Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor. Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he became an underground favorite in the hip-hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. He followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox roots. He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007. He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award. In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role. He continued his music career by releasing his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The first single, "Sex, Love and Money" earned him a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance, and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA. The following year, he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006, he released his third solo album, True Magic. The next year, he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. In 2009, he released the album The Ecstatic, which proved to be his second highest-charting album to date. He then appeared in the urban comedy Next Day Air, and (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film I’m Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Mos Def announced in September of 2011 that he changed his name to Yasiin Bey, and would go by it henceforth. In the first month of 2016, Bey declared his retirement from both the film and music industries. In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · Gorillaz | MTV World Stage as Mos Def
- 2023 · Part of Me as Himself
- 2022 · Hargrove as Self
- 2022 · jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · You're Watching Video Music Box as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light as
- 2020 · Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize as Self
- 2019 · Gorillaz: Reject False Icons as Mos Def
- 2016 · French Tour as Focé
- 2015 · Amy as Self
- 2013 · Life of Crime as Ordell Robbie
- 2013 · Begin Again as Saul
- 2013 · Standard Operating Procedure as
- 2012 · Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap as Self
- 2011 · Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest as Self
- 2010 · I'm Still Here as Mos Def
- 2010 · Bouncing Cats as
- 2010 · The Making of Plastic Beach as Mos Def
- 2009 · Next Day Air as Eric
- 2008 · Cadillac Records as Chuck Berry
- 2008 · Prince Among Slaves as Narrator
- 2008 · Be Kind Rewind as Mike
- 2008 · In Prison My Whole Life as Self
- 2006 · The Boondocks as Gangstalicious
- 2006 · Dexter as Brother Sam
- 2006 · Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby as Mos Def
- 2006 · Journey to the End of the Night as Wemba
- 2006 · 16 Blocks as Eddie Bunker (as Mos Def)
- 2006 · Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops as
- 2005 · The Boondocks as
- 2005 · Dave Chappelle's Block Party as Self - (as Mos Def)
- 2005 · Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' as Self
- 2005 · The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as Ford Prefect
- 2005 · Lackawanna Blues as The Bandleader
- 2005 · The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- 2004 · The Woodsman as Sgt. Lucas
- 2004 · House as Lee
- 2004 · Something the Lord Made as Vivien Thomas
- 2003 · Civil Brand as Michael Meadows
- 2003 · The Italian Job as Left Ear
- 2003 · Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised as Himself
- 2003 · Real Time with Bill Maher as Self
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as
- 2003 · Chappelle's Show as Self - Black Star
- 2003 · Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! as Self
- 2002 · Brown Sugar as Chris Anton 'Cav' Vichon
- 2002 · Showtime as Lazy Boy
- 2001 · The Proud Family as Mos Def (voice)
- 2001 · Monster's Ball as Ryrus Cooper
- 2001 · Carmen: A Hip Hopera as Lt. Miller
- 2001 · My Wife and Kids as
- 2000 · Bamboozled as Mau Mau: Big Blak Afrika
- 2000 · Island of the Dead as Robbie J
- 2000 · Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme as Himself
- 1998 · Where's Marlowe? as Wilt Crawley
- 1997 · Brooklyn South as Darius
- 1997 · Ghosts as Dante
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1996 · Spin City as Monty
- 1994 · The Cosby Mysteries as
- 1992 · Here and Now as Alonzo
- 1992 · HBO First Look as Self
- 1992 · Split Images as Curtis Roy
- 1991 · The Hard Way as Dead Romeos
- 1990 · You Take the Kids as Raymond Kirkland
- 1988 · God Bless the Child as Richard Watkins
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Performer