*1973 US, Brooklyn
Producer of Hip-Hop/Rap
A.k.a. Dante "Beze" Terrell Smith EL-Bey The Moor Mos Def Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith Bey; December 11, 1973), better known by his former stage name Mos Def (/ˈmoʊs ˈdɛf/), is an American hip hop recording artist, actor, comedian, and activist from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Best known for his music, Bey embarked on his hip hop career in 1994, alongside his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He subsequently formed the trio Black Star, alongside fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli, and Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek and released their eponymous debut album in 1998. He was a major force in late-1990s underground hip hop while under Rawkus Records. In 1999, Bey released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, under Rawku
Dante Smith voc Classical |