Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, United S… Read Full Bio ↴Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, United States), now known by the stage name Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), is a Grammy Award-nominated rapper and actor. He now works under the nom de plum Yasiin Bey, and has performed under the aliases Mighty Mos Def, The Freaky Night Watchman, Boogie Man, Black Dante and Pretty Flaco. He began rapping in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics in 1994, and then formed the duo Black Star with Talib Kweli in 1998. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006 and The Ecstatic in 2009. Initially recognized for his musical output, Mos Def's screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work.
Rap career:
Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records, the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, Manifest Destiny, did not see the light of day until 2004 when released through Illson Media. In 1996 he emerged as a solo artist, working with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released a full length album under the band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. Filled with tracks raving about his hometown, Brooklyn and his love for Hip-Hop, Black on Both Sides also deals with racial profiling of Black men in America, with the track Mr Nigga. Mos Def was also featured on Rawkus' influential The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing series compilations. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. In early 2005 Mos Def was rumored to join Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella record label, but this was later denied by the artist himself claiming "Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella would never allow me to release songs I plan on putting out there. I ain't down with that commercial non-sense. I'm about to deal with the fake with my next album, from George Bush to 50 Cent." But, after making that comment, Mos Def was featured rapping on a SUV commercial, endorsing the GMC Denali. Mos Def is projected to release his last solo album on Geffen Records, The Undeniable Free Flaco in early 2006. His 4th studio album The Ecstatic was released June 9, 2009 on Downtown Records. It serves as Mos Def's second highest charting album to date. Upon its release, The Ecstatic received general acclaim from most music critics, and it earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the seventeenth best album of 2009.
Impact on hip-hop
The artistic boundaries of hip-hop and rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are โฆ Blackstar" Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2pac and The Notorious B.I.G. sparking a rebirth of "aware" and "intelligent" hip-hop. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music.
On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, the rapper took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of Blues and Rock, with few actual raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song "The Rape Over", a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "The Takeover":
old white men is runnin this rap shit
corporate forces runnin this rap shit
some tall israeli is runnin this rap shit
we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in
cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
'dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap shit...
mtv is runnin this rap shit
viacom is runnin this rap shit
aol and time warner runnin this rap shit...
quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
The lyrics would seem to have chafed with higher-placed executives, who made Mos take the song off of later releases of the album, supposedly for "sample clearance issues".
In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap" (utilizing the instrumental for Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He probably chose the "Nolia Clap" instrumental because the rapper Juvenile hails from New Orleans, and the song was a hit in the New Orleans area before the hurricane.
Mos Def also collaborated with Kanye West on West's track named "two words" and appeared in the music video.
Acting career
The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics. Having been nominated for several awards, Mos finally broke through, winning Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Notably, in 2002 he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He has also been a musical guest and participated in many skits on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.
In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute.
He has been the host of the award-winning spoken word show Def Poetry Jam since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in February 2007.
Discography
* 1998 Black Star (released with Talib Kweli under the name Black Star) Priority Records
* 1999 Black on Both Sides Rawkus Records
* 2004 The New Danger Geffen
o nominated for Best Urban/Alternative
Performance, 47th Annual Grammy Awards
* 2006 True Magic
* 2009 THE Ecstatic Downtown Records
* 2010 Mos Dub
Selected Filmography
* Cadillac Records (2009)
* Be Kind Rewind (2008)
* Talladega Nights (2006) (a quick cameo)
* Dreamgirls (2006)
* Bobby (2006)
* The Brazilian Job (2006) (pre-production)
* 16 Blocks (2006)
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
* Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Something the Lord Made (2004)
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, 56th Annual Emmy Awards
o nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
* Chapelle Show (? year) - Black Delegation Rep for Racial Draft
* The Woodsman (2004)
* The Italian Job (2003)
* Brown Sugar (2002)
* Civil Brand (2002)
* Showtime (2002)
* Monster's Ball (2001)
* Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)
* Bamboozled (2000)
* Where's Marlowe? (1998)
In September 2011, Mos Def announced that he planned to use the name Yasiin Bey instead of Mos Def beginning in 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/mosdef
Rap career:
Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records, the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, Manifest Destiny, did not see the light of day until 2004 when released through Illson Media. In 1996 he emerged as a solo artist, working with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released a full length album under the band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. Filled with tracks raving about his hometown, Brooklyn and his love for Hip-Hop, Black on Both Sides also deals with racial profiling of Black men in America, with the track Mr Nigga. Mos Def was also featured on Rawkus' influential The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing series compilations. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. In early 2005 Mos Def was rumored to join Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella record label, but this was later denied by the artist himself claiming "Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella would never allow me to release songs I plan on putting out there. I ain't down with that commercial non-sense. I'm about to deal with the fake with my next album, from George Bush to 50 Cent." But, after making that comment, Mos Def was featured rapping on a SUV commercial, endorsing the GMC Denali. Mos Def is projected to release his last solo album on Geffen Records, The Undeniable Free Flaco in early 2006. His 4th studio album The Ecstatic was released June 9, 2009 on Downtown Records. It serves as Mos Def's second highest charting album to date. Upon its release, The Ecstatic received general acclaim from most music critics, and it earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the seventeenth best album of 2009.
Impact on hip-hop
The artistic boundaries of hip-hop and rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are โฆ Blackstar" Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2pac and The Notorious B.I.G. sparking a rebirth of "aware" and "intelligent" hip-hop. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music.
On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, the rapper took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of Blues and Rock, with few actual raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song "The Rape Over", a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "The Takeover":
old white men is runnin this rap shit
corporate forces runnin this rap shit
some tall israeli is runnin this rap shit
we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in
cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
'dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap shit...
mtv is runnin this rap shit
viacom is runnin this rap shit
aol and time warner runnin this rap shit...
quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
The lyrics would seem to have chafed with higher-placed executives, who made Mos take the song off of later releases of the album, supposedly for "sample clearance issues".
In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap" (utilizing the instrumental for Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He probably chose the "Nolia Clap" instrumental because the rapper Juvenile hails from New Orleans, and the song was a hit in the New Orleans area before the hurricane.
Mos Def also collaborated with Kanye West on West's track named "two words" and appeared in the music video.
Acting career
The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics. Having been nominated for several awards, Mos finally broke through, winning Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Notably, in 2002 he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He has also been a musical guest and participated in many skits on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.
In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute.
He has been the host of the award-winning spoken word show Def Poetry Jam since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in February 2007.
Discography
* 1998 Black Star (released with Talib Kweli under the name Black Star) Priority Records
* 1999 Black on Both Sides Rawkus Records
* 2004 The New Danger Geffen
o nominated for Best Urban/Alternative
Performance, 47th Annual Grammy Awards
* 2006 True Magic
* 2009 THE Ecstatic Downtown Records
* 2010 Mos Dub
Selected Filmography
* Cadillac Records (2009)
* Be Kind Rewind (2008)
* Talladega Nights (2006) (a quick cameo)
* Dreamgirls (2006)
* Bobby (2006)
* The Brazilian Job (2006) (pre-production)
* 16 Blocks (2006)
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
* Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Something the Lord Made (2004)
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, 56th Annual Emmy Awards
o nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
* Chapelle Show (? year) - Black Delegation Rep for Racial Draft
* The Woodsman (2004)
* The Italian Job (2003)
* Brown Sugar (2002)
* Civil Brand (2002)
* Showtime (2002)
* Monster's Ball (2001)
* Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)
* Bamboozled (2000)
* Where's Marlowe? (1998)
In September 2011, Mos Def announced that he planned to use the name Yasiin Bey instead of Mos Def beginning in 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/mosdef
A Brighter Day
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Yo, I speak in whole beat legends
Divide it up in parts and sections
Days I was ministerin' sectors
Direct from the spot, forgotten on your election
Jail laced with fragments, speech clipped with accents
Phenomenal ave and for future and the past tense
Blew up the room in my absence
Live or closed caption watch my song vibrate with passion
The response in action to light bulb irrations
I come from where anything can happen and usually does
You find tension where it used to be love
I use my words to shine light inside the dark valleys
The dark alley, U.K., U.S., New York, Cali
From this king to all counties I out loudly
The clammer ? the chain of things that surround me
And seek bounty or stay stridin' and keep strivin'
I seek guidance, like the sun at the dawn I keep risin'
Like that y'all
Brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
Packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun
Yo yo yo nobody knows what tomorrow holds, could be pot of gold
Or a mere pot on top ya stove, still ya got to roll
Climb my obstacles and honor those who paved the harder road
Blazed the trails so a brighter day wasn't far to go
So many stories aren't told, so many lights that aren't shone
Still the world remain ignorant to what the heart should know
My love is audio, transmitted, heard, and felt
My words are mirrors to nearer and observe yourself
To receive (ceive), reflect (reflect), magnify
Let a bright light heal a damaged eye
We hold fort like family ties
Shout the battle cry and what we challenged by
Make the shady stand aside so ? risers can arrive
From native to the natural lives you can't deny the natural vibe
On a Mayfield natural high, artificials can abide
I love to see my masses rise
The joy to make your banners hot
The stronger people unite the way we lookin' for a brighter day
Brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun (move on)
Begun, brighter day, brighter day
Came away, came away and I flew away, flew away high, so high
I will fly (fly, whoa) fly away, fly away, fly away
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
We are lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Ay, ay
A brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun (yeah)
Brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
Packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A bright
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Said we're lookin' for a brighter day
Yo, I speak in whole beat legends
Divide it up in parts and sections
Days I was ministerin' sectors
Direct from the spot, forgotten on your election
Jail laced with fragments, speech clipped with accents
Phenomenal ave and for future and the past tense
Blew up the room in my absence
Live or closed caption watch my song vibrate with passion
The response in action to light bulb irrations
I come from where anything can happen and usually does
You find tension where it used to be love
I use my words to shine light inside the dark valleys
The dark alley, U.K., U.S., New York, Cali
From this king to all counties I out loudly
The clammer ? the chain of things that surround me
And seek bounty or stay stridin' and keep strivin'
I seek guidance, like the sun at the dawn I keep risin'
Like that y'all
Brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
Packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun
Yo yo yo nobody knows what tomorrow holds, could be pot of gold
Or a mere pot on top ya stove, still ya got to roll
Climb my obstacles and honor those who paved the harder road
Blazed the trails so a brighter day wasn't far to go
So many stories aren't told, so many lights that aren't shone
Still the world remain ignorant to what the heart should know
My love is audio, transmitted, heard, and felt
My words are mirrors to nearer and observe yourself
To receive (ceive), reflect (reflect), magnify
Let a bright light heal a damaged eye
We hold fort like family ties
Shout the battle cry and what we challenged by
Make the shady stand aside so ? risers can arrive
From native to the natural lives you can't deny the natural vibe
On a Mayfield natural high, artificials can abide
I love to see my masses rise
The joy to make your banners hot
The stronger people unite the way we lookin' for a brighter day
Brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun (move on)
Begun, brighter day, brighter day
Came away, came away and I flew away, flew away high, so high
I will fly (fly, whoa) fly away, fly away, fly away
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
We are lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Lookin' for a brighter day
Said I'm lookin' for a brighter day
Ay, ay
A brighter day came my way
Had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on (move on, move on)
That was the day that it all begun (yeah)
Brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
I packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A brighter day came my way
I had to decide was I gonna stay
Packed my things and I moved on
That was the day that it all begun
A bright
The song "A Brighter Day" by Mos Def and Ronny Jordan is an optimistic song about finding hope in the midst of challenges. The repeated lines of "Said we're lookin' for a brighter day" suggest that despite the hardships and obstacles they've faced, the singers are still searching for a better future. Mos Def's rap verses touch on the struggles of the African American community, such as being forgotten during elections and experiencing tension where there used to be love. However, he also emphasizes the power of words and music to bring light into dark situations, both for himself and for his listeners. The chorus provides a simple but effective message of perseverance and hope, encouraging listeners to keep moving forward towards a brighter day.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANTE SMITH, J CAMPBELL, S LEWINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@andilezim3067
2023?? ๐ฟ๐ฆ
@vakenz
24
@SkullFaceNinja
First heard this in 2003 and it instantly became my favorite Mos Collab. Such great music, RIP Ronny.
@mylesbake
Gah these jams are such gems to save for years later. My kids will know who Mos, Talib, Common etc is. RIP Ronny
@dondiewilks2626
Myles Baker I respect thatโ
@hpmetabolics7558
Exactly bro, real music that doesn't destroy the minds of black folks!
@FDAPO
spinna will be the most underrated producer of all time forever
@curtjohnson480
My boy Mos Def and Ronny Jordan. Damn, I never knew about this cut. RIP Mr. RJ
@dirty01992
R.I.P. Ronny JORDAN (29 Nov 1962 - 13 Jan 2014)
@MusicIsForLife81
"Brighter Day" is the original, on a Ronny Jordan CD which I think is also entitled "Brighter Day." The CD is not hip-hop, but mellow, jazz guitar and is absolutely excellent!