Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def (/ˌmoʊs ˈdɛf/), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor.
Yasiin Bey | |
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Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Dante Terrell Smith |
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| Born | December 11, 1973 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Black Star |
| Formerly of | |
| Children | 6 |
He launched his hip hop career in 1994, joining his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) and on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. In 1996, he and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed Black Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star featured the singles "Definition" and "Respiration". He released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides in 1999, then The New Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009). His hits include "Oh No", "Ms. Fat Booty", and "Mathematics". In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".
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. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.
Bey has spoken out on several social and political causes, including police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the status of African Americans.