Yasiin Bey (/jsin be/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), more commonly known by his former stage name Mos Def (/mos df/), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. In 1996, Mos Def got married the Maria Yepes. After Mos Def, whose real name is Dante Smith, filed for divorce from his wife Maria Yepes-Smith, a judge ordered him to pay $10,000 monthly to support their 7- and 8-year-old daughters. They also afforded him the opportunity to brush shoulders with industry heavyweights. For him, it is about connecting with the crowd, whether he is singing or acting. [14][15], Bey signed with Rawkus Records and formed the rap group Black Star with Talib Kweli. Mos Def announced his retirement from music and acting in 2016, through a post on Kanye Wests official website. Art forms with negative connotations, such as graffiti, as presented in a more optimal context. Throughout the early 2000s he would also rediscover his love for acting and land prominent roles in films like Bamboozled, Monsters Ball, and Brown Sugar. The couple parted ways 10 years later. But his first passion, even before music, was acting. [49], In October 2016, a planned concert in London was cancelled due to travel restrictions imposed on the artist;[50] other European dates suffered the same fate. He later made appearances on NYPD Blue in 1997 and Spin City in 1998. Despite the critical acclaim of the Ecstatic, the project failed to generate much mainstream attention outside of Moss core fanbase, and over the years, his musical output decreased. . mos def children. He also dropped his first official solo single Universal Magnetic in 1997. He landed his first acting gig in an ABC TV movie called God Bless the Child while still a freshman in high school. [54] In November 2016, he was granted the ability to leave but not reenter South Africa and was put on "South Africa's 'undesirable persons' list". The album reached number 25 on Billboard and was certified Gold in February 2000 after selling more than 500,000 copies. In 1996, Mos Def got married to Maria Yepes. He also landed a recurring guest role on Boondocks, starring as Gangstalicious. While not a bad album, in my opinion, its a bit overly experimental in a way that doesnt always pay off and doesnt hold up as well as his first two projects. On November 7, 2007, Bey performed live in San Francisco at The Mezzanine venue. and "Seaside Panic Room from Dec. 99", "Black Star featuring Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli Another Planet Entertainment", "Gorillaz joined by Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Savages' Jehnny Beth and more on stage at The Meadows", "Yasiin Bey Launches New Project Negus, But Only at Galleries", "Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) says new music with Black Star, MF Doom, and more "is on deck", "Talib Kweli, yasiin bey, and Dave Chappelle Launch The Midnight Miracle Podcast On Luminary", "Listen to Black Star's First New Album in 24 Years 'No Fear of Time' Produced by Madlib", "Is Mos Def the Most Talented Rapper Turned Actor? In 2002, he was known to have an encounter with Karrine Steffans. and "Seaside Panic Room". To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Mos Def landed a few other roles as well and during this time used the name Dante Beze. [105][106] He was allowed to leave South Africa on November 22, 2016, but he was barred from coming back.[107]. 1996 heiratete er Maria Yepes. In 2008, Bey 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. The project had a diverse sound that borrowed from many genres, including hip hop, rock, soul, jazz, and R&B. However, they eventually divorced in 2006. Mind over matter and soul before flesh. Mos Def, They say that when a man faces his destiny, the destiny ends and he becomes the man that he really is. Mos Def, I give a damn if any fan recalls my legacy, Im trying to live life in the sight of GODs memory.- Mos Def, 1998 Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (with Talib Kweli), 2004 Manifest Destiny (with Ces and DCQ), 2016 December 99th (with Ferrari Sheppard), 2022 No Fear of Time (with Talib Kweli). His performance was well received, with E! Mos simultaneously celebrates and critiques rap culture in a way few other artists can and offers thought-provoking takes that are both playful and satirical. Looking for more interesting bios? In late 2009, Mos Def created a brand of clothing line with UNDRCRWN called the "Mos Def Cut & Sew Collection." . In 1995, he met De La Soul's lyrical genius Maseo and was invited tojoin the Native Tongues Posse. [82], In September 2011, Bey joined the cast of the environmental children's hip hop musical Pacha's Pajamas: A Story Written By Nature as narrator. The reaction surprised Mos Def himself. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Female. In 2016, Mos Def was ordered to leave South Africa and not return for five years, having stayed in the country illegally on an expired tourist visa granted in 2013. The oldest of 12 kids (some sources say nine), Mos Def was raised by his mother, Sheron, whom he calls Umi . An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The goal of this gallery was to help bridge the gap between the two fields, by showcasing artists from marginalized backgrounds who normally would not be represented in art galleries. Fresh out of high school Mos Def earned a role on the short-lived 1994 TV show The Cosby Mysteries. He also took time to question the amount of money allocated in the U.S. defense budget. "[85], About.com ranked him #14 on its list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time,[5] and The Source ranked him #23 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. [10][11] After returning from filming You Take the Kids in Los Angeles, and getting into a relationship with an older girl, Bey dropped out of high school during sophomore year. He has four other children. He has four other children from a different woman. [80] Appearing in the episode "City of God", he and the 4Real crew traveled to City of God, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to meet Brazilian MC MV Bill and learn about the crime and social problems of the community. In his early 20s, he changed his name to Mos Def, which is short for his favorite affirmation"most definitely"which was his typical response when friends asked him if he wanted to hang out. Answer: Mos decided hed had enough of the famous lifestyle and has taken a step back from the spotlight to focus on himself and his family. He has a net worth of well over 5 million dollars. [11] In a particularly traumatic childhood experience, Bey witnessed his then five-year-old younger brother, Ilias Bey (born Denard Smith), get hit by a car. In 2007, Mos Def narrated the PBS-broadcast documentary Prince Among Slaves. Mos Def, born Dante Smith, was ordered to pay $10,000 a month to support their 7- and 8 . He and co-star Jeffrey Wright won a Special Award from the Outer Critics Circle Award for their joint performance. The releases heightened Mos Def's notoriety and established him as a socially conscious, introspective, and insightful rap artist. He was also featured as the banjo player in the Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes, though his appearance was edited out of the DVD. [5] His hits include "Oh No", "Ms. In November 2019, he stated that unreleased music, such as his collaborative album with Mannie Fresh, was still "on deck" for release. Black on Both Sides is one of my favorite Mos Def projects and ranks right alongside Black Star as one of the most essential hip hop albums of the late 90s. He was subsequently arrested for not having a public performance permit in his possession. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He was the eldest of 12 children and stepchildren and grew up with his mother while his father lived in New Jersey. l es padre de cuatro hijos adicionales de una mujer diferente. They began their relationship after he dropped out of school. Also, Mos Def was featured as the black banjo player in the infamous "Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes. 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. 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 learn about the crime and social problems of the community. He had two daughters named Jauhara and Chandani with his first wife Maria Yepes, whom he married in 1996. Mos Def began writing rhymes in grade school, at first as a desperate act of survival. In 1995, he played the character Dante, Bill Cosby's sidekick on the short-lived detective show The Cosby Mysteries. The album features a compilation of previously unreleased and re-released tracks recorded during the original UTD run. At the age of 16 he earned the part of Nell Carter's son on the sitcom You Take the Kids, which ran from 1990 to 1991. It failed to chart commercially and received mixed reviews from critics. The message read, Im retiring from the music recording industry as it is currently assembled today, and also from Hollywood, effective immediately. On the night of the MTV Video Music Awards, Bey 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. [99], In January 2016, Bey was ordered to leave South Africa and not return for five years, having stayed in the country illegally on an expired tourist visa granted in May 2013. "And I'm like, 'Am I seein' this right? Taking a cue from the Afrocentric stylings of the Native Tongues crew, which included De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and Andres Titus, Mos Def has emerged as one of the more conscientious . Since the . Famous Hookups; Nav; . Hes also appeared in classic films like the Italian Job, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and Be Kind Rewind. Mos Def appeared on Stephen Marley's debut album Mind Control on the song "Hey Baby." The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. They separated in 2006. Im Januar 2008 wurde die Ehe endgltig geschieden. Friday track "Lord Lord Lord", Bey confirmed he had signed with GOOD Music. Description. Born in Brooklyn, New York, USA, Mos Def is best known for being a rapper. On December 11, 1973, Mos Def was born in Brooklyn, New York City. [19] He has influenced numerous hip hop artists throughout his career, including Lupe Fiasco, Jay Electronica, Kid Cudi, and Saigon. . Bey won "Best Actor, Independent Movie" at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. [92][93], Bey married Maria Yepes in 1996. Maria Yepes (1996-2006) - He married Maria Yepes in the year 1996 and the duo was blessed with 2 daughters, Jauhara Smith and Chandani Smith, during the course of their relationship. The rapper has paid roughly $8000 a month since the order was issued, but said obligations to his three []. Se separaron en 2006. His first appearance on a record was on the song Big Brother Beat from De La Souls Stakes is High album. [40][41] Bey told a reporter "I began to fear that Mos Def was being treated as a product, not a person, so Ive been going by Yasiin since 99. Mos Def Digital Biography. [12] In 2004, they released the album Manifest Destiny, their first and only release to date. 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. [46][47], On January 19, 2016, Bey announced his retirement from both the music and film industries on Kanye West's website: "I'm retiring from the music recording industry as it is currently assembled today, and also Hollywood, effective immediately. Mos Def is the son of Sharon Smith and Abdulrahman Smith. Dezember 1973 in Brooklyn, New York; eigentlich Dante Terrell Smith), . While Moss wit and lyrical ability are still present, some of the tracks lack the same potency and timeless quality as his earlier work. He was featured on the roster of Rawkus Records and in 1999 released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides. In April 2009, Bey traveled to South Africa for the first time, and performed with The Robert Glasper Experiment at the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Although hes taken a step back from the public eye for the last few years, hes still cemented himself as a legend in the rap game. But their marriage failed . He studied at Philippa Schuyler Middle School and later took up Musical Theater at Talent Unlimited High School of the Performing Arts. Am 15. Listeners could only hear the album if they attended the exhibit. So I had to do somethin' to be able to just survive around my neighbors, you know?" Mos Def also argued that his payments should be reduced because Yepes-Smith reneged on an agreement to home school the children. In October, he signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on a remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." Mos Def appeared in court yesterday (Feb. 14) after filing for divorce from his wife, Maria Yepes-Smith. He spends his time writing and producing music when he's not working. Though Mos Def was earning sporadic film and television roles, he began turning his attention toward music, which had also been a childhood passion. He appeared on Real Time again on March 27, 2009, and spoke about the risk of nuclear weapons. He married Alana in 2005 without divorcing Maria Yepes, with whom he had been married since 1996. (Doctor)". In September 2010, after appearing on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Prior to his career in music, Bey entered public life as a child actor, having played roles in television movies, sitcoms and theater, some of which were under the name Dante Beze. For the basketball player, see, "Terrell Smith" redirects here. Don't miss a thing." He made his first acting debut in the fifth grade in the Marlo Thomas play Free to be You and Me. He would go on to attend a performing arts magnet high school but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue acting full time. He returned to music in June 2009, with the release of his fourth studio album, the Ecstatic, released on the independent label Downtown Records. Im releasing my final album this year. In the year 1996, he married Maria Yepes. Mos Def started his career as a rapper in the band named UTD (Urban Thermo Dynamics) with two of his younger siblings, Derente and Ces in 1994. Mos Def said that he did not listen to any of Osama Bin Laden's messages because he did not trust the translations. But at the same time, Mos was also beginning to gravitate toward music and formed a rap group with his brother DCQ and friend CES called UTD (Urban Thermo Dynamics) in 1994. Bey was not exposed to Islam until the age of 13. Mos Def features on the first single, "Stylo", from the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, alongside soul legend Bobby Womack. Its not clear how many children Mos Def has. Im the only person whos providing for my children, Mos Def told Judge Sarah Krauss. Flash, Madlib's brother Oh No, J. Dilla, and Georgia Anne Muldrow. "[52][53] He also announced one last concert which he said he would be live streaming from Cape Town, South Africa. It's always present. That same year, he appeared in the Alicia Keys music video You Don't Know My Name. The shift coincided with a legal name change, and hes been known as Yasiin ever since. Fat Booty" charted,[18] while the album reached #25 on the Billboard 200. "I enjoy telling a story with all that I havemy mind, my body," he told Ebonny Fowler of Essence. It debuted at number 5 on Billboard and the track Sex Love and Money was nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the Grammys. [57][58], In February 2018, Bey announced, on stage, a new Black Star studio album, produced by Madlib, would be released in 2018. Answer: Yes, Mos Def is still a part of Black Star. On November 7, 2007, Mos Def performed live in San Francisco at a venue called The Mezzanine. The play itself was filled with gritty lyricism, and Mos Def, with his background in smooth rap-delivery, nailed the lines. He also appeared on the title track to the Roots 2006 album Rising Down, alongside Styles P and Dice Raw. In October of 2004 Mos Def released his long-awaited second solo album, The New Danger. 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. Mos Def was born on December 11th, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City. He played Brother Sam, an ex-convict who has supposedly found religion despite finding himself in violent situations. . The Ecstatic was met by widespread critical acclaim and received much more positively than his past two records. 19941998: Beginnings with Rawkus and Black Star, 19992006: Solo career and various projects, 20072011: Good Music era and name change, 2012present: Later career and retirement, Online Film & Television Association Awards, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series, Best Actor Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, "Common Moves Toward a Progressive Hip-Hop", "Mos Def - The Universal Magnetic / If You Can Huh You Can Hear", "The 50 Best Rawkus Records Songs44. He played Brother Sam, an ex-con who has supposedly found religion despite finding himself in violent situations. Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. It became a classic of the hip-hop underground. Actor: The Italian Job. campaign.[38]. Age 49 years old #20105 Most Popular. One single from the album, "Sex, Love & Money," earned a Grammy nomination for best alternative/urban performance. His talent was immediately apparent, and he signed a deal with Rawkus Records shortly after. Bey features on the first single, "Stylo", from the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, alongside soul legend Bobby Womack. The project proved that both artists could make music that was simultaneously thought-provoking and entertaining, which is a balance that is hard to achieve. [29] He performed a number of new tracks; in later shows, he previewed tracks produced by Madlib and was rumored to be going to Kanye West for new material. The group is composed of artists from Living Colour, Bad Brains, and Parliament-Funkadelic. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The couple were married for ten years and had two kids together. Sadly, the success was tainted by his decision to have a legal separation in 2006 from his wife Maria Yepes who has given him two children during their ten-year marriage. For his portrayal of Vivien Thomas in HBO's film Something the Lord Made, he was nominated for an Emmy[70] and a Golden Globe, and won the Image Award. However, he has continued to work on music sporadically. [67] He played Left Ear in the 2003 film The Italian Job. Dante Terrell "Beze" Smith # of Kids = 5 # of Stepkids = 1 # of Baby Mamas = 2-4 # of Wives = 2 Wife #1 (U.S.) = Maria Yepes-Smith (divorce pending, two daughters) Wife #2 (Canada) = Alana Wyatt (m. Aug. 17, 2005 at Toronto City Hall, no children together, Alana has one son, . ", "RUSSELL SIMMONS WORKING TO REBOOT 'DEF POETRY JAM', "Theater Review 'A Free Man of Color' John Guare's 'Free Man of Color' at Vivian Beaumont", "Mos Def, aka Yasiin Bey, undergoes force-feeding to protest Guantanamo measures", "Mos Def, Black Thought To Perform At Mumia Benefit", "Mos Def, Talib Kweli Fight For Exiled Political Activist", Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) force-fed under standard Guantnamo Bay procedure video, "Yasiin Bey force-feeding video launches campaign to support Guantanamo hunger-strikers", "In the Cradle of Hip-Hop, a South Bronx Gallery Bridges a Gap (Published 2018)", "The Source's Top 50 Lyricists Of All Time **Complete List Inside**", "Mos Def | Music Biography, Credits and Discography", "Mos Def | Similar Artists, Influenced By, Followers", "Jay Electronica | Similar Artists, Influenced By, Followers", "ADELE: I'm very excited, nervous, eager, anxious but chuffed to announce my new album! Maria Yepes-Smith, $10,000 a month to support the couple . However, Black Star was never a consistent project, and both artists always had their own respective solo careers outside of the group. Most of his money comes from music and film royalties. The same year, he also appeared on the track SOS on Da Bush Babees album Gravity. 2009 also found Mos Def among the MCs collaborating with the Black Keys on the first Blakroc album, a project headed by the Black Keys and Damon Dash. Mos has stated that he has no plans to release the project on streaming services or anywhere else and solely exists in the confines of the exhibit. [51] On October 14, Bey posted a video to Facebook where he announced that he was still planning to retire: "I'm retiring for real this year, this week.
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