Mos Def

Date of Birth: December 11, 1973

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Biography

Mos Def, born Dante Terrell Smith, is an acclaimed American rapper, actor, and activist, renowned for his profound impact on hip-hop culture and his compelling performances on screen. He was born on December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York. Mos Def began his music career in the late 1990s, gaining fame as one-half of the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli. Their debut album, “Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star,” released in 1998, was critically lauded for its intelligent lyricism and socially conscious themes. In 1999, Mos Def released his solo debut album, “Black on Both Sides,” which solidified his position as a leading voice in conscious rap. Beyond music, he has also had a successful acting career, appearing in films such as “The Italian Job,” “16 Blocks,” and “Be Kind Rewind,” and earning an Emmy nomination for his role in the TV movie “Something the Lord Made.” Mos Def has also been an outspoken advocate for social justice, using his platform to address issues such as racial inequality and police brutality. In 2012, he announced that he would be going by the name Yasiin Bey, though he remains widely known by his original stage name.

5 Interesting Facts about Mos Def

1. Mos Def changed his name to Yasiin Bey in 2012 for personal and spiritual reasons.

2. He made his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Topdog/Underdog.”

3. Mos Def has been nominated for several Grammy Awards and has won a BET Hip Hop Award.

4. He is a member of the religious community known as the Five Percent Nation.

5. Mos Def lived in South Africa for several years but had legal issues regarding his immigration status.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Mos Def

1. “Good art provides people with a vocabulary about things they can’t articulate.”

2. “You want to know how to rhyme, then learn how to add. It’s mathematics.”

3. “I don’t wanna waste anybody’s time or money. I want to give people some truth and positive heart lift.”

4. “I’m trying to get to a place where I can do that consistently; where I can just be as honest as I can be.”

5. “I feel like being an artist is a community effort, in a way.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At his peak, Mos Def’s net worth was estimated to be around $1.5 million.

Children

Mos Def has four children. He has two daughters named Jaury and Chandani, and two sons, whose names are not widely publicized to maintain their privacy.