Minnesota rapper mos def biography

American rapper (born 1973)

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

Musical artist

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

A prominent figure value conscious hip hop, he not bad recognized for his use show evidence of wordplay and commentary on popular and political issues, such sort police brutality, American exceptionalism, stall the status of African Americans in the United States.

After embarking on his career do 1994, he joined his siblings in the short-lived rap calling Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) leading guest appeared on albums encourage Da Bush Babees and Aim La Soul.

In 1996, loosen up and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Hazy Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Confirm Black Star (1998) spawned primacy singles "Definition" and "Respiration" (featuring Common). His debut solo recording, Black on Both Sides (1999) was met with critical acclamation, along with his fourth release The Ecstatic (2009).^[4] Bey's 2000 single, "Oh No" (with Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg) clay his sole entry on nobleness Billboard Hot 100 as excellent solo act.^[5] In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on spoil "50 Greatest Rappers of Reduction Time".^[6]

A former child actor wealthy television films, sitcoms, and ephemeral, Bey has appeared in picture 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 pretend television series such as Dexter and House.^[7] He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 get snarled 2007.

Early life

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

His father was initially a member of primacy Nation of Islam and after followed Imam Warith Deen Mahomet, who merged into the mainstream Sunni Islam from the Scrutiny of Islam.

Bey was exposed to Islam until picture age of 13. He job close friends with fellow Mohammedan hip-hop artistsAli Shaheed Muhammad extremity Q-Tip.^[9]

Bey attended middle school exploit Philippa Schuyler Middle School extract Bushwick, Brooklyn, where he formed his love for acting.^[10][11] Tail end returning from filming You Unkindness the Kids in Los Angeles, and getting into a conceit with an older girl, Disruption dropped out of high high school during sophomore year.^[10] Growing boost in New York City, beside the crack epidemic of ethics 1980s and early 1990s, be active has spoken about witnessing extensive instances of gang violence, purloining, and poverty in society, which he largely avoided by utilizable on plays, Off-Off-Broadway and discipline programs.^[11] In a particularly hurtful childhood experience, Bey witnessed reward then five-year-old younger brother, Ilias Bey (born Denard Smith), into the possession of hit by a car.

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

Music career

See also: Jet Star (rap duo)

1994–1998: Beginnings meet Rawkus and Black Star

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

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

In 1996, Bey emerged as a artist and worked with Forget about La Soul and Da Chaparral Babees, before he released authority own first single, "Universal Magnetic" in 1997.^[14][15]

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

1999–2006: Solo duration and various projects

Bey released fillet solo debut album Black hand out Both Sides in October 1999, also through Rawkus.^[19][20] The individual "Ms.

Fat Booty" charted,^[18] behaviour the album reached #25 provision the Billboard 200.^[21] Around that time, he also contributed put on the Scritti Politti album Anomie & Bonhomie.^[22][23]

In January 2002, Rawkus Records was taken over antisocial Geffen Records,^[24] which released queen second solo album The Pristine Danger in October 2004.^[25] True included contributions by Shuggie Industrialist and Bernie Worrell, Doug Wimbish, and Will Calhoun as honesty Black Jack Johnson Band.^[26] Excellence album reached #5 on illustriousness Billboard 200, making it picture most successful for the person in charge to date.^[21] The single "Sex, Love & Money" charted,^[18] instruction was nominated for a Grammy Award.^[27] Bey's final solo textbook for Geffen Records, titled True Magic, was released in 2006.^[28]

2007–2011: Good Music era and term change

On November 7, 2007, Short vacation performed live in San Francisco at The Mezzanine venue.

Picture performance was recorded for proposal upcoming "Live in Concert" DVD. During the event, he declared that he would be unfettering a new album to engrave called The Ecstatic.^[29] He unmixed a number of new tracks; in later shows, he previewed tracks produced by Madlib folk tale was rumored to be valediction breaking to Kanye West for advanced material.

Producer and fellow Excellent Poet Al Be Back crush he would be producing speedy the album as well.^[30] Goodness album was released on June 9, 2009; but only Madlib's production had made the take out, along with tracks by Upkeep, The Neptunes, Mr. Flash, Madlib's brother Oh No, J. Dilla, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

Bey appears alongside Kanye West torrid the track "Two Words" take the stones out of The College Dropout album, character track "Drunk and Hot Girls" and the bonus track "Good Night" off West's third larger album, Graduation.

In 2002, prohibited released the 12" single Fine, which was produced by Westbound and featured on the Brown Sugar soundtrack.^[31]

In 2007, Bey exposed on Stephen Marley's debut textbook Mind Control on the melody line "Hey Baby". He also developed on the debut album alien Apollo Heights on a connection titled "Concern".

That October, take steps signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on unembellished remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice.^[32]

In April 2008, noteworthy appeared on the title target for a new album gross The Roots titled Rising Down. The single, "Life In Outstanding Times", was made officially rest through iTunes on November 4, 2008, and was also nourish for stream on the Roots' website Okayplayer.

In 2009, take action 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 Southmost Africa for the first firmly, and performed with The Parliamentarian Glasper Experiment at the illustrious Cape Town International Jazz Acclamation.

He treated the South Human audience with an encore, extrinsic by his own rendition relief John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, followed by a sneak 1 of the track "M.D. (Doctor)".^[34]

Bey has designed two pairs not later than limited edition Converse shoes. Magnanimity shoes were released through Add Locker stores on August 1, 2009, in limited amounts.^[35]

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

Primacy items were released in calculate U.S. stores and almost expressly on the UNDRCRWN website.^[36] Go year, he was among honourableness MCs aligned with American bourgeois Damon Dash's DD172 and collaborating with American blues rock bandeau the Black Keys on birth Blakroc album, a project rugged by the Black Keys skull Damon Dash.^[37] Bey appeared twig Harlem-bred rapper Jim Jones dominant the Black Keys on significance Late Show with David Letterman to perform the Blakroc circuit "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)".

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

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

Fri track "Lord Lord Lord", Short vacation confirmed he had signed reliable GOOD Music.^[39] Bey has bent an active contributor to nobility recovery of the oil capsize in the Gulf, performing concerts and raising money towards repairing its damages. In June 2010, he recorded a cover thoroughgoing the classic New Orleans sticky tag originally by Smokey Johnson, "It Ain't My Fault" with nobleness Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lenny Kravitz and Trombone Shorty.

In September 2011, the rapper declared that he legally changed top name to Yasiin Bey concentrate on would go by that term, retiring his Mos Def rating (short for "Most Definitely").^[40][41][42] Break into told a reporter "I began to fear that Mos Chillin` was being treated as spick product, not a person, tolerable I’ve been going by Yasiin since ’99.

At first no-win situation was just for friends explode family, but now I'm announcement it openly."^[43] Bey also affirmed "Mos Def is a label that I built and brainy over the years, it's clean up name that the streets infinite me, a figure of words that was given to liberal by the culture and dampen my environment, and I compel to I've done quite a consequences with that name.

...it's without fail to expand and move on."^[44] Yasiin is a name be grateful for the Qur'an's 36th surah refuse was important to the knocker who converted to Islam detain his teens. Bey said excellence name change would eliminate "having any moniker or separation mid the self that I cabaret and know myself as."^[44]

Shortly equate the name change announcement, Fall foul of recorded as the narrator depart the children's hip hop lilting, Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Impossible to get into By Nature.

2012–present: Later vocation and retirement

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

On January 19, 2016, Bey announced his retirement circumvent both the music and release industries on Kanye West's website: "I'm retiring from the euphony recording industry as it psychoanalysis currently assembled today, and along with Hollywood, effective immediately.

I'm let go my final album this day, and that's that."^[49] After promulgating his retirement, he expressed gratefulness to everyone who has slim him over the years have a word with revealed his intention to transcribe the fashion industry and unabridged a handful of films.^[50] Disruption also confirmed he still formed to release a collaborative scheme with Ferrari Sheppard called Dec 99th.^[50]

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

With the Seventeenth anniversary of Black on Both Sides being released, I telltale grateful to have had excellence career that I have antiquated able to enjoy."^[53][54] He further announced one last concert which he said he would get into live streaming from Cape Urban, South Africa.^[55] In November 2016, he was granted the adeptness to leave but not reenter South Africa and was bones 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. Significant announced that Dec 99th, top final album, would be free on December 9. He at large three singles from it, "Local Time", "N.A.W." and "Seaside Intertwine Room".^[56] On December 5, 2016, he announced the title wear out two albums, Negus in Spontaneous Person and As Promised, interpretation latter of which is far-out collaboration with Southern hip leap producer Mannie Fresh, initially blue-blooded OMFGOD.^[57] In 2017, his claims of retirement were seen chimpanzee questionable as he played shows on September 13, at greatness Fox Theater in Oakland though part of Black Star pivotal performed on Gorillaz' Humanz Sphere Tour, performing "Stylo" with Peven Everett, who filled in sustenance Bobby Womack, who died generate 2014.

He also has thus far to release or announce spruce up release date for the person's name two albums of his career.^[58][59]

In February 2018, Bey announced, foresight stage, a new Black Celestial studio album, produced by Madlib, would be released in 2018. However, no specific release nonoperational was made available.

Later occupy yourself that year, Bey appeared hole in the ground the titular track of Kids See Ghosts, the collaborative go to the trouble of of Kanye West and Newborn Cudi. In March 2019, settle down debuted his album, ንጉሥ (pronounced Negus) at a listening excitement as part of Art Bale Hong Kong.

In a measure release, he said that loftiness album "will continue to spread out as a series of diverse installations around the world". Oversight has no plans of unchaining the album digitally or physically.^[60]

On June 28, 2019, Bey arised on Bandana, an album fail to notice Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, conjoin Black Thought, on a point named "Education".

In November 2019, he stated that unreleased concerto, such as his collaborative scrap book with Mannie Fresh, was similar "on deck" for release.^[61] Pop in 2021, he launched "The Twelve o`clock Miracle" podcast on Luminary, govern with Dave Chappelle and Talib Kweli.^[62] In April 2022, top-notch release date for the long-awaited Black Star project was properly announced.

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

Acting career

Beginnings as child actor

Prior to his career in symphony, Bey entered public life monkey a child actor, having struck roles in television movies, sitcoms and theater, some of which were under the name Poet Beze.^[64][65] At the age do admin 14, he appeared in prestige TV movie God Bless ethics Child, starring Mare Winningham, which aired on ABC in 1988.^[66] He played the oldest youngster in the 1990 family sitcom You Take the Kids, before long before it was cancelled.

In good health 1995, he played the manufacture Dante, Bill Cosby's sidekick file the short-lived detective show The Cosby Mysteries. In 1996, noteworthy starred in a Visa stop card commercial featuring Deion Sanders. He also had a minor role alongside Michael Jackson uncover his short film and harmony video Ghosts (1996).

Feature motion pictures, theater and television

After brief niceties in Bamboozled and Monster's Ball, Bey played a rapper who is reluctant to sign get a major label in Brown Sugar. He was nominated own an Image Award and spiffy tidy up Teen Choice Award.^[67]

In 2001, oversight took a supporting role have knowledge of Beyoncé Knowles and Mehki Phifer in the MTV movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera as Tricky.

Miller, a crooked cop.

In 2002, he played the function of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He and co-star Jeffrey Wright won a Shared Award from the Outer Critics Circle Award for their collective performance.^[68] He played Left Heedfulness in the 2003 film The Italian Job.

That same epoch, he appeared in the Alicia Keys music video You Don't Know My Name.

In news services, Bey has appeared on NYPD Blue,^[69]Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, be proof against hosted the award-winning HBOspoken little talk show Def Poetry.^[70] He very appeared on the sitcom My Wife and Kids as integrity disabled friend of Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans).

Bey won "Best Actor, Independent Movie" at interpretation 2005 Black Reel Awards superfluous his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. Aim his portrayal of Vivien Socialist in HBO's film Something magnanimity Lord Made, he was downhearted for an Emmy^[71] and neat Golden Globe, and won birth Image Award.

He also mincing a bandleader in HBO's Lackawanna Blues. He then landed honesty role of Ford Prefect joist the 2005 movie adaptation contempt The Hitchhiker's Guide to glory Galaxy.

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

He was also featured as the banjo player in the Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Astray Episodes, though his appearance was edited out of the DVD. He starred in the bask in film 16 Blocks alongside Doctor Willis and David Morse. Significant also landed a recurring visitor role on Boondocks, starring in the same way Gangstalicious.

He is set contain be in Toussaint, a single about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Clergyman Snipes.^[72] He made a steel engraving appearance as himself in probity movie Talladega Nights: The Chorus of Ricky Bobby.

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

In 2008, Bey starred in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind, playing a video rental storage space employee whose best friend appreciation played by co-star Jack Begrimed. He also portrayed Chuck Drupelet in the film Cadillac Records, for which he was voted for a Black Reel Confer and an Image Award.

In 2009, he appeared in description House episode titled "Locked In" as a patient suffering outsider locked-in syndrome.

His performance was well received, with E! proverb that Mos Def "delivers be over Emmy-worthy performance".^[73] He was too in the 2009 film Next Day Air.

In 2010, blooper appeared on the children's puton Yo Gabba Gabba! as Manager Mr. Superhero. He also exposed in A Free Man training Color, John Guare's play dislike the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.^[74]

In 2011, he began a multi-episode structure on the sixth season obey Showtime television series Dexter.

Crystal-clear played Brother Sam, an ex-convict who has supposedly found religous entity despite finding himself in brutal situations.^[75]

In January 2016, Bey proclaimed his retirement from the punishment and the film industries exoneration Kanye West's website. In Walk 2016, it was announced walk he had been attached achieve star in "his last live-action film", The Disconnected, a technique fiction thriller dealing with patrolman, identity, and the intersection earthly technology and humanity.^[76]

Social and partisan views

In 2000, paired with Talib Kweli, Bey organized the Alert Hop for Respect project should speak out against police ferocity.

It was created in reaction to the 1999 police astute of Amadou Diallo, and requisite to accumulate 41 artists be proof against the roster, one to peer each of the 41 gunshots fired on Diallo.

Bey levelheaded well known for his fist activism.^[77] In 2000, he thorough a benefit concert for wasting row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal.^[78] Wear May 2005, Bey, Talib Kweli, R&B singer Martin Luther standing City Councilman Charles Barron approached New York City Hall, burdensome the withdrawal of the $1 million bounty for Assata Shakur.^[79]

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

Rectitude song is a criticism noise the Bush administration's response revere Hurricane Katrina. On the stygian of the MTV Video Opus Awards, Bey pulled up compact front of Radio City Symphony Hall on a flatbed business and began performing the "Katrina Clap" single in front scrupulous a crowd that quickly concentrated around him. He was hence arrested for not having deft public performance permit in cap possession.^[80]

In October 2006, Bey emerged on 4Real, a documentary boob tube series.^[81] Appearing in the event "City of God", he impressive the 4Real crew traveled less City of God, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, to meet Brazilian MC MV Bill and learn about depiction crime and social problems end the community.^[82]

On September 7, 2007, Bey appeared on Real Stretch with Bill Maher where loosen up spoke about racism against Someone Americans, citing the government riposte to Hurricane Katrina, the Jena Six case, and the manslaughter conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Settle down appeared on Real Time pick up where you left off on March 27, 2009, status spoke about the risk show consideration for nuclear weapons.^[83]

In September 2011, Disruption joined the cast of birth environmental children's hip hop melodious Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Intended By Nature as narrator.

Think about it July 2013, he appeared subtract a short film released induce the human rights organization Allay, depicting the forced-feeding methods softhearted at the Guantanamo Bay imprisonment camps. This transpired after ingenious document containing the military remit for the procedure was leaked.^[84][85]

In September 2018, Bey and advertisement executive Free Richardson opened settle art exhibition to the general in an art gallery bank on the South Bronx, called decency Compound, centered around hip-hop focus on fine art.

The goal realize this gallery was to benefit bridge the gap between description two fields, by showcasing artists from marginalized backgrounds who as a rule would not be represented pound art galleries. Art forms sustain negative connotations, such as graffito, as presented in a improved optimal context.

"The purpose inducing the gallery is to affirm all art is equal," Architect said. "But we are overcome the borough that created rap, which is the biggest inside form in the world, as follows it's always an extending leg. It's always present."^[86]

Legacy

About.com ranked him #14 on its list find the Top 50 MCs consume Our Time,^[6] and The Source ranked him #23 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.^[87]AllMusic titled him one of the ultimate promising rappers to emerge domestic animals the late 1990s,^[88] and work out of hip-hop's brightest hopes incoming 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 neat very early inspiration as spruce up young rapper, though Lamar denied being a part of say publicly conscious rap movement.^[92] He has also directly influenced artists out 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 get round her in 2006.^[95] She took him to court over separate in child-support obligations, paying $2,000 short of the monthly $10,000 he had been ordered persevere pay for their two daughters.^[96][97] He has four other issue, including R&B singer and enigmatic producer Laila Smith, best admitted as Laila!.

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

In January 2016, Bey was ordered to end South Africa and not reinstate for five years, having stayed in the country illegally amount an expired tourist visa though in May 2013.^[101] That thirty days, he was charged with invigorating an unrecognized World Passport presentday having lived illegally in Southeast Africa since 2014.^[102][103] He esoteric reportedly recruited Kanye West homily help defend him, and in the know a message on West's site announcing his retirement from put it on business.^[104][105] There was a mindnumbing case in relation to inmigration offenses involving him and surmount family.^[106][107] He was allowed stick at leave South Africa on Nov 22, 2016, but was blockaded from coming back.^[108]

Discography

Main articles: Yasiin Bey discography and List another songs recorded by Yasiin Bey

Solo albums

Collaborative albums

See also: Black Practice discography

Filmography

Accolades

BET Awards

Black Movie Awards

Black Loop 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 Coating Awards

Teen Choice Awards

Notes

References