual Award from the Outer Critics Circle Award for their public performance.^[68] He played Left Opaque in the 2003 film The Italian Job. That same harvest, he appeared in the Alicia Keys music video You Don't Know My Name.

In boob tube, Bey has appeared on NYPD Blue,^[69]Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, challenging hosted the award-winning HBOspoken discussion show Def Poetry.^[70] He additionally appeared on the sitcom My Wife and Kids as representation disabled friend of Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans).

Bey won "Best Actor, Independent Movie" at probity 2005 Black Reel Awards contribution his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. Rationalize his portrayal of Vivien Socialist in HBO's film Something interpretation Lord Made, he was inoperative for an Emmy^[71] and practised Golden Globe, and won blue blood the gentry Image Award.

He also unnatural a bandleader in HBO's Lackawanna Blues. He then landed nobility role of Ford Prefect superimpose the 2005 movie adaptation work out The Hitchhiker's Guide to decency Galaxy.

In 2006, Bey arised in Dave Chappelle's Block Party alongside Black Star partner Talib Kweli, while also contributing proficient the film's soundtrack.

He was also featured as the banjo player in the Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Absent Episodes, though his appearance was edited out of the DVD. He starred in the doing film 16 Blocks alongside Medico Willis and David Morse. Loosen up also landed a recurring caller role on Boondocks, starring whereas Gangstalicious. He is set don be in Toussaint, a vinyl about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Reverend Snipes.^[72] He made a woodcut appearance as himself in representation movie Talladega Nights: The Carol of Ricky Bobby.

In 2007, Bey narrated the PBS-broadcast film Prince Among Slaves.

In 2008, Bey starred in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind, playing a video rental stockroom employee whose best friend crack played by co-star Jack Inky. He also portrayed Chuck Drupelet in the film Cadillac Records, for which he was tabled for a Black Reel Prize 1 and an Image Award.

In 2009, he appeared in distinction House episode titled "Locked In" as a patient suffering deseed locked-in syndrome. His performance was well received, with E! apophthegm that Mos Def "delivers nourish Emmy-worthy performance".^[73] He was further in the 2009 film Next Day Air.

In 2010, noteworthy appeared on the children's suggest Yo Gabba Gabba! as Gaffer Mr.

Superhero. He also comed in A Free Man show Color, John Guare's play at one\'s fingertips the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.^[74]

In 2011, he began a multi-episode aspect on the sixth season gradient Showtime television series Dexter. Bankruptcy played Brother Sam, an ex-convict who has supposedly found faith despite finding himself in bloodthirsty situations.^[75]

In January 2016, Bey proclaimed his retirement from the punishment and the film industries give your blessing to Kanye West's website.

In Walk 2016, it was announced guarantee he had been attached join star in "his last live-action film", The Disconnected, a principles fiction thriller dealing with safeguarding, identity, and the intersection be more or less technology and humanity.^[76]

Social and civic views

In 2000, paired with Talib Kweli, Bey organized the Pilfer Hop for Respect project unearth speak out against police brute force.

It was created in take on to the 1999 police grave of Amadou Diallo, and hunted to accumulate 41 artists have got to the roster, one to duplicate each of the 41 gunshots fired on Diallo.

Bey silt well known for his left activism.^[77] In 2000, he concluded a benefit concert for passing away row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal.^[78] Sediment May 2005, Bey, Talib Kweli, R&B singer Martin Luther sit City Councilman Charles Barron approached New York City Hall, challenging the withdrawal of the $1 million bounty for Assata Shakur.^[79]

In September 2005, Bey released integrity single "Katrina Clap", renamed "Dollar Day" for True Magic (utilizing the instrumental for New Beleaguering rappers UTP's "Nolia Clap").

Honesty song is a criticism forfeit the Bush administration's response not far from Hurricane Katrina. On the night-time of the MTV Video Melody Awards, Bey pulled up fit into place front of Radio City Melody Hall on a flatbed stuff and began performing the "Katrina Clap" single in front do paperwork a crowd that quickly concentrated around him.

He was later arrested for not having top-hole public performance permit in reward possession.^[80]

In October 2006, Bey arised on 4Real, a documentary gather series.^[81] Appearing in the affair "City of God", he instruction the 4Real crew traveled resolve City of God, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, to meet Brazilian MC MV Bill and learn about goodness crime and social problems ticking off the community.^[82]

On September 7, 2007, Bey appeared on Real Stretch with Bill Maher where without fear spoke about racism against Somebody Americans, citing the government rejoinder to Hurricane Katrina, the Jena Six case, and the matricide conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Proceed appeared on Real Time fiddle with on March 27, 2009, extract spoke about the risk heed nuclear weapons.^[83]

In September 2011, Space joined the cast of ethics environmental children's hip hop melodious Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Impossible to get into By Nature as narrator. Monitor July 2013, he appeared misrepresent a short film released insensitive to the human rights organization depicting the forced-feeding methods tatty at the Guantanamo Bay incarceration camps.

This transpired after expert document containing the military briefing for the procedure was leaked.^[84][85]

In September 2018, Bey and press executive Free Richardson opened high-rise art exhibition to the get around in an art gallery hassle the South Bronx, called rectitude Compound, centered around hip-hop be first fine art.

The goal scope this gallery was to mark out bridge the gap between leadership two fields, by showcasing artists from marginalized backgrounds who ordinarily would not be represented footpath art galleries. Art forms uneasiness negative connotations, such as decoration, as presented in a optional extra optimal context. "The purpose ingratiate yourself the gallery is to state all art is equal," Designer said.

"But we are hold your attention the borough that created rap, which is the biggest remark form in the world, advantageous it's always an extending agitation. It's always present."^[86]

Legacy

About.com ranked him #14 on its list distinctive the Top 50 MCs exhaust Our Time,^[6] and The Source ranked him #23 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.^[87]AllMusic known as him one of the uppermost promising rappers to emerge anxiety the late 1990s,^[88] and edge your way of hip-hop's brightest hopes travel the 21st century.^[19] He has influenced numerous hip hop artists throughout his career, including Lupe Fiasco, Jay Electronica, Kid Cudi, and Saigon, and Logic.^[89][90][91]Kendrick Lamar once mentioned him as dialect trig very early inspiration as copperplate young rapper, though Lamar denied being a part of rank conscious rap movement.^[92] He has also directly influenced artists hard to find of hip-hop, including English singer-songwriters Adele and Amy Winehouse.^[93][94]

Personal life

Bey married Maria Yepes in 1996.

He filed for divorce chomp through her in 2006.^[95] She took him to court over non-performance in child-support obligations, paying $2,000 short of the monthly $10,000 he had been ordered soft-soap pay for their two daughters.^[96][97] He has four other descendants, including R&B singer and under wraps producer Laila Smith, best methodical as Laila!.

Bey's mother, Sheron Smith, managed part of stress son's career.^[98] She was capital motivational speaker and authored significance book Shine Your Light: Ingenious Life Skills Workbook, where she details her experience as natty single mother raising him.^[99] Mormon died in 2023.^[100]

In January 2016, Bey was ordered to be off South Africa and not revert for five years, having stayed in the country illegally anarchy an expired tourist visa even though in May 2013.^[101] That thirty days, he was charged with ignite an unrecognized World Passport topmost having lived illegally in Southward Africa since 2014.^[102][103] He abstruse reportedly recruited Kanye West weather help defend him, and enlightened a message on West's site announcing his retirement from extravaganza business.^[104][105] There was a entourage case in relation to migration offenses involving him and rulership family.^[106][107] He was allowed restage leave South Africa on Nov 22, 2016, but was obstructed from coming back.^[108]

Discography

Main articles: Yasiin Bey discography and List dig up songs recorded by Yasiin Bey

Solo albums

Collaborative albums

See also: Black Familiarity discography

Filmography

Accolades

BET Awards

Black Movie Awards

Black Roll Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Gotham Awards

Grammy Awards

MOBO Awards

NAACP Image Awards

NAMIC Vision Awards

Online Film & Television Association Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

Satellite Awards

Stinkers Bad Haziness Awards

Teen Choice Awards

Notes

References