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
Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn my vocals up, too
I hear myself a lil more
Yeah, yeah yeah
More, more, more, more more more
Moto, moto, moto, moto, moto, moto, moto moto moto
Nice, nice nice nice nice
Moto moto still, moto moto still, moto still
Nice nice nice nice nice nice nice
Good
Uh huh
You waited up a lil bit for me
Yeah yeah yeah
Bedstuy Parade and Funeral March
For fighters and lovers, uh, uh, uh, uh
How, how, how how how, how how, how, how, how
How, how
I can't stand you
I just love you
I got something to give you but
I don't want to
The one I wanna be close to but
I can't touch you
'Cause I can see you
When I can't see good 'cause
You keep me crying, hu hu hu hu
Hu hu hu hu, hu hu hu
Hu hu hu hu, hu hu hu
My gangsta woman
Sweet gangsta woman
Pretty gangsta woman
Little killa woman
Sweet gangasta woman
Pretty killa woman
Sweet gangsta woman
Gangsta, ha ha I see you
How, how, how, ow ow, how, how, how ow ow, how ooh
Gangsta, gangsta, gangsta, gangsta
Gangsta
Gangsta
The lyrics to Mos Def's Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March are slightly abstract and open to interpretation, but at their core, they are a tribute to the spirit of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and the people who call it home. Mos Def starts by calling for the drums and vocals to be turned up, as if he is preparing to lead a procession or musical celebration. He repeats the phrase "more, more, more" with increasing urgency, suggesting that he is building up to something important. Then, he launches into the chorus, which is a cry of "how, how, how" that is both mournful and triumphant.
The second verse is where Mos Def's storytelling skills truly shine. He speaks to a person that he can't stand, but also can't help loving. He has something to give them, but can't bring himself to do it. He wants to be close to them, but can't touch them. This speaks to the depth of emotion that can be found in Bed-Stuy, a place where love and pain can be intertwined. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the duality of the feelings Mos Def is expressing. The final verse pays homage to the strong women of Bed-Stuy, using the word "gangsta" as a term of endearment. Mos Def celebrates their sweetness and beauty, while also acknowledging their toughness and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn the drums up
Increase the volume of the drums in the music
Turn my vocals up, too
Also increase the volume of the singer's voice in the music
I hear myself a lil more
I can hear my own voice louder and clearer now
Yeah, yeah yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation
More, more, more, more more more
I want even more of the volume to be turned up
Moto, moto, moto, moto, moto, moto, moto moto moto
A series of exclamations of excitement or encouragement
Nice, nice nice nice nice
An expression of admiration or approval
Moto moto still, moto moto still, moto still
Still enthusiastic and excited
Yeah yeah yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation
Nice nice nice nice nice nice nice
An expression of admiration or approval
Good
Satisfactory or acceptable
Uh huh
An expression of agreement or acknowledgment
You waited up a lil bit for me
You stayed up for me to arrive home
Bedstuy Parade and Funeral March
A celebration of life and death in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn
For fighters and lovers, uh, uh, uh, uh
A tribute to those who have fought for their dreams and loved passionately
How, how, how how how, how how, how, how, how
A series of questions or expressions of confusion
How, how
Further inquiries or expressions of confusion
I can't stand you
I strongly dislike you
I just love you
Despite my dislike, I also have strong feelings of love for you
I got something to give you but
I have a gift for you, but there are conditions attached
I don't want to
I am hesitant to give you the gift
The one I wanna be close to but
You are the person I want to be near
I can't touch you
But for some reason, I can't physically reach you
'Cause I can see you
Because you are visible to me
When I can't see good 'cause
Even when I am struggling to see clearly or objectively
You keep me crying, hu hu hu hu
You consistently cause me emotional pain and distress
Hu hu hu hu, hu hu hu
The vocalization of crying
Hu hu hu hu, hu hu hu
Continued vocalization of crying
My gangsta woman
The woman I admire or love who displays strength, courage, and resilience
Sweet gangsta woman
The woman with a sensitive, caring side in addition to her strength
Pretty gangsta woman
The beautiful, yet still strong and resilient woman
Little killa woman
The woman who crushes her goals and dreams with tenacity and determination
Sweet gangasta woman
The woman with a sensitive, caring side in addition to her strength
Pretty killa woman
The beautiful yet still determined and driven woman
Gangsta, ha ha I see you
An acknowledgement of respect or admiration for someone's courage or strength
How, how, how, ow ow, how, how, how ow ow, how ooh
A series of inquiries or exclamations of confusion, pain, or surprise
Gangsta, gangsta, gangsta, gangsta
An emphasis on respect and admiration for someone's strength, courage, and resilience
Gangsta
An acknowledgement of respect and admiration for someone's strength, courage, and resilience
Gangsta
Continued emphasis on respect and admiration for someone's strength, courage, and resilience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Dante Smith, Paul Oscher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
alkis makris
I can't stand you, I just love you, I got something to give you but
I don't want to. The one I wanna be close to but
I can't touch you cause I can see you
But I can't see good 'cause You keep me crying
My gangsta woman, Sweet gangsta woman
Pretty gangsta woman, Little killa woman
Sweet gangasta woman, Pretty killa woman
Sweet gangsta woman
Kaelon Roache'
2019 still bumpin and pumpin the Mos Magnificent
ramadanaffan
i have to listen to this before i go on a first date to pump up my confidence and make me feel cool
Ryan Young
Valid
Tobi
I asked this girl out, she said no. But if I did get her in my car I was gonna play this album, lol. Very easy listening
blueslove61
I need more of this stuff in my life.
JamesMocro007
LOVE ALMOST ALL HIS SONGS!
General Awesome
great song love it
Sergio Escobar
Love this mofo. He's bad-ass
Zjesko1
Hell yeah I love this groovy shit
Selam Gerezgiher
love it love it... love it love it!!!!!!!