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Mos Def

 
Who2 Biography: Mos Def, Rapper / Actor
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Who2 Biographies

  • Born: 11 December 1973
  • Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
  • Best Known As: Rapper and co-star of the movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Name at birth: Dante Terrell Smith

Mos Def is a critically-acclaimed hip-hop star who is also known to movie audiences for his roles in The Italian Job (2003, with Mark Wahlberg) and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005, starring Zooey Deschanel). Def hit the music scene in the late 1990s, first gaining attention for the underground hit "Universal Magnetic." With Talib Kweli he formed the group Black Star and made a name for himself as a non-gangsta, socially conscious rapper who earned critical praise, if not multi-platinum record sales. After his first solo album, 1999's Black on Both Sides, Mos Def the actor began to get as much attention as Mos Def the hip-hop artist, in films such as Spike Lee's Bamboozled (2000) and in Monster's Ball (2001, with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton). By 2004 he'd had a second successful album, The New Danger, appeared in the thriller The Italian Job and earned an Emmy nomination for a lead role in the HBO movie Something The Lord Made.

Mos Def has collaborated with many other stars of hip-hop, including De La Soul, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes and Macy Gray.

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Black Biography: Mos Def
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rap musician; actor; activist

Personal Information

Born Dante Terrell Beze on December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, NY.

Career

Formed his first group, Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), with his brother and sister; appeared as "Richard" in God Bless the Child on television, 1988; played "Raymond Kirkland" on TV's You Take the Kids, 1990; appeared in NYPD Blue and The Cosby Mysteries, 1994; released UTD single, "My Kung Fu," 1994; joined the Native Tongues collective founded by Afrika Bambaataa, which included A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul; made cameo appearances on De La Soul's "Big Brother Beat" and the Bush Babees's "Love Song"; appeared on TV's Spin City, 1996; released debut single "The Universal Magnetic," on Rawkus Records, 1996; released "Body Rock," featuring Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, 1998; released debut album (with Talib Kweli), Black Star, 1998; released Black on Both Sides, 1999; played "Julius" in Spike Lee's film, Bamboozled, 2000; headlined the Lyricist Lounge Tour, 2000; made guest appearances on MTV's spin-off show, Lyricist Lounge, 2000; appeared in Carmen: A Hip Hopera, MTV, 2001.

Life's Work

Rapper, activist, and actor Mos Def found a vehicle for his socially conscious beliefs in hip-hop music. The Brooklyn native grew up in the "golden age" of hip-hop and became such a powerful voice that the United Nations invited him to speak and perform at what was called the peace conference of the century. Jonathan Perry in the Boston Globe called Mos Def an "outspoken, politically minded rapper whose positivist messages of unity, freedom, and self-knowledge found their way onto seminal hip-hop albums" like Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are...Black Star in 1998 and Mos Def's debut solo release, 1999's Black on Both Sides.

Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Beze (some sources say his last name is Smith) on December 11, 1973, and raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant and East Flatbush neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York. He started rhyming at age nine. He grew up in the Brooklyn projects during the "golden age" of hip-hop, a time of seminal hip-hop artists like Public Enemy, KRS-One, and Eric B. and Rakim. "It was as if the Black Panthers had been a musical group," he said of these musicians in an interview with Black Book, "generating very serious social criticism, and not just criticism absent of solution." Mos Def excelled in schools for the gifted and in a yearlong internship with the human rights organization Amnesty International. Mos Def pursued his talent for hip-hop, which he described in Black Book as "this generation's fire and passion applied to sound."

Mos Def got his start in acting as a teenager. He first appeared on television as "Richard" in God Bless the Child in 1988 and played "Raymond Kirkland" on You Take the Kids in 1990. He also appeared in episodes of NYPD Blue, The Cosby Mysteries, and Spin City. MTV developed a spin-off series called Lyricist Lounge, on which Mos Def made guest appearances. He also appeared in Carmen: A Hip Hopera, on television in 2001. On the big screen, Mos Def appeared in Spike Lee's film, Bamboozled, which satirized television. In it, he played Julius, the leader of a radical rap group called the Mau Maus, who changes his name to Big Black Africa. He contributed to the soundtrack of Hurricane, which stars Denzel Washington.

Mos Def formed his first group, Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), with his brother and sister, and released a UTD single, "My Kung Fu," in 1994. He was invited to join the Native Tongues collective founded by Afrika Bambaataa, which included A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. He then made cameo appearances on De La Soul's single "Big Brother Beat" and the Bush Babees's "Love Song." He released his own debut single "The Universal Magnetic," on the seminal independent hip-hop label Rawkus Records in 1996. Another Rawkus single, "Body Rock," featuring Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, followed in 1998. Mos Def began working with like-minded community activist Talib Kweli, and the two recorded a full-length release called Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are...Black Star. Out in 1998, the album became one of the hottest hip-hop releases of the year.

In 1999 Time magazine reported that three acts, including the Roots, Q-Tip, and Mos Def, were leading a "new movement" in hip-hop. "All three are creating hip-hop that's more personal, political, and spiritual," wrote Christopher John Farley in Time, "than the bulk of what passes for Top-40 rap today." Mos Def fit this new movement because his lyrics were socially conscious and his music was considered among the best in hip-hop. His voice became so powerful the United Nations invited him to The Hague to speak and perform at what was deemed the peace conference of the century. He accepted the invitation but insisted on paying his own way. Acts like his are rare, he said, because the music industry stifles them. "There is a community of artists in hip-hop who have made politically and socially conscious music," he told Black Book, "but the corporate structure does whatever it can to frustrate the efforts of these artists."

Mos Def has never been completely comfortable being labeled a socially conscious artist. He felt it alienated him somewhat from the hip-hop community as a whole. "So often, artists like myself...are referred to as alternative or conscious," Mos Def was quoted as saying in his bio. "To me, that's like another code word to diminish your attachments to the community, to black people. You're sort of like this foreign, distant element that people may admire from a distance but they don't have any real closeness to, it's not intimate to them, it's not of them."

Mos Def's highly anticipated debut full-length album came out in 1999. Black on Both Sides "is a tightrope walk across diverse hip-hop styles," wrote critic Matt Diehl in Entertainment Weekly. "Merging old-school bravado with new-school poetics, the Brooklyn legend spouts incisive Afrocentric reality that takes all sides into account." According to a critic in CMJ New Music Report, Black on Both Sides "is a poignant celebration of black culture through masterful lyricism and advanced sonic knowledge." Another CMJ critic wrote the album "is simply one of the most unhindered and aesthetically ambitious hip-hop records in recent memory... . Free of the self-imposed limitations that often hinder other rap acts." Black on Both Sides was certified gold.

In 2000 Mos Def headlined the 18-city Lyricist Lounge Tour 2000 with Talib Kweli, Punch & Words, Master Fuel, Ali Vegas, Jus, Reks, Akrobatic, Swiss Chris, and others. He took the stage with an all-star band which included Sugarhill Gang/Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish, Bad Brains guitarist Dr. Know, and Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The rapper incorporated a variety of styles into his set, including the Temptations' classic, "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" and Bob Marley's reggae song, "Waiting in Vain." The hour-long set was "by turns celebratory ... devotional ... and scathing," wrote Boston Globe correspondent Jonathan Perry in a review of a Lyricist Lounge performance. Mos Def "demonstrated that his skills as an artist don't merely begin and end with hip-hop," Perry wrote. "...Mos Def's turn at the mike was marvelously unpredictable and satisfyingly self-assured."

Mos Def has always been outspoken on the state of contemporary culture and media. "In terms of what certain media outlets show you, it's very one-dimensional," he told Newsweek. "It's not just hip-hop music--TV and movies in general are very narrow. Sex, violence, the underbelly, with junkies, prostitutes, alcoholics, gamblers. The new trend today is depravity." He has been equally critical of the music industry and the repetitious, uninspired product it cranks out. "If all you make available is acorns," he continued, "people will eat the ... acorns." He believes that violence in music is a reflection of the violence in culture, rather than an inspiration for it. "Artists," he continued, "are only going to repeat what the climate is saying. America is extremely violent and oppressive to a lot of different folks. It's very hostile to youth, only treating them like consumers--or addicts. It's terminal consumerism. What's going on in media is just a symptom of the real sickness."

Works

Selected discography

  • Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are ... Black Star, Rawkus, 1998.
  • Black on Both Sides, Rawkus, 1999.

Further Reading

Periodicals

  • Black Book, Spring 2000, p. 169.
  • Boston Globe, September 29, 2000, p. C9.
  • Entertainment Weekly, November 5, 1999, p. 82.
  • Newsweek, October 9, 2000, p. 58.
  • Time, December 6, 1999, p. 96.
Online
  • All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (July 10, 2001).
  • Bamboozled, http://www.bamboozledmovie.com/film/mdef.html (July 16, 2001).
  • CD Now, http://www.cdnow.com (July 16, 2001).
  • Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com (July 16, 2001).
  • Rawkus Records, http://www.rawkus.com (July 10, 2001).

— Brenna Sanchez

Artist: Mos Def
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Mos Def

Similar Artists:

Company Flow, Nas, Thirstin Howl III, Juggaknots, Jurassic 5, Aesop Rock, Cyclops 4000, 4th Avenue Jones, Michael Franti, Common, The Coup, Tah Phrum Duh Bush, Raekwon, Cannibal Ox, Lupe Fiasco

Influenced By:

A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, De La Soul, Poor Righteous Teachers, Lakim Shabazz, Chuck D, Boogie Down Productions, Main Source, Intelligent Hoodlum, EPMD, Jungle Brothers, Ahmad Jamal, The Fugees, Stetsasonic, Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, Digable Planets, Steely Dan, Big Daddy Kane

Followers:

Skyzoo, A.P.O.S.T.L.E., Saigon, Jay Electronica, Madcon, Lafayette Gilchrist, k-os, Shwayze, Immortal Technique, P.O.S., Kid Cudi

Performed Songs By:

D. Smith

Formal Connection With:

Black Star, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, The Beatnuts
See Mos Def Lyrics
  • Born: December 11, 1973, Brooklyn, NY
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Rap
  • Instrument: Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "Black on Both Sides", "Black Star", "The New Danger
  • Representative Songs: "Definition", "Rock N Roll", "Hip Hop

Biography

Initially regarded as one of the most promising rappers to emerge in the late '90s, Mos Def turned to acting in subsequent years as music became a secondary concern for him. He did release new music from time to time, including albums such as The New Danger (2004), but his output was erratic and seemingly governed by whim. Mos Def nonetheless continued to draw attention, especially from critics and underground rap fans, and his classic breakthrough albums -- Black Star (1998), a collaboration with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek; and Black on Both Sides (1999), his solo debut -- continued to be revered, all the more so as time marched forward. Mos Def often used his renown for political purposes, protesting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Jena Six incident in 2007, for instance.

Born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, NY, Mos Def began rapping at age nine and began professionally acting at age 14, when he appeared in a TV movie. After high school, he began acting in a variety of television roles, most notably appearing in 1994 on a short-lived Bill Cosby series, The Cosby Mysteries. In 1994 Mos Def formed the rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics with his younger brother and sister, and signed a recording deal with Payday Records that didn't amount to much. In 1996 his solo career was launched with a pair of high-profile guest features on De La Soul's "Big Brother Beat" and Da Bush Babees' "S.O.S." A year later, in 1997, Mos Def released his debut single, "Universal Magnetic," on Royalty Records, and it became an underground rap hit. This led to a recording contract with Rawkus Records, which was just getting off the ground at the time, and he began working on a full-length album with like-minded rapper Talib Kweli and producer Hi-Tek. The resulting album, Black Star (1998), became one of the most celebrated rap albums of its time. A year later came Mos Def's solo album, Black on Both Sides, and it inspired further attention and praise. Yet, aside from appearances on the Rawkus compilation series Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing, no follow-up recordings were forthcoming, as the up-and-coming rapper turned his attention elsewhere, away from music.

During the early 2000s, Mos Def acted in several films (Monster's Ball, Bamboozled, Brown Sugar, The Woodsman) and even spent some time on Broadway (the Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog). He simultaneously worked on the Black Jack Johnson project with several iconic black musicians: keyboardist Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic), guitarist Dr. Know (Bad Brains), drummer Will Calhoun (Living Colour), and bassist Doug Wimbish (the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Living Colour). This project aimed to reclaim rock music, especially the rap-rock hybrid, from such artists as Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, who Mos Def openly despised. What made Black Jack Johnson so anticipated though was not so much the supergroup roster of musicians or even Mos Def himself, but rather the lack of black rock bands. Following the demise of Living Colour, there were few, if any, that had attained substantial success. Mos Def hoped to infuse the rock world with his all-black band, and during the early 2000s, he performed several small shows with his band around the New York area. In October 2004, he finally delivered a second solo album, The New Danger, which involved Black Jack Johnson on a few tracks.

Two years later, after a few more acting roles -- including the Golden Globe-winning Lackawanna Blues and the Emmy-winning Something the Lord Made, both of which were made-for-television movies -- Mos Def released his third solo album, True Magic (2006). A contract-fulfilling release for Geffen, which had absorbed Rawkus years prior, the album trickled out in a small run during the last week of 2006. Bizarrely, the disc came with no artwork and was sold in a clear plastic case -- though its single, "Undeniable," did manage to grab a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. The Ecstatic, released on the Universal-distributed Downtown label, followed in June 2009; at that point, Mos Def had significant acting roles in Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind (in which he co-starred with Jack Black) and Cadillac Records (he played Chuck Berry). ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Actor: Mos Def
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  • Born: Dec 11, 1973
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: 2000s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Comedy
  • Career Highlights: Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Something the Lord Made, 16 Blocks
  • First Major Screen Credit: Where's Marlowe? (1998)

Biography

Mos Def may seem, to the casual observer, like a rare example of a musician successfully transitioning into acting, but in truth, his acclaimed music career did not take off until long after he'd cemented himself as a working actor. Nonetheless, the man has built both his music and film careers on a foundation of integrity, earning him critical praise and audience approval for both. His contributions to the underground hip-hop scene started with the 1996 single "Universal Magnetic," a rare example of introspection in a genre dominated by blustering and callousness. Def's film debut, however, came almost ten years before, when he appeared in the 1988 TV movie God Bless the Child at the age of 15. Then going by his birth name, Dante Terrell Smith, Mos Def landed appearances on shows like Here and Now, The Cosby Mysteries, Brooklyn South, Spin City, and NYPD Blue. The spots sustained his career throughout the '90s, as did his roles in feature films like Bamboozled and MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera. Slowly but steadily becoming a recognizable face in acting, Mos Def continued to take parts in high-quality films, even if this meant a lower profile for himself as an actor. His supporting roles in Monster's Ball, Brown Sugar, The Italian Job, and The Woodsman, however, garnered him attention on talent alone. In 2004, he co-starred in the HBO movie Something the Lord Made with Alan Rickman and was honored with an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, along with Rickman. By the time Def appeared in 2005's Golden Globe award-winning HBO miniseries Lackawanna Blues alongside Terrence Howard and S. Epatha Merkerson, he was a recognized and sought-after face in film. Def soon afterward donned a British accent for a leading role in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, giving audiences a taste of his comedic skills. His next role was far more dramatic in nature, however, when he played a key witness hoping to avoid assassination in Richard Donner's 16 Blocks, co-starring with Bruce Willis. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
Wikipedia: Mos Def
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Mos Def

Mos Def performing at the YBCA in San Francisco on New Year's Eve, December 2008
Background information
Birth name Dante Terrell Smith
Born December 11, 1973 (1973-12-11) (age 35)
Origin New York City, New York, United States
Genres Hip hop, conscious hip hop, blues, rock
Occupations Rapper, singer, actor, poet
Instruments Vocals, drums, piano, bass guitar
Years active 1994–present
Labels Rawkus
Geffen
Downtown
Associated acts Soulquarians
Black Star
Talib Kweli
Native Tongues Posse
Kanye West
The Roots
Common
K'naan
Website http://www.mosdef.com

Dante Terrell Smith-Bey (born December 11, 1973)[1] is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def. Mos Def started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, who released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hop explosion spearheaded by Rawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.[1]

Initially recognized for his musical output, Mos Def's screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. Mos Def has also been active on several social and political issues and was particularly vocal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[1]

Contents

Early life

Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith-Bey in the Roosevelt Houses of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City,[2] the son of Abbi Shabazz. He has two younger brothers, Abdul Rahman (a.k.a. "Gold Medal Man," who is Mos's full-time DJ) and Anwar Superstar. He also has a younger sister, Ces (Casey) Smith, and another younger brother Jermone Victor Moulton who resides in Brooklyn and shares the same mother Umi Smith. Mos Def and his brothers are Muslims.[citation needed] Mos Def was born into Islam.He is also close friends with many rappers including Muslim rappers Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Q-Tip of the group A Tribe Called Quest.[2] Mos Def grew up during the golden age of hip-hop and has been rapping and acting since he was six years old. He attended Philippa Schuyler Middle School in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Music career

Mos Def began his music career in 1994 in the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics with his younger brother D.c.Q and younger sister Ces. Despite their contract with Payday Records, the group only released two singles, and their debut album Manifest Destiny was not released until 2004, when it was distributed by Illson Media. In 1996, he emerged as a solo artist and worked with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees, before he released his own first single, "Universal Magnetic", which was a huge underground hit.[citation needed]

Mos Def signed with Rawkus Records and formed the group Black Star with Talib Kweli. They released an album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, in 1998.[3] Mostly produced by Hi-Tek, the album featured the hit singles, "Respiration" and "Definition", which would go on to be featured in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop.[4] Mos Def released his solo debut album Black on Both Sides in 1999, also through Rawkus.[5] Around this time he also contributed to the Scritti Politti album Anomie & Bonhomie and Rawkus compilations Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing.

After the collapse of Rawkus, he signed to Interscope/Geffen Records, which released his second solo album The New Danger in 2004.[6] The New Danger contained a mix of several musical genres, including soul, blues, and rock and roll, performed with his rock band Black Jack Johnson, which contained members of the bands Bad Brains and Living Colour. The singles included "Sex, Love & Money" and the B-side "Ghetto Rock"; the latter went on to receive several Grammy Award nominations in 2004.

Mos Def has drawn some criticism from his fan base about "keeping it real" after he appeared in a commercial that endorsed the GMC Denali sport utility vehicle.[7]

Mos Def's final solo album for Geffen Records, True Magic, was quietly released on December 29, 2006. True Magic features production from The Neptunes, Rich Harrison and Minnesota, among others. The album was released in a clear-case with no cover art. Neither Geffen nor Mos Def himself promoted the album at all, which is the main reason the album was received under the radar.

The song "Crime & Medicine" is essentially a cover of GZA's 1995 single "Liquid Swords", though it contains different verses. Also, the track "Undeniable" samples a version of the Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield composition "Message from a Black Man". The song "Dollar Day" uses the same beat as Juvenile's "Nolia Clap."[8]

MTV reported that this album isn't a full version, but a teaser/promotional debut. A new version of the album would be released spring 2007, with updated songs and cover art. However, on October 17, 2007, Okayplayer reported, through discussions with Mos Def's management, that these rumors were unsubstantiated. The CD was intended to be released without promotion or cover art, as per Mos Def's request. There would be no future re-release.

On November 7, 2007, Mos Def performed live in San Francisco at a venue called The Mezzanine. This performance was recorded for an upcoming "Live in Concert" DVD. During this performance Mos Def announced that he would be releasing a new album to be called The Ecstatic. He sang a number of new tracks; in later shows, Def previewed tracks produced by Madlib and was rumored to be going to Kanye West for new material. Producer and fellow Def Poet Al Be Back stated that he would be producing as well[9]. The album was released on June 9, 2009; upon its release, only Madlib's production had made the cut, along with tracks by Preservation, The Neptunes, Mr. Flash, Madlib's brother Oh No, a song by J. Dilla, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

Mos Def is also set to do a duo album with Jay Electronica titled Simpatico. It will contain nine songs.[10]

Mos Def appears alongside Kanye West on the track "Two Words" from The College Dropout album, the track "Drunk And Hot Girls" and the bonus track "Good Night" off West's third major album, Graduation. In 2002, he released the 12" single Fine, which was featured in the Brown Sugar Motion Picture Soundtrack.[11]

Mos Def also appears on the debut album from fellow New Yorkers Apollo Heights on a track titled, "Concern." In October, he signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on a remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice.[12] Mos Def appeared on Stephen Marley's album Mind Control on the song "Hey Baby." In 2009, Mos Def worked together with Somali rapper K'naan to produce the track "America" for K'naan's album Troubadour.[13]

In April 2008 he appeared on the title track for a new album by The Roots entitled Rising Down. The new single, Life In Marvelous Times, was made officially available through iTunes on November 4, 2008, and is available for stream on the Roots' website Okayplayer.

April 2009 saw him traveling to South Africa for the first time where he performed accompanied by The Robert Glasper Experiment at the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival. He enticed his bemused African following with an encore introduced by his own rendition of John Coltrane's "Love Supreme" followed by a sneak preview of the track "M.D. (Doctor)", much to the delight of the fans.[14]

Mos Def also designed two pairs of limited edition Converse shoes. The shoes were released to Foot Locker stores on August 1, 2009 in very limited amounts.[15]

In late 2009, Mos Def created a brand of clothing line with UNDRCRWN called the "Mos Def Cut & Sew Collection." All clothing items will be sold in select stores located around the U.S. and almost exclusively on the UNDRCRWN website.[16]

Influences

Acting career

Mos Def studied experimental theatre at New York University. He began his professional acting career at the age of fourteen, appearing in the TV movie God Bless the Child, starring Mare Winningham. He then played the oldest child in the short-lived family sitcom, You Take the Kids, starring Nell Carter and Roger E. Mosley. His most notable acting role before his music career was that of Bill Cosby's sidekick on the short-lived detective show, The Cosby Mysteries. He also starred in a 1996 Visa check card commercial featuring Deion Sanders. In 1997 he had a small role alongside Michael Jackson in his short film and music video "Ghosts".

After brief appearances in Bamboozled[26] and Monster's Ball,[27] Mos re-invigorated his acting career with his performance as a talented rapper who is reluctant to sign to a major label in Brown Sugar.[28] He was nominated for an Image Award and a Teen Choice Award.[29]

In 2002, he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He and co-star Jeffrey Wright won a Special Award from the Outer Critics Circle Award for their joint performance.[30] He also received positive notices as the quirky Left Ear in the blockbuster hit, The Italian Job in 2003.[31]

In television, Mos Def has appeared on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show,[32] and has hosted the award-winning HBO spoken word show, Def Poetry since its inception.[33] The show's sixth season aired in 2007. He also appeared on the sitcom My Wife And Kids as the old school friend of Michael Kyle's (Damon Wayans).

Mos Def won Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman.[34] For his portrayal of Vivien Thomas in HBO's film Something the Lord Made,[35] he was nominated for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and won the Image Award. He also played a bandleader in HBO's Lackawanna Blues. He then landed the role of Ford Prefect in the 2005 movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.[36]

In 2006, Mos Def appeared in Dave Chappelle's Block Party alongside fellow Black Star companion Talib Kweli, while also contributing to the film's soundtrack.[37] Also, Mos Def was featured as the black banjo player in the infamous "Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes. He was later edited out of it on the DVD. Additionally, Mos Def starred in the action film 16 Blocks alongside Bruce Willis and David Morse.[38] He has a recurring guest role on Boondocks, starring as "Gangstalicious". He is also set to be in Toussaint, a film about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. He made a cameo appearance — playing himself — in the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.[39]

In 2008, Mos Def starred in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind, playing a video rental store employee whose best friend is played by co-star Jack Black. [40]. He also portrayed Chuck Berry in the film Cadillac Records,[41] for which he was nominated for a Black Reel Award and an Image Award.

Most recently, he appeared in the season five episode of House entitled "Locked In." His performance has been well-received, with E! saying that Mos Def "delivers an Emmy-worthy performance."[42] He was also in the 2009 film, Next Day Air.

Social and political views

By the early 1990s, a brand of socially conscious hip hop that had been popularized by A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, and many others had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Mos Def, as well as Talib Kweli, Common, Little Brother, Quannum Projects and others helped socially aware rap music experience something of a comeback in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli, Black Star, was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. and focused on violence and deceit in hip-hop, in collaboration with other acts that did the same. His music has also made reference to his Islamic faith, and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll.

On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, he took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of blues and rock, with fewer raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song, "The Rape Over," a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "Takeover". His label made him take the song off releases of the album, citing clearance issues with Jay-Z and The Doors, a band which the song samples. The song has garnered controversy over its veiled reference to Israeli-American record executive Lyor Cohen (the "tall Israeli" who then was head of the The Island Def Jam Music Group).

Mos Def and Immortal Technique released a similarly controversial song, "Bin Laden" in 2004, which blamed the Reagan Doctrine and President George W. Bush for the September 11, 2001 attacks. A club remix song, featuring Eminem, was released the following year, in 2005.

In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap," renamed "Dollar Day" for True Magic, (utilizing the instrumental for New Orleans rappers UTP's "Nolia Clap"). The song is a criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. On the night of the MTV Video Music Awards, Mos Def pulled up in front of Radio City Music Hall on a flatbed truck and began performing the "Katrina Clap" single in front of a crowd that quickly gathered around him. He was subsequently arrested despite having a public performance permit in his possession.[43]

On September 7, 2007, Mos Def appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher where he spoke about racism against African Americans, citing the government response to Hurricane Katrina, the Jena Six and the murder conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mos Def also displayed his deep skepticism, mentioning that Al-Qaeda was not responsible for 9/11, and that Al-Qaeda is not responsible for as much terrorism as they are portrayed to be.[44] He appeared on Real Time again on March 27, 2009, and spoke about the risk of nuclear weapons.[45] Mos Def said that he did not listen to any of Osama Bin Laden's messages because he did not trust the translations.[46]

Personal life

In 1996, he married Maria Yepes. After having two girls, Chandani and Jauhara Smith, he filed for divorce in 2005.[47] The divorce became final in January 2008. In connection with his divorce from Yepes, law firm Blank Rome filed suit seeking more than $60,000 in unpaid legal bills.[48] Mos Def is expected to return to court for non-compliance of his divorce and for not paying child support.

Mos Def also has six other children with three other women.[49]

In October, 2006 Mos Def appeared on 4Real, a documentary television series.[50] Appearing in the episode "City of God," he and the 4Real crew traveled to City of God, a slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to meet Brazilian MC MV Bill and discover the crime and social problems of the community.[51]

He has recently taken up skateboarding which he learned from his son Elijah Cole and said he's looking to host a skateboarding event in the United Arab Emirates.[52]

Nominations

  • Black Movie Awards
    • 2006 Source Awards
  • Black Reel Awards
  • Emmy Award
    • 2004, Best Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made (nominated)
  • Golden Globes
    • 2005, Best Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made (nominated)
  • Grammy Awards
    • 2005, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Sex, Love & Money" (nominated)
    • 2006, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Ghetto Rock" (nominated)
    • 2007, Best Rap Solo Performance: "Undeniable" (nominated)
    • 2010, Best Rap Solo Performance: "Casa Bey" (nominated)
    • 2010, Best Rap Album: "The Ecstatic" (nominated)
  • Image Awards
    • 2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Cadillac Records (nominated)
    • 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar (nominated)
    • 2005, Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made (nominated)

Discography

Main articles: Mos Def discography and List of Mos Def songs

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1991 The Hard Way Dead Romeos Gang Member
1997 Ghosts Townsperson
1998 Where's Marlowe? Wilt Crawley
2000 Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme Himself
Bamboozled Big Blak Afrika Also recorded a song for the movie's soundtrack with other members of the Mau Maus
Island of the Dead Robbie J
2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera Lieutenant Miller
Monster's Ball Ryrus Cooper
2002 Showtime Lazy Boy
Civil Brand Michael Meadows
Brown Sugar Christopher 'Chris' Vashawn
2003 The Italian Job Left Ear
2004 The Woodsman Detective Lucas
Something the Lord Made Vivien Thomas Nominated - Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated - Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Nominated - Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Mini-Series or Television Movie
2005 Lackawanna Blues The Bandleader
The Boondocks (2005-2008) Voice Of Gangstalicous
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Ford Prefect
2006 Dave Chappelle's Block Party Himself
16 Blocks Eddie Bunker
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Himself Cameo
Journey to the End of the Night Wemba
2007 Prince Among Slaves Narrator
2008 Be Kind Rewind Mike
Cadillac Records Chuck Berry
2009 Next Day Air Eric
Toussaint Louverture TBA pre-production
House Lee Guest star as a patient in Season 5, Episode 19

References

  1. ^ a b c allmusic Biography
  2. ^ a b You're Gonna Serve Somebody
  3. ^ Black Star album
  4. ^ VH1's 100 greatest Hip-Hop songs
  5. ^ Black on Both Sides
  6. ^ The New Danger
  7. ^ "Your Thoughts on the Mos Def Denali Commercial?". Magnetic: Mos Def News. 2006-10-10. http://mosdef.funky4u.com/2005/10/10/your-thoughts-on-the-mos-def-denali-commercial/. Retrieved 2006-03-27. 
  8. ^ Mos Def - Tru3 Magic - Hip-Hop Album Review
  9. ^ Al Be Back speaks on Mos Def's new CD
  10. ^ http://www.vimeo.com/channels/26059
  11. ^ "Hip Hop Single of the Day – Mos Def – Fine (2002)". WeLiveThis.com. http://www.welivethis.com/newsfeed/2009/06/07/hip-hop-single-day-mos-def-fine-2002/. Retrieved June 7 2009. 
  12. ^ http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/46312-mos-def-signs-to-downtown-recordings-remixes-justices-dance-with-spank-rock Pitchfork: Mos Def Signs to Downtown Recordings, Remixes Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." With Spank Rock
  13. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610262/20090429/knaan.jhtml K'Naan Hopes To Break The U.S. With Help From Mos Def, Adam Levine
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ Converse — Connectivity
  16. ^ http://www.undrcrwn.com/MOS-DEF-CUT--SEW-COLLECTION.html
  17. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  18. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  19. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  20. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  21. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  22. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  23. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  24. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  25. ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hjftxqlhldhe
  26. ^ Bamboozled
  27. ^ Monster's Ball
  28. ^ Brown Sugar
  29. ^ Award nominations
  30. ^ http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx?_y=2001-2002
  31. ^ Italian Job
  32. ^ Chappelle's Show
  33. ^ Def Poetry
  34. ^ The Woodsman
  35. ^ something the Lord Made
  36. ^ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
  37. ^ Dave Chappelle's Block Party
  38. ^ 16 Blocks
  39. ^ Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
  40. ^ Be Kind Rewind
  41. ^ Cadillac Records
  42. ^ Dos Santos, Kristin (2009-03-27), House: Mos Def'initely Deserves an Emmy, E!, http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b106478_house_mos_definitely_deserves_emmy.html, retrieved 2009-03-30 
  43. ^ "Mos Def arrested outside VMAs." Mp3.com. 2006-09-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-09
  44. ^ "episode 107". Real Time with Bill Maher. HBO. 2007-09-07. No. 17, season 5.
  45. ^ "episode 147". Real Time with Bill Maher. HBO. 2009-03-27. No. 6, season 7.
  46. ^ "Overtime". Real Time with Bill Maher. HBO. 2007-03-27. No. 6, season 7.
  47. ^ http://www.nobodysmiling.com/hiphop/news/85779.php Mos Def In Court For Child Support
  48. ^ http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur49358.cfm
  49. ^ Mos Def In Court For Child Support
  50. ^ 4REAL - Mos Def
  51. ^ http://www.4real.com/tv/details.asp?pageid=10 4REAL Mos Def in Cidad de Deuas
  52. ^ Gulfnews: Universal resonance

External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mos Def
v • d • e
Mos Def
Albums
Black on Both Sides (1999)  · The New Danger (2004)  · True Magic (2006)  · The Ecstatic (2009)
Singles
"Ms. Fat Booty/Mathematics (B-Side)"  · "Umi Says"  · "Sex, Love & Money/Ghetto Rock (B-Side)"  · "Sunshine"  · "Undeniable"  · "Life In Marvelous Times"  · "Quiet Dog Bite Hard"  · "Casa Bey"
Collaborative singles
"The Love Song" (with Da Bush Babees)  · "Body Rock" (with Q-Tip & Tash)  · "Definition" (with Talib Kweli as Black Star)  · "Respiration" (with Talib Kweli as Black Star & Common)  · "Oh No" (with Pharoahe Monch & Nate Dogg)  · "Ms. Fat Booty 2" (with Ghostface Killah)  · "Jam On It"  · "Brown Sugar (Extra Sweet)" (with Faith Evans)  · "Bin Laden" (with Immortal Technique & DJ Green Lantern)
Filmography
See also
v • d • e
Soulquarians
Groups
Members
Albums
See also

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Who2 Biography. Copyright © 1998-2008 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Mos Def biography from Who2.  Read more
Black Biography. Contemporary Black Biography. Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Actor. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mos Def".  Read more

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