"Dante Smith" redirects here. For the basketball player, see Donta Smith.
Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey performing at the 2012 Ilosaarirock festival
Background information
Birth name
Dante Terrell Smith
Also known as
Mos Def (1994–2011)
Black Dante
Dante Beze
Flaco
El-Bey the Moor
Born
(1973-12-11) December 11, 1973 (age 50) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres
East Coast hip hop
alternative hip hop[1]
conscious hip hop[2]
progressive rap[3]
Occupation(s)
Rapper
singer
songwriter
record producer
actor
activist
Discography
Yasiin Bey discography
Years active
1987–present
Labels
Downtown
GOOD
Geffen
Rawkus
Priority
Member of
Black Star
Formerly of
Crooklyn Dodgers
Dec 99th
Soulquarians
Children
6
Musical artist
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːnˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def (/ˌmoʊsˈdɛf/), is an American rapper. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social and political issues, such as police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the social status of African Americans.
He launched his hip hop recording career in 1994 and joined his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), and guest appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. In 1996, he and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Black Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998) contained the singles "Definition" and "Respiration" (featuring Common). He released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides in 1999, which was followed by The New Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009).[4] His 2000 single, "Oh No" (with Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg) remains his sole entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo act.[5] In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".[6]
A former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, Bey has appeared in the films Something the Lord Made, Next Day Air, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, Be Kind Rewind, The Italian Job, The Woodsman, Bamboozled, and Brown Sugar and in television series such as Dexter and House.[7] He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.
^Reese, Eric (2018). "Rise of Hip-Hop in the 2000's". The History of Hip Hop: Volume 1. Barnes & Noble Press. ISBN 9781538076798.
^Johnson, Josh (May 27, 2014). "Steal This Track from Courier GT". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
^O'Connor, Christopher (March 29, 2000). "Common Moves Toward a Progressive Hip-Hop". MTV News. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
YasiinBey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def (/ˌmoʊs ˈdɛf/), is an American rapper. A prominent...
discography of YasiinBey, formerly known as Mos Def, an American rapper, consists of four solo albums, two compilation albums, and several singles. Bey began...
The following is a list of songs by YasiinBey (formerly known as Mos Def) organized by alphabetical order. The songs on the list are all included in official...
studio album by American hip hop duo Black Star, composed of rappers YasiinBey and Talib Kweli. It was released on May 3, 2022, via podcasting network...
Chriqui as Revetta Chess Eamonn Walker as Chester Burnett/Howlin' Wolf YasiinBey as Chuck Berry Shiloh Fernandez as Phil Chess Jay O. Sanders as Mr. Feder...
Association of America (RIAA) in August 2018, and later platinum in May 2022. YasiinBey referenced the song with his freestyle "No More Parties in SA" in January...
Black on Both Sides is the debut solo studio album by American rapper YasiinBey, then known as Mos Def, released on October 12, 1999, by Rawkus and Priority...
Roots, and J Dilla—during which time Glasper became music director for YasiinBey (formerly Mos Def). Glasper released his first album, Mood, in 2002 with...
on January 29, 2003. For his second appearance, Kweli partnered with YasiinBey, as Black Star, for the finale of the show's first season on April 9,...
according to Yardbarker journalist Evan Sawdey. Changing his name to YasiinBey, the rapper recorded sporadically during the 2010s, appearing on songs...
influence of the Californian lifestyle. AMIRI has been worn by Justin Bieber, YasiinBey (formerly known as Mos Def), Jared Leto, Maluma, Shakira, LaKeith Stanfield...
Fela Kuti, De La Soul, Marvin Gaye, YasiinBey (a.k.a. Mos Def), James Brown and others. In 2014, his YasiinBey/Marvin Gaye remix "You Are Undeniable"...
Nation in September. Guest collaborators on the album included Narcy, YasiinBey, Lido Pimienta, Shad, Tanya Tagaq, Joseph Boyden and Black Bear. The group...
the Rugged Man, Boot Camp Clik, Griselda, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, Common, YasiinBey, A Tribe Called Quest and The Notorious B.I.G. Key producers include DJ...
from Kenny Mason, EarthGang, 21 Savage, Baby Tate, Lil Durk, Ari Lennox, YasiinBey, Lil Wayne, Johntá Austin, Ravyn Lenae, and Eryn Allen Kane. The Forever...
The Souls of Mischief (Documentary), Stretch Armstrong, Adisa Banjoko, YasiinBey, Casual, SkyFre Productions, retrieved 2020-10-31 "Ball is Life Article"...
Beck, Thundercat, Bad Bunny, Moonchild Sanelly, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, YasiinBey, Bootie Brown, Little Simz, Del the Funky Homosapien and De La Soul. Becky...
99th album. December 99th (2016) Coleman ll, C. Vernon (6 August 2016). "YasiinBey and Ferrari Sheppard Drop "Seaside Panic Room"". XXL. Retrieved 27 August...
Passport by Sage Million, a fugitive from Hawaii. Hip-hop artist and actor YasiinBey (Mos Def) was arrested in South Africa on January 15, 2016 for attempting...
citing figures such as Jermane Dupri, 50 Cent, Lauryn Hill, Outkast, and YasiinBey(Mos Def) as pivotal to his creative development. These artists have left...
label houses artists including West, Big Sean, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, YasiinBey / Mos Def, D'banj and John Legend, and producers including Hudson Mohawke...
Global Information