Yasiin Bey

Yasiin Bey

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1973-12-11 (50 years old)

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Biography

Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor.


Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he became an underground favorite in the hip-hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. He followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox roots.


He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.


He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award.


In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role.


He continued his music career by releasing his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The first single, "Sex, Love and Money" earned him a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance, and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA.


The following year, he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006, he released his third solo album, True Magic.


The next year, he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. In 2009, he released the album The Ecstatic, which proved to be his second highest-charting album to date. He then appeared in the urban comedy Next Day Air, and (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film I’m Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix.


Mos Def announced in September of 2011 that he changed his name to Yasiin Bey, and would go by it henceforth. In the first month of 2016, Bey declared his retirement from both the film and music industries.


In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".

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Filmography

all 74

Movies 54

self 29

TV Shows 20

Narrator 1

Voice 1

Mos Def
Gorillaz | MTV World Stage

Gorillaz | MTV World Stage (2023)

Movie
Himself
Part of Me

Part of Me (2023)

Movie
Self
Hargrove

Hargrove (2022)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (2022)

TV
Self (archive footage)
You're Watching Video Music Box

You're Watching Video Music Box (2021)

Movie
Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light

Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light (2021)

Movie
Self
Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize (2020)

Movie
Self
Gorillaz: Reject False Icons

Gorillaz: Reject False Icons (2019)

Movie
Focé
French Tour

French Tour (2016)

Movie
Self
Amy

Amy (2015)

Movie
6
Ordell Robbie
Life of Crime

Life of Crime (2013)

Movie
7
Saul
Begin Again

Begin Again (2013)

Movie
7.29
Self
Standard Operating Procedure

Standard Operating Procedure (2013)

Movie
Self
Til Infinity: The Souls of Mischief

Til Infinity: The Souls of Mischief (2013)

Movie
Himself
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)

Movie
Actor
Re:Generation Music Project

Re:Generation Music Project (2012)

Movie
Self
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)

Movie
Mos Def
I'm Still Here

I'm Still Here (2010)

Movie
Bouncing Cats

Bouncing Cats (2010)

Movie
Mos Def
The Making of Plastic Beach

The Making of Plastic Beach (2010)

Movie
Eric
Next Day Air

Next Day Air (2009)

Movie
5.93
Chuck Berry
Cadillac Records

Cadillac Records (2008)

Movie
Thanks
Passaic Mosaic

Passaic Mosaic (2008)

Movie
Narrator
Prince Among Slaves

Prince Among Slaves (2008)

Movie
Mike
Be Kind Rewind

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Movie
6
Self
In Prison My Whole Life

In Prison My Whole Life (2008)

Movie
Mos Def
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Movie
6.5
Wemba
Journey to the End of the Night

Journey to the End of the Night (2006)

Movie
Eddie Bunker
16 Blocks

16 Blocks (2006)

Movie
5.64
Self
Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes (2006)

Movie
Self
Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops

Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops (2006)

Movie
The Boondocks

The Boondocks (2005)

TV
8.25
Self
Dave Chappelle's Block Party

Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005)

Movie
Self
Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005)

Movie
Ford Prefect
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

Movie
7.14
Self (segments "Through the Wire" and "Two Words")
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]

Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology] (2005)

Movie
The Bandleader
Lackawanna Blues

Lackawanna Blues (2005)

Movie
Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005)

TV
6.08
Sgt. Lucas
The Woodsman

The Woodsman (2004)

Movie
5.6
Lee
House

House (2004)

TV
7.74
Vivien Thomas
Something the Lord Made

Something the Lord Made (2004)

Movie
Actor
Juvies

Juvies (2004)

Movie
Michael Meadows
Civil Brand

Civil Brand (2003)

Movie
Left Ear
The Italian Job

The Italian Job (2003)

Movie
5
Self
Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2003)

Movie
Self
Real Time with Bill Maher

Real Time with Bill Maher (2003)

TV
6.5
Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003)

TV
6.3
Self - Musical Guest / Anonymous Actor / Banjo Player
Chappelle's Show

Chappelle's Show (2003)

TV
6.6
Self
Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!

Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (2003)

Movie
Chris 'Cav' Anton Vichon
Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar (2002)

Movie
8.5
Actor
The Freshest Kids

The Freshest Kids (2002)

Movie
Lazy Boy
Showtime

Showtime (2002)

Movie
6
Self - Host / Self
Def Poetry

Def Poetry (2002)

TV
Mos Def (voice)
The Proud Family

The Proud Family (2001)

TV
3.86
Ryrus Cooper
Monster's Ball

Monster's Ball (2001)

Movie
4.5
Lt. Miller
Carmen: A Hip Hopera

Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)

Movie
My Wife and Kids

My Wife and Kids (2001)

TV
7.63
Robbie J
Island of the Dead

Island of the Dead (2000)

Movie
Mau Mau: Big Blak Afrika
Bamboozled

Bamboozled (2000)

Movie
Himself
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme (2000)

Movie
Wilt Crawley
Where's Marlowe?

Where's Marlowe? (1998)

Movie
Brooklyn South

Brooklyn South (1997)

TV
Dante
Ghosts

Ghosts (1997)

Movie
Self
The View

The View (1997)

TV
5.5
Monty
Spin City

Spin City (1996)

TV
7
Dante
The Cosby Mysteries

The Cosby Mysteries (1994)

TV
Here and Now

Here and Now (1992)

TV
Self
HBO First Look

HBO First Look (1992)

TV
Dead Romeos
The Hard Way

The Hard Way (1991)

Movie
5.53
Raymond Kirkland
You Take the Kids

You Take the Kids (1990)

TV
Richard Watkins
God Bless the Child

God Bless the Child (1988)

Movie
Self - Musical Guest
Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live (1975)

TV
6.36
Self - Performer
Tony Awards

Tony Awards (1956)

TV
1
Self
4Real

4Real

TV

Ratings

Average 6.02
Based on 2.45 Million movie and tv ratings over time
1956
2001
2005
2003
2023
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Yasiin BeyYasiin BeyYasiin BeyYasiin BeyYasiin Bey

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1973-12-11 (50 years old)

Birth Name
Dante Terrell Smith

Birth Place
Brooklyn, United States of America

Religion
Islam

Citizenships
United States of America

Also Known As
Black Star, Flaco Bey, Dante Bezé, Bizet Dante, Smith Dante, Dante Smith, Mos Def, Crooklyn Dodgers

Awards
Theatre World Award


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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2 Movies
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3 Movies
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