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
Boogie Man Song
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What it is, what it is, what it is
What it is
What it is, what it is, what it is
What it is
See me, want me, give me, trust me
Feed me, fuck me, love me, touch me
What we are is low and lovely
I am the most beautiful boogie man
The most beautiful boogie man
Let me be your favorite nightmare
Close your eyes and I'll be right there
While, open, all, over, again
See me, touch me, give me, want me
Feed me, fuck me, trust me, love me
This whole world is cold and ugly
What we are is low and lovely
I am the most beautiful boogie man
The most beautiful boogie man
Let me be your favorite nightmare
Close your eyes and I'll be right there
While, open, all, over, again, again
Ag-a-in
The Boogie Man Song by Mos Def presents an unsettling portrayal of the world as a cold, harsh place where people are easily manipulated and consumed. The repetition of the phrase "what it is" serves as a refrain that highlights the emptiness and soullessness of modern society. The lyrics describe people's desperation to be seen, loved, and trusted, even if it means sacrificing their own dignity and self-respect. The boogie man is presented as a figure of seduction who offers temporary relief from the world's troubles, promising to be the listener's "favorite nightmare" and providing a comforting escape from reality.
The song's commentary on the dehumanizing effect of consumerism is made more explicit in the line "This whole world is cold and ugly / What we are is low and lovely," which suggests that people are reduced to mere commodities to be bought and sold. Mos Def also touches on themes of powerlessness and control, with the boogie man serving as a symbol of those who hold sway over others through manipulation and deceit.
Overall, The Boogie Man Song is a haunting and introspective piece that forces listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and the society in which they live.
Line by Line Meaning
Bismillah ir Rhman ir Raheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
What it is, what it is, what it is
There is something happening
What it is
There is something happening
See me, want me, give me, trust me
People are always seeking attention, desire, gifts, and trust
Feed me, fuck me, love me, touch me
People want to be taken care of physically and emotionally
This whole world is cold and ugly
The world is cruel and unpleasant
What we are is low and lovely
Human nature is flawed but still beautiful
I am the most beautiful boogie man
I am imperfect, but still admirable and appealing
Let me be your favorite nightmare
Let me be the one that scares and excites you
Close your eyes and I'll be right there
I will always be present in your mind
While, open, all, over, again
Through it all and repeatedly
See me, touch me, give me, want me
People are always seeking attention, desire, gifts, and trust
Feed me, fuck me, trust me, love me
People want to be taken care of physically and emotionally
This whole world is cold and ugly
The world is cruel and unpleasant
What we are is low and lovely
Human nature is flawed but still beautiful
I am the most beautiful boogie man
I am imperfect, but still admirable and appealing
Let me be your favorite nightmare
Let me be the one that scares and excites you
Close your eyes and I'll be right there
I will always be present in your mind
While, open, all, over, again, again
Through it all and repeatedly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAPHAEL SAADIQ, DANTE SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keysseate6799
I can't believe I actually met this man in my life time. What a moment!
@otherworld6715
Wow!
@vani3335
Meow
@yOGlo
Lucky azz mfkr!!
@kelleysenior1659
Really?
Wow
@siggieschulz191
This man is an inspiration for a real generation…unfortunately less in numbers but big in deep thoughts.
@the4ampodcast9
Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem. Before I became Muslim in 2012 I used to play that over and over again in 2004 and I always thought it was so beautiful. Islam is the most beautiful religion. Jazak'Allahu Khair Mos Def. Barak'Allahu Feekum. Alhamdulillah.
@UNSTOPPABLE0
Alhamdulilah brother
@rockedthecrapout
Mos doesn't need to be popular when he is a legend.
@petqpetkova9141
Facts only