Mos Def Quick Info | |
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Height | 5 ft 9 in |
Weight | 68 kg |
Date of Birth | December 11, 1973 |
Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Mos Def is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, voiceover artist, and activist who is known for his contributions to music as he has released several albums and tracks such as Black on Both Sides, The New Danger, The Ecstatic, Universal Magnetic, Life in Marvelous Times, and Jam on It. Also, he has gained a huge social media fan base with more than 2 million followers on Facebook, more than 150k followers on Twitter, and more than 20k subscribers on YouTube.
Born Name
Dante Terrell Smith
Nick Name
Mos Def, Black Dante, Dante Beze, Flaco, El-Bey the Moor, Pretty Flaco, Flaco Bey, The Mighty Mos Def, Bezé, Yasiin Bey, Mister Definitely
Sun Sign
Sagittarius
Born Place
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Nationality
Education
Mos Def studied at Philippa Schuyler Middle School 383 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York.
Occupation
Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Actor, Voiceover Artist, Activist, Writer
Family
- Father – Abdulrahman (Initially a member of the Nation of Islam)
- Mother – Sheron “Umi” Smith (Motivational Speaker, Author)
- Siblings – Bey (b. Denard Smith) (5 years Younger Brother), Abdul Rahman (Brother), Anwar Superstar (Brother) (Musician), Jerome Victor Moulton (Brother)
Manager
Mos Def is represented by Brookside Artist Management, Talent Management Company, New York City, New York, United States.
Genre
East Coast hip hop, alternative hip hop, conscious hip hop, progressive rap
Instruments
Vocals, Keyboards, Bass Guitar, Sampler, Drums
Labels
Downtown Records, GOOD Music, Geffen Records, Rawkus Records, Priority Records
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 9 in or 175 cm
Weight
68 kg or 150 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Mos Def has dated –
- Maria Yepes (1996-2006) – He married Maria Yepes in the year 1996 and the duo was blessed with 2 daughters, Jauhara Smith and Chandani Smith, during the course of their relationship. However, the couple separated in 2006.
- Beyoncé (2001) – It was rumored that Mos Def and the popular singer, songwriter, and actress, Beyoncé, were an item in 2001.
- Karrine Steffans (2002) – In 2002, the musician had a fling with author Karrine Steffans.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
Mos Def is of African-American descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Lean body
- Usually sports a light unkempt beard
Brand Endorsements
Mos Def has done endorsement work for the likes of Converse, Visa credit cards, and GMC.
Religion
Islam
He was 19 years old when he took his shahada which is the Muslim declaration of faith.
Mos Def Facts
- On October 12, 1999, he released his debut studio album, Black on Both Sides, via Rawkus and Priority Records and it was certified “Gold” by United States (RIAA).
- In 2004, Mos Def starred as Vivien Thomas in the made-for-television biographical drama film, Something the Lord Made, alongside Alan Rickman, Kyra Sedgwick, Gabrielle Union, and Mary Stuart Masterson. For this role, Mos Def was nominated for an Emmy in the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie” category and a Golden Globe Award in the “Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television” category.
- As a voiceover artist, Mos Def provided vocals to the character of Gangstalicious in a few episodes of the adult animated sitcom, The Boondocks, between 2005 and 2008.
- In January 2016, he announced his retirement from both the music and film industries.
- In January 2016, Mos Def was ordered to leave South Africa and not return for 5 years after it was revealed that he had stayed in the country illegally since 2014 on an expired tourist visa granted in May 2013. He was charged with using an unrecognized World Passport.
- In June 2019, he was featured in Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s album, Bandana, on a track called Education.
Featured Image by Thierry Caro / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0