Yasiin Bey

  • a.k.a. Black Star
  • Flaco Bey
  • Dante Bezé
  • Bizet Dante
  • Smith Dante
  • Dante Smith
  • Mos Def
  • Crooklyn Dodgers

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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".

Germany German (Deutsch)

Dante Terrell Smith alias Mos Def ist ein US-amerikanischer Rapper und Schauspieler. Mos Def, der seine Jugend in den 70er und 80er in New York City verbringt, kommt schon sehr früh mit der Musik in Kontakt. Seine ersten ernsthaften Versuche als Rapper unternimmt der US-Amerikaner Mitte der 90er Jahre. Sein Durchbruch gelingt ihm an der Seite von Talib Kweli als Rapduo Black Star. In den folgenden Jahren kann sich Mos Def als einer der angesehensten Rapper überhaupt profilieren. Für die ganz großen Chart-Erfolge ist seine Musik meist zu anspruchsvoll und vielschichtig. Im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen Rappern, die es als Schauspieler versuchen, macht Mos Def schon seit seiner Jugend erste Erfahrungen mit Rollen in Film und Fernsehen. Seinen Durchbruch in diesem Metier feiert er jedoch erst 2002 mit einer Nebenrolle in Brown Sugar. Seine Bekanntheit als Darsteller steigt mit Rollen im Kinoerfolg The Italian Job – Jagd auf Millionen und der TV-Produktion Ein Werk Gottes, für die er sogar eine Golden Globe und Emmy – Nominierung einheimsen kann. In den folgenden Jahren kann sich Mos Def mit Engagements in Filmen wie Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis, 16 Blocks und Abgedreht als ernstzunehmender Schauspieler etablieren.

Gender
male
Date of Birth
()
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA

Credits

Cast

CharacterMovie / TV ShowGenresReleaseRating
Mos DefTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby64% · 1,587
Eddie Bunker (as Mos Def)16 Blocks64% · 1,850
Ford PrefectThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy67% · 3,699
LeeHouseTV86% · 6,143
Left EarThe Italian Job68% · 5,295
All credits on TMDb.org.