Mos Def

Artist Image: Mos Def
Attribution
Image Credit: Tuomas Vitikainen (Own work), CC BY-SA 3.0

Biography

Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American actor and MC, known by the stage names Mos Def (pron.: /ˌmoʊsˈdɛf/) and Yasiin Bey (pron.: /jæˈsiːnˈbeɪ/). He 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, which released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in late 1990s underground hip hop while with 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. Editors of About.com ranked him number 24 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 23 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. Since the early 2000s, Mos Def's screen work has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who has garnered critical acclaim for his acting work. He is well known for his portrayal of Brother Sam in the American drama series Dexter. Mos Def has also been active in several social and political causes. Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Sheron Smith and Abdul Rahman. He was raised by his mother in Brooklyn; his father lived in New Jersey. While his father was initially a member of the Nation of Islam and later an active member in the community of Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, who merged into mainstream Islam from the Nation, Mos Def was not exposed to Islam until the age of 13. At 19, he took his shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith. He is friends with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1991
Number of Albums 7
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Mos Def on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Hip Hop

Trivia

What year was Mos Def born?

1973

...Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973 , in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The oldest of 12 kids (some sources say nine), Mo...
What was the name of Mos's mother?

Sheron

...t of 12 kids (some sources say nine), Mos Def was raised by his mother, Sheron , whom he calls Umi, in Brooklyn's roughandtumble Roosevelt housing proj...
What was Mos Def's father's name?

Abdul Rahman

... in Brooklyn's roughandtumble Roosevelt housing project. His father, Abdul Rahman , whom he calls Abi, lived in neighboring New Jersey. Growing up, Mos...
Where did Abdul Rahman live?

New Jersey

...ct. His father, Abdul Rahman, whom he calls Abi, lived in neighboring New Jersey . Growing up, Mos Def made the most of his surroundings. Speaking to R...
What was the name of the housing project in Brooklyn?

Roosevelt

...by his mother, Sheron, whom he calls Umi, in Brooklyn's roughandtumble Roosevelt housing project. His father, Abdul Rahman, whom he calls Abi, lived i...
Mos Def thought about becoming a doctor or what other profession?

minister

...for himself. At one time, Mos Def thought about becoming a doctor or a minister . Filled with initiative, he filled his spare time reading. I had a cur...
What did Def do in his spare time?

reading

... doctor or a minister. Filled with initiative, he filled his spare time reading . I had a curious mind, so I wanted to do things that activated that ch...
Who is better known by his stage name Mos Def?

Dante Terrell Smith

...n MCs of Our Time by About.com and 23rd on Lyricists of All Time. Dante Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Mos Def is a renowned rapper and...
In what hip hop group did he start his career in the 1990s?

Urban Thermo Dynamics

...ive rap. He started his career in the 1990s in the hip hop group Urban Thermo Dynamics . He also has a brilliant actor who has acted in TV films like S...
What was the name of the group's first and only album?

Manifest Destiny

...blings DCQ and CES. The group released their first and only album, Manifest Destiny , in 2004. By that time, Mos was also working as a solo artist and ...
When was Manifest Destiny released?

2004

...CES. The group released their first and only album, Manifest Destiny, in 2004 . By that time, Mos was also working as a solo artist and released his fi...
Where did Mos release his first single?

1997

...g as a solo artist and released his first single, Universal Magnetic, in 1997 . He was responsible for the formation of the Black Star group after join...
Who invited Mos Def to speak and perform at the peace conference of the century?

the United Nations

...in the golden age of hiphop and became such a powerful voice that the United Nations invited him to speak and perform at the socalled peace conference...
What was Def's birth name?

Dante Terrell Beze

...at the socalled peace conference of the century. Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Beze (some sources say his last name is Smith) on December 11, 1973, a...
Who were some hiphop artists?

Public Enemy, KRSOne, and Eric B. and Rakim

... age of hiphop, a time of seminal hiphop artists like Public Enemy, KRSOne, and Eric B. and Rakim . Mos Def pursued his talent for hiphop, which he des...
When did he first appear on television as Richard in God Bless the Child?

1988

...er. 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 appear...
What was MTV's spinoff series called?

Lyricist Lounge

...YPD Blue, The Cosby Mysteries, and Spin City. MTV developed a spinoff series called Lyricist Lounge , which Mos Def made a number of guest appearances....
What aliases has he performed under?

Mighty Mos Def, The Freaky Night Watchman, Boogie Man, Black Dante and Pretty Flaco

...d has performed under the aliases Mighty Mos Def, The Freaky Night Watchman, Boogie Man, Black Dante and Pretty Flaco . He began rapping in a group cal...
When did he begin rapping?

1994

...retty Flaco. He began rapping in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics in 1994 , and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998. As a solo ...
Who formed the duo Black Star with?

Talib Kweli

...rban Thermo Dynamics in 1994, and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both S...
In what year did Moss form a duo with Talib Kweli?

1998

...Dynamics in 1994, and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998 . As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999...
What was Moss's first solo album?

Black on Both Sides

... entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with HiTek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides , in 1999....
When was Black on Both Sides released?

1999

...1998. 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. In...
What television show did Def begin his rap career on?

The Cosby Mysteries

...areer: Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the s...
What was UTD signed to?

Payday Records

...ger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records , the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, M...
Who produced most of the tracks on Black Star?

HiTek

...band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with HiTek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on...
What is the name of the basketball player?

Donta Smith

...For the basketball player, see Donta Smith . He began his hip hop career in 1994, alongside his siblings in the shortlived rap group Urban Thermo Dynam...
What duo did he form with Talib Kweli?

Black Star

...bums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He subsequently formed the duo Black Star , alongside fellow Brooklyn based rapper Talib Kweli, and in 1998 they...
What is one of Mos Def's top hits?

Oh No, Ms

...eir 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list. Some of his top hits include Oh No, Ms . Prior to his career in music, Mos Def entered public life as a child...
When did Def Poetry Jam air on HBO?

between 2002 and 2007

... is also known as the host of Def Poetry Jam, which aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007 . Mos Def has been vocal on several social and political causes,...
What is the name of the show that aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007?

Def Poetry Jam

...vision films, sitcoms, and theater. He is also known as the host of Def Poetry Jam , which aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007. Mos Def has been vocal o...
What was Mos Def's real name?

Dante Terrell Smith Bey

...a in 2005 and the Jena Six incident in 2007, for instance. Born Dante Terrell Smith Bey on December 11, 1973, in New York City's Brooklyn borough, Mos...
What was the title of Mos Def's 2004 album?

The New Danger

...e 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. ...
What year did Mos def protest in the wake of Hurricane Katrina?

2005

...n for political purposes, protesting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Jena Six incident in 2007, for instance. Born Dante Terrell Smit...
In what year was the Jena Six incident?

2007

...ng in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Jena Six incident in 2007 , for instance. Born Dante Terrell Smith Bey on December 11, 1973, in New...
When did Def begin rapping?

nine

... 1973, in New York City's Brooklyn borough, Mos Def began rapping at age nine and professionally acting at age 14, when he appeared in a TV movie. Aft...
How old was Def when he began acting?

14

...rough, Mos Def began rapping at age nine and professionally acting at age 14 , when he appeared in a TV movie. After high school, he began acting in a ...
What record label did Mos Def sign a record deal with in 1997?

Rawkus Records

...ecame 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 wo...
What was the name of the single released in 1997 that became a hit in the underground rap scene?

Universal Magnetic

...o much. A year later, in 1997, Mos Def released his debut single, Universal Magnetic , on Royalty Records, and it became an underground rap hit. This l...
How many months earlier did his second album debut at number five on the Billboard 200?

seven

...ef, who has been hot on both Mos Def scenes at nearly the same time. Not seven months earlier, his second solo hiphop album, The New Danger, debuted a...
What number did The New Danger debut on the Billboard album chart?

five

...earlier, his second solo hiphop album, The New Danger, debuted at number five on the Billboard album chart. He'll have hit records one moment, then do...
How many kids were there in his family?

12

...ecember 11, 1973, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The oldest of 12 kids (some sources say nine), Mos Def was raised by his mother, Sheron, w...
What was the height of New Yorks crack epidemic?

1980s

...sey. Coming of age at the height of New York Citys crack epidemic in the 1980s , a young Mos Def found himself surrounded by violence, addiction and cr...
What was the first year I wrote a rhyme?

1982

...ng Mos Def found himself surrounded by violence, addiction and crime. In 1982 , at the age of nine, he simultaneously developed an appreciation for the...
What school did Mos Def go to?

Talent Unlimited High School

..., with my mom. The place was packed. Mos Def continued on to Talent Unlimited High School , another performingarts magnet, landing his first profession...
What is the name of Mos Def's third solo album?

Tru3 Magic

...Ready to shatter the hiphop community through his third solo album Tru3 Magic , Mos Def appears to be prepared enough to mark his comeback into music i...
How long has Def been on hiatus?

twoyear

...d enough to mark his comeback into music industry for year 2007 after a twoyear hiatus while maintaining his career in Hollywood. I'm not just inspire...
How many singles were released under Payday Records?

two

...o make sound in the music industry though they in fact managed to release two singles under Payday Records. Thankfully, the gloomy situation soon was ...
What group was Def invited to join?

Native Tongues Posse

...was put behind as Def later delightfully got invited to join the Native Tongues Posse , which proved to pave his initial way in the business. A massive...
What number did Ms. Fat Booty peaked at on Hot Rap Singles?

fifteen

...board's Top R&BHipHop Albums in the same year, in the meantime spawning a hit song of Ms. Fat Booty which peaked at number fifteen on Hot Rap Singles....