Yasiin Bey

Mos Def, born Dante Terrell Smith and known by his Muslim name Yasiin Bey (born December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York City), is an American rapper, actor, and producer. Primarily known for his music, Mos Def began his hip-hop career in 1994 with the group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), and later contributed to albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He then formed the duo Black Star with rapper Talib Kweli, participating in their eponymous album in 1998. He became a major force in underground hip-hop in the mid-1990s during his time at Rawkus Records. In 1999, Mos Def released his debut solo album, Black on Both Sides, on Rawkus and Priority Records. This was followed by The New Danger (2004), True Magic (2006), and The Ecstatic (2009).

Prior to his music career, Mos Def gained popularity as a child actor, appearing in television series, sitcoms, and plays under the name Dante Beze. At 14, he starred in the TV movie God Bless the Child, broadcast on ABC in 1988. He also appeared in You Take the Kids. In 1995, he played the role of Dante in The Cosby Mysteries. Since the early 2000s, Mos Def has been known for films such as Something the Lord Made, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, Be Kind Rewind, The Italian Job, The Very Black Show, and Brown Sugar. In February 2016, he announced via a voice message to Kanye West that he would retire from his career after the release of his final album later in 2016.