Yasiin Bey

Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Yasiin Bey, known professionally as Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. A child of hip hop's Golden Era, the native Brooklynite spent his childhood imbedded in the culture surrounding him, as well as absorbing knowledge from across the artistic spectrum. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996) under the well-known moniker Mos Def, 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. Mos 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. As with his music, Mos has demonstrated insight and passion with his acting career, appearing in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, M