Yasiin Bey, more commonly known by his former stage name Mos Def, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor.
32 Facts About Mos Def
2.
Mos Def was featured on the roster of Rawkus Records and in 1999 released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides.
3.
Mos Def's debut was followed by The New Danger, True Magic, and The Ecstatic.
4.
Mos Def was a child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater.
5.
Mos Def's father was initially a member of the Nation of Islam and later followed Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, who merged into the mainstream Sunni Islam from the Nation of Islam.
6.
Mos Def is close friends with fellow Muslim hip-hop artists Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Q-Tip.
7.
Mos Def performed a number of new tracks; in later shows, he previewed tracks produced by Madlib and was rumored to be going to Kanye West for new material.
8.
Mos Def appeared on Stephen Marley's debut album Mind Control on the song "Hey Baby".
9.
Mos Def said he would perform one show in Harlem and three in Washington DC after leaving South Africa.
10.
Mos Def has yet to release or announce a release date for the last two albums of his career.
11.
Mos Def has no plans of releasing the album digitally or physically.
12.
Mos Def played the oldest child in the 1990 family sitcom You Take the Kids, shortly before it was cancelled.
13.
Mos Def had a small role alongside Michael Jackson in his short film and music video Ghosts.
14.
Mos Def was nominated for an Image Award and a Teen Choice Award.
15.
Mos Def played Left Ear in the 2003 film The Italian Job.
16.
Mos Def appeared on the sitcom My Wife and Kids as the disabled friend of Michael Kyle.
17.
Mos Def then landed the role of Ford Prefect in the 2005 movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
18.
Mos Def starred in the action film 16 Blocks alongside Bruce Willis and David Morse.
19.
Mos Def landed a recurring guest role on Boondocks, starring as Gangstalicious.
20.
Mos Def is set to be in Toussaint, a film about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes.
21.
Mos Def made a cameo appearance as himself in the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
22.
Mos Def portrayed Chuck Berry in the film Cadillac Records, for which he was nominated for a Black Reel Award and an Image Award.
23.
Mos Def appeared in A Free Man of Color, John Guare's play at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.
24.
Mos Def played Brother Sam, an ex-convict who has supposedly found religion despite finding himself in violent situations.
25.
Mos Def was arrested for not having a public performance permit in his possession.
26.
Mos Def appeared on Real Time again on March 27,2009, and spoke about the risk of nuclear weapons.
27.
Mos Def has influenced numerous hip hop artists throughout his career, including Lupe Fiasco, Jay Electronica, Kid Cudi, and Saigon.
28.
Mos Def has directly influenced artists outside of hip-hop, including English singer-songwriters Adele and Amy Winehouse.
29.
Mos Def took him to court over failure in child-support obligations, paying $2,000 short of the monthly $10,000 he is ordered to pay for their two daughters.
30.
Mos Def is a motivational speaker, and authored the book Shine Your Light: A Life Skills Workbook, where she details her experience as a single mother raising him.
31.
Mos Def had reportedly recruited Kanye West to help defend him, and posted a message on West's website announcing his retirement from show business.
32.
Mos Def was allowed to leave South Africa on November 22,2016, but he was barred from coming back.