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 … 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 Ha
Mos Def Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey hey, ha ha say what say what
Ha ha bust it yo
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn
Long as I live here believe I'm on fire hey
'cause it's the be-the-are-the-O-the-O-K
L-why-N is the place where I stay

The be-the-are-the-O-the-O-K
Best in the world and all USA
It's the be-to-the-are-the-O-the-O-K
L-why-N is the place where I stay
The be-to-the-are-the-O-the-O-K
Place where I rest is on my born day
Bust it, sometimes I sit back and just reflect
Watch the world go by and my thought connect
I think about the time past and the time to come
Reminesce on Bed-Stuy when I was pride and young
I used to try and come, to the neighborhood function
Throw on my Izod, say a little something
When I was just a youngin, before the days of thuggin
How me and Charlie Chims (aiyyo what?) I'm only buggin
Fast forward, Nine-Now I gotta team my seed
I must proceed at God's speed to perform my deed
Livin the now space and time, round the nine to five
For as long as I'm alive, paw I got to strive
I ain't sittin roadside, that ain't harder to plan
I'm out here for my fam doin all that I can
I love my city, sweet and gritty in land to outskirts
Nickname Bucktown 'cause we grown to outburst
Philosophy redefine us, touch mines I touch back
Walk the streets like a sweet and get beat like drum tracks
Catch no shakes over jakes (boomp-boomp!) we bust back
Bring the marty to your face wit no place to run back
I'm from the slums that created the bass that thump back
This ain't a game clown, play ya James Brown and jump back
What you want, Jack? Young cats stash they jums at
Draw they guns back, momma screams where she sons at
Tryin to hunt that, recurring dream of high stakes
The fourth largest, first artist, Brooklyn is the place
Settled by the judge many years ago
Three billion strong and here we go

GOOD MORNINNNNNNNNNGG VIETNAM!!!
Ha (back up back up back up back up back up) [repeated in background]
Yo sometimes I sit back, reflect on the place that I live at
Unlike any place I ever been at
The home of big gats, deep dish hammer rim caps
Have a mishap, push ya wig back
Where you go to get the fresh trim at
Four on the jake got the Timb rack
Blue collars metro carding it
Thugs mobbin it, form partnership
Increase armorment, street pharmacist
Deep consequence, when you seek sleek ornaments
You get caught, rode the white horse and can't get off
Big dogs that trick off just get sent off
They shoebox stash is all they seeds gotta live off
It's real yo but still yo, it's love here
And it's felt by anybody that come here
Out of towners take the train, plane and bus here
Must be something that they really want here
One year as a resident, deeper sentiment
Shoutout "Go Brooklyn!", they representin it
Sittin on they front stoop sippin Guinesses
Usin native dialect in they sentences
From the treeline blocks to the tenaments
To the Mom & Pop local shop menaces
Travel all around the world in great distances
And ain't a place that I know that bear resemblance
That's why we it The Planet
Not a borough or a prov, it's our style that's uncalm
From ?sun? to the ? to the Lafayette Gardens
White ?coff guawinas? in they army jacket linings
Yo this goes out to my cats in Coney Isle
Friday night out in front The Himalaya goin wild
This goes out to Crown Heights and Smurv Village
The nighties, and all my ?yarda trenny? Brown's Village
Parkside tennants caught, thirties, forties, and the fifties
The cats out in Starite City gettin busy
To the Hook, to the East, to the Stuy
Bushwick and Kanarcy, Farraget, Fullgreen, and Marcy
My Flatbush posse, generals of armies
When it's time to form, just call me
And let this song be, playin loud in Long be
If you love Bucktown STRONGLY!
RAISE IT UP!

Brooklyn my habitat, the place where it happen at
Live sway and the sharp balance of the battle axe
Irons is brandished at, thugs draw they hammer back
It's where you find the news tool crew cameras at
It's where my fam is at, summertime jame is at
They play Big and get you open like a sandal back
Hotter than candle wax, hustlin you can't relax
The crack babies tryin to find where they mama's at
It's off the handle black, wit big police scandals that
Turn into actions screenplays sold to Miramax
The type of place where they check your appearance at
And cats who know where all the hot 'lo gear is at
The stompin grounds, where you find a pound, smoke is that
Be blazin charm that have your wave cap floatin back
The doorstep where the disposessed posted at
Dope fiends out at Franklin Ave sellin zovarax
You big ballin better keep your money folded back
'cause once the young guns notice that it's over, black
Brooklyn keep on takin it, worldwide we known for that
Flossy cats get it snatched like the local tax

The place I sharpen up my baritone vocals at
Where one of the greatest MC's was a local cat

Overall Meaning

The song 'A Ha" by Mos Def, also known as Yasiin Bey, is a tribute to his hometown, Brooklyn, New York. The opening lines "Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner, sometimes I feel like my only friend is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn" creates a feeling of love and pride for his neighborhood. He reflects on his past and reminisces about his childhood days in Bed-Stuy. Mos Def's lyrics convey a sense of belonging, identity, and community. He talks about the harsh reality of living in Brooklyn, including crime, poverty, and drug addiction. Mos Def also acknowledges the beauty of Brooklyn's culture, rich history, and the unique dialect. He name-drops many neighborhoods such as Coney Island, Parkside tenants, Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Crown Heights, and Flatbush, giving a sense of familiarity and belonging to Brooklynites listening to the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
There are times when I feel alone and without someone to rely on

Sometimes I feel like my only friend
In those moments, the city of Brooklyn becomes my only friend

Is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn
I find beauty in the city of Brooklyn, which is my home

Long as I live here believe I'm on fire hey
As long as I live in Brooklyn, I believe I am alive and filled with passion

'cause it's the be-the-are-the-O-the-O-K
Brooklyn is known as the BK, an abbreviation for its name

L-why-N is the place where I stay
The place where I live and reside is the neighborhood of Bed-Stuy

Best in the world and all USA
I believe that Brooklyn is the best neighborhood in the world and in the entire USA

Bust it, sometimes I sit back and just reflect
There are times when I take a pause and deeply think about things

Watch the world go by and my thought connect
As I observe the world around me, my thoughts and ideas start to form connections

I think about the time past and the time to come
I contemplate both the past and the future

Reminesce on Bed-Stuy when I was pride and young
I fondly remember my youth in Bed-Stuy, filled with confidence and pride

I used to try and come, to the neighborhood function
I used to make an effort to attend community events and gatherings

Throw on my Izod, say a little something
I would put on my Izod shirt and speak up, sharing my thoughts and opinions

When I was just a youngin, before the days of thuggin
During my younger years, before the time of engaging in criminal activities

How me and Charlie Chims (aiyyo what?) I'm only buggin
I jokingly mention my friend Charlie Chims, just messing around

Fast forward, Nine-Now I gotta team my seed
Now, in present time, I have the responsibility of raising and supporting my child

I must proceed at God's speed to perform my deed
I need to continue forward, guided by a higher power, to fulfill my purpose

Livin the now space and time, round the nine to five
Existing in the present moment, working from nine to five each day

For as long as I'm alive, paw I got to strive
As long as I'm alive, I have to work hard and make an effort

I ain't sittin roadside, that ain't harder to plan
I'm not just sitting around doing nothing, as that wouldn't lead to progress

I'm out here for my fam doin all that I can
I am actively working and doing everything I can to support my family

I love my city, sweet and gritty in land to outskirts
I have a deep affection for my city, embracing both its pleasant and rough aspects throughout

Nickname Bucktown 'cause we grown to outburst
Brooklyn is sometimes referred to as Bucktown due to its flourishing and expanding nature

Philosophy redefine us, touch mines I touch back
Our way of thinking and approaching life sets us apart and if you engage with us, I will reciprocate

Walk the streets like a sweet and get beat like drum tracks
Navigating the streets with confidence, just like the rhythm of drum tracks

Catch no shakes over jakes (boomp-boomp!) we bust back
We don't get intimidated by law enforcement and if confronted, we fight back

Bring the marty to your face wit no place to run back
We confront our enemies and make them face the consequences without offering them an escape route

I'm from the slums that created the bass that thump back
I come from the impoverished neighborhoods that birthed the powerful and resonating bass in music

This ain't a game clown, play ya James Brown and jump back
Don't take this lightly, don't fool around, because if you do, prepare for a surprising reaction

What you want, Jack? Young cats stash they jums at
What are you looking for? Young individuals hide their drugs at certain locations

Draw they guns back, momma screams where she sons at
They retaliate by pulling out their guns and causing their mothers to scream in fear

Tryin to hunt that, recurring dream of high stakes
They are constantly pursuing a dream of achieving success and wealth, risking everything

The fourth largest, first artist, Brooklyn is the place
Brooklyn is the fourth largest borough in New York City and known for its creative and artistic culture

Settled by the judge many years ago
Brooklyn was established by a judge a long time ago

Three billion strong and here we go
With a population of approximately three billion people, we are ready to take action

GOOD MORNINNNNNNNNNGG VIETNAM!!!
A reference to the film 'Good Morning, Vietnam' as a loud and energetic greeting

Ha (back up back up back up back up back up) [repeated in background]
An interjection expressing excitement and urging people to move back

Yo sometimes I sit back, reflect on the place that I live at
There are moments when I take a break and deeply contemplate the environment where I reside

Unlike any place I ever been at
Brooklyn is unique and unlike any other place I have ever visited

The home of big gats, deep dish hammer rim caps
Brooklyn is known for its large firearms and flashy cars with customized rims

Have a mishap, push ya wig back
If there is a problem or conflict, it may escalate to the point of physical harm

Where you go to get the fresh trim at
Brooklyn is the place where you can find the best barbershops for getting a fresh haircut

Four on the jake got the Timb rack
When being pursued by the police, individuals hide drugs in Timberland boots

Blue collars metro carding it
The working class utilizes their MetroCards to commute around the city

Thugs mobbin it, form partnership
Street criminals come together and form alliances to carry out their activities

Increase armorment, street pharmacist
They acquire more weapons and expand their drug dealing business on the streets

Deep consequence, when you seek sleek ornaments
There are severe repercussions when you indulge in the pursuit of luxury and material possessions

You get caught, rode the white horse and can't get off
If you get caught, referring to cocaine as the white horse, it becomes impossible to escape the consequences

Big dogs that trick off just get sent off
Those who squander their money extravagantly are quickly removed from positions of power and influence

They shoebox stash is all they seeds gotta live off
Their only means of survival is the money they hide in shoeboxes

It's real yo but still yo, it's love here
The reality of life in Brooklyn is tough, but there is still a sense of love and community

And it's felt by anybody that come here
Anyone who comes to Brooklyn can feel the sense of love and connection

Out of towners take the train, plane and bus here
People from outside of Brooklyn travel by train, plane, or bus to visit this place

Must be something that they really want here
There must be something desirable in Brooklyn that attracts people to come here

One year as a resident, deeper sentiment
After living here for a year, I have developed a stronger emotional attachment

Shoutout "Go Brooklyn!", they representin it
People proudly shout 'Go Brooklyn!' to show their support and represent the city

Sittin on they front stoop sippin Guinesses
People sitting on their front steps, enjoying a beer like Guinness

Usin native dialect in they sentences
They speak using the local dialect and slang in their conversations

From the treeline blocks to the tenements
From the streets with trees lining them to the crowded tenement buildings

To the Mom & Pop local shop menaces
The small, family-owned businesses are a vital part of the community

Travel all around the world in great distances
Brooklyn residents travel extensively and cover long distances across the world

And ain't a place that I know that bear resemblance
I haven't come across any other place that resembles Brooklyn in any way

That's why we it The Planet
This is why we refer to Brooklyn as 'The Planet,' emphasizing its distinctiveness

Not a borough or a prov, it's our style that's uncalm
Brooklyn is not just another borough or province, but it is our unique style that sets us apart

From ?sun? to the ? to the Lafayette Gardens
From one neighborhood to another, from the sunny streets to the Lafayette Gardens housing project

White ?coff guawinas? in they army jacket linings
White-collar criminals hiding their illicit activities and money in the linings of their army jackets

Yo this goes out to my cats in Coney Isle
This is a shoutout to my friends and acquaintances in Coney Island

Friday night out in front The Himalaya goin wild
On Friday nights, people gather in front of The Himalaya restaurant in Coney Island and have a great time

This goes out to Crown Heights and Smurv Village
A shoutout to the neighborhoods of Crown Heights and Smurv Village

The nighties, and all my ?yarda trenny? Brown's Village
Referring to the 1990s and showing love to all the people from Brownsville

Parkside tennants caught, thirties, forties, and the fifties
People residing in the Parkside housing complex from their thirties to their fifties

The cats out in Starite City gettin busy
Those in the neighborhood of Starite City are actively involved in various pursuits

To the Hook, to the East, to the Stuy
From the neighborhood of Red Hook to the East side and all the way to Bedford-Stuyvesant

Bushwick and Kanarcy, Farraget, Fullgreen, and Marcy
Referencing the neighborhoods of Bushwick, Canarsie, Farragut, Flatbush, and Marcy

My Flatbush posse, generals of armies
Referring to the group of people from Flatbush as leaders and warriors

When it's time to form, just call me
Whenever there is a need to gather or unite, I can be counted on

And let this song be, playin loud in Long be
Let this song be heard loudly throughout Long Beach

If you love Bucktown STRONGLY!
If you have a strong love and connection to Bucktown (Brooklyn), show it!

RAISE IT UP!
Expressing the need to uplift and celebrate Brooklyn

Brooklyn my habitat, the place where it happen at
Brooklyn is not just a location, but the place where things are constantly happening

Live sway and the sharp balance of the battle axe
Living in Brooklyn requires adaptability and a delicate balance of strength and sharpness

Irons is brandished at, thugs draw they hammer back
Weapons like firearms are openly displayed, and criminals prepare to use them

It's where you find the news tool crew cameras at
Media crews and news reporters can be found in abundance, covering events and stories

It's where my fam is at, summertime jame is at
My family resides here, and summer brings festivities and celebrations

They play Big and get you open like a sandal back
The music played in Brooklyn, particularly by artists like Notorious B.I.G., can captivate and excite you

Hotter than candle wax, hustlin you can't relax
The streets of Brooklyn can be intense and demanding, with no room for relaxation

The crack babies tryin to find where they mama's at
Children born addicted to crack cocaine in Brooklyn are often searching for their mothers

It's off the handle black, wit big police scandals that
The situation in Brooklyn can be chaotic and mired in major scandals involving law enforcement

Turn into actions screenplays sold to Miramax
These scandals become the basis for movies and screenplays sold to Miramax, a renowned film studio

The type of place where they check your appearance at
Brooklyn is the kind of place where your appearance and style are closely scrutinized

And cats who know where all the hot 'lo gear is at
There are individuals who are knowledgeable about where to find trendy, high-end clothing

The stompin grounds, where you find a pound, smoke is that
The streets of Brooklyn are where you can find marijuana, and smoking it is common

Be blazin charm that have your wave cap floatin back
The potent marijuana will have you so high that your wave cap will be pushed back

The doorstep where the disposessed posted at
The front steps of buildings are where those who have no place to stay often find solace

Dope fiends out at Franklin Ave sellin zovarax
Drug addicts can be found selling their prescription drugs on Franklin Avenue

You big ballin better keep your money folded back
If you have a lot of money and flaunt it, be cautious and keep it hidden

'cause once the young guns notice that it's over, black
Once the young criminals realize that someone is vulnerable, they will take advantage and exploit them

Brooklyn keep on takin it, worldwide we known for that
Brooklyn continues to excel and achieve recognition, being known worldwide for its impact and influence

Flossy cats get it snatched like the local tax
Those who flaunt their wealth and success may become targets and have their possessions stolen

The place I sharpen up my baritone vocals at
Brooklyn is where I improve and refine my deep singing voice

Where one of the greatest MC's was a local cat
Brooklyn is the hometown of one of the most legendary and influential MCs in hip-hop history

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART, DANTE SMITH, MARK RICHARDSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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