In 1998, they released an album called Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star which was met with universal acclaim from critics. Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star Image from Fandom The two decided to join forced and form a group called Black Star. While building his music career, Mos worked at a local bookstore in Brooklyn called N’kiru Books along with Talib Kweli, who was also just an up-and-coming artist. His talent was immediately apparent, and he signed a deal with Rawkus Records shortly after. He also dropped his first official solo single Universal Magnetic in 1997. The same year, he also appeared on the track SOS on Da Bush Babee’s album Gravity. His first appearance on a record was on the song Big Brother Beat from De La Soul’s Stakes is High album. During that time, he was introduced to acts like De La Soul and Da Bush Babies, and they all began working on music together. They never produced an actual project but Mos started building a name for himself in the local hip hop scene. Urban Thermo Dynamics eventually signed to a local record label. Mos Def Professional Career UTD Image from Fandom He would also frequently appear in off-Broadway plays and performing arts pieces between paid acting gigs.īut at the same time, Mos was also beginning to gravitate toward music and formed a rap group with his brother DCQ and friend CES called UTD (Urban Thermo Dynamics) in 1994. He also appeared in shows like The Cosby Mysteries, Spin City, and NYPD Blue throughout the early ’90s. At 16, he was cast in a role on the sitcom You Take the Kids, which ran until 1991. He landed his first acting gig in an ABC TV movie called God Bless the Child while still a freshman in high school. He made his first acting debut in the fifth grade in the Marlo Thomas play “Free to be You and Me.” He would go on to attend a performing arts magnet high school but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue acting full time. Mos attended Phillipa Schuyler Middle School in Bushwick, Brooklyn. But his first passion, even before music, was acting. At first, he thought he might become a minister or a doctor. He saw what his future would hold if he got too deeply entrenched in the street lifestyle around him, so he decided early on to try to better himself and find a brighter path. Growing up around poverty, crime, and substance abuse, Mos described his early surroundings as a vibrant place with a dark outlook. Mos grew up mainly in Brooklyn’s Bed Stuy and East Flatbush neighborhoods. She has an active role in managing her son’s career and wrote a book about raising him called Shine Your Light: A Life Skills Workbook. His mother, Sharon, who goes by the name Um, is a motivational speaker and author. However, Mos was mainly raised by his mother in the Roosevelt Housing Projects while his father lived in New Jersey. His father, Abdulrahman was a member of the nation of Islam and a follower of Warith Dean Mohammed. Mos Def is the son of Sharon Smith and Abdulrahman Smith. He grew up in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood, along with other hip-hop legends like Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls. Mos Def was born on December 11th, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City. IG: TW: Grammy nominations, 1 Black Reel Award Mos Def, Dante Beez, Flaco, El-Bey the Moor Here is a look at the life and career of Mos Def. He’s always had a rare talent for making insightful and socially conscious music that is also fun and entertaining to listen to, which is why his messages are so powerful. I’ve been listing to Mos Def for many years after discovering Black Star and Black on Both Sides as a teenager. Although he’s taken a step back from the public eye for the last few years, he’s still cemented himself as a legend in the rap game. From his pivotal collaboration with Talib Kweli, Black Star, to his massive solo career, to his successful transition into acting, Mos Def has continuously proven his talent and versatility. Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, is among the most celebrated MCs of the early 2000s. Redman Bio: The Life and Career of a Hip Hop Icon - November 14, 2022.Killer Mike Bio: The Rise of a Rapper Turned Activist - November 14, 2022.Q-Tip Bio: The Rise of a Hip Hop Pioneer - November 15, 2022.
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