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

Ghetto Rock
Mos Def Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello children

Black Jack Johnson NYC, R-O-C-K-I-N-G
Sun and the moon, earths, stars, and planets
Before song done y'all goin' all understand it

Like, hot
The haters can't fuck with it

Cause they mom and they sister and girl in love with
It (and they niggas)
Sound man holla black come with it
Sping the record 'till the record done spinning
Up top is you getting up with it?
Dirty dirty is you getting crunk with it?
Smokey smoke from coast to coast
Be careful our first draw be that overdose
Who stay holding it from brooklyn? you know is mos!
Ha, jackpot I (sing yo) got to go for broke
Is this the only way the smith family now to go
Right here to my youngest one is older folks
I'ma put down like a dirty so and so
Freak daddy came here to work the mojo, oh
Because the, high is high and the low is low
And that goes for the sinner man to holy folks
Put your shit in the sky like I know you, oh
(Brooklyn stand up!)
Ha, my ghetto nation get toe to toe
Stay rocking steady steady 'cause I told you so
And after y'all get it go I let it go some more
That black jack about something for sure) for sure
(say what!)
For sure for sure
Let me see you in the world making your shoulder role
And if it get good tell your nigga throw your 'bows

'Cause we are so ghetto
Yes we are rock and roll
Yes we are so ghetto
Yes we are rock and roll
Yes we are so ghetto
Yes we are rock and roll
Yes we are so ghetto
Yes we are, rock and motherfucking roll

Ha, I am a fighter and a lover
I'm the freaky baby daddy, I'm a bad motherfucker
I'm the earth, wind, fire, and the thunder
I said I am, go ask my mother
You don't believe that shit believe what you want to
Alright, ok, so, shut-up!
Speak language come straight from the gutter
Observe the terms that we trade with one and other
Like, what's good, what's popping, what's cracking
What it is, how you living, what's happening
Work songs that the slaves sang back then
The playground chants, with little girls clapping

Blackjack Johnson NYC, R-O-C-K-I-N-G
Son and the moon, earths, stars, and planets
Before the song done y'all going all understand it
Blackjack Johnson NYC, R-O-C-K-I-N-G
Son and the moon, earths stars and planets
Before the song done y'all going all understand it

Space!
Gimme the space!
Back up, gimme the space!
Let a nigga rock!
Gimme the space!
Let a nigga rock!
Let a nigga rock, ha!
This is the sound
Ghetto rock
This is the sound
Ghetto rock
This is the sound
Ghetto rock
This is the sound
Ghetto rock
This is the sound
Ghetto rock

This is the sound
Ghetto rock and, motherfucking roll!

Overall Meaning

In Mos Def's "Ghetto Rock," he talks about how he is both a fighter and a lover, and how he is a bad motherfucker. He refers to himself as the earth, wind, fire, and thunder. He celebrates his roots as a Black man, using terms and phrases that come straight from the gutter. He is proud of his ghetto nation, and how it is so rock and roll.

Throughout the song, Mos Def makes references to astrology, encouraging listeners to look at the skies and the planets. He wants people to understand that they are a part of a much bigger universe, and to embrace their individuality. The song is meant to inspire people to be confident in themselves and to break free from societal constraints.

Mos Def's lyrics also reference the history of his people, acknowledging the work songs that slaves sang and the playground chants that he learned as a child. He wants his listeners to understand that the struggle his people faced is a part of who they are, and that they should be proud of their heritage.

Overall, "Ghetto Rock" is a celebration of Black culture and a call to embrace one's identity. It encourages people to be confident in themselves and to fight for what they believe in.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello children
Opening of the song

Black Jack Johnson NYC, R-O-C-K-I-N-G
Introducing the character performing the song

Sun and the moon, earths, stars, and planets
An acknowledgement of the universe in its entirety

Before song done y'all goin' all understand it
A promise that the audience will understand the song by the end

Like, hot
A comparison to something that is popular and successful

The haters can't fuck with it
The song is too good for those who do not appreciate it

Cause they mom and they sister and girl in love with it (and they niggas)
Even the people who criticize the song have family members who enjoy it

Sound man holla black come with it
The sound engineer encourages the artist to give it his all

Sping the record 'till the record done spinning
Play the song until the end

Up top is you getting up with it?
Asking if everyone is enjoying the song

Dirty dirty is you getting crunk with it?
Asking if everyone is dancing and having a good time

Smokey smoke from coast to coast
A reference to smoking marijuana in various parts of the US

Be careful our first draw be that overdose
A warning to be cautious when using drugs

Who stay holding it from brooklyn? you know is mos!
Mos Def is from Brooklyn and proud to represent his city

Ha, jackpot I (sing yo) got to go for broke
Feeling lucky and willing to take risks to succeed

Is this the only way the smith family now to go
Wondering if taking risks is the only option for his family's success

Right here to my youngest one is older folks
Showing love to his family

I'ma put down like a dirty so and so
A declaration of commitment to his craft

Freak daddy came here to work the mojo, oh
A reference to his sexual prowess and confidence

Because the, high is high and the low is low
Acknowledging the extreme highs and lows of life

And that goes for the sinner man to holy folks
Everyone experiences highs and lows, regardless of their religious beliefs

Put your shit in the sky like I know you, oh
Stand up for what you believe in and show it proudly

(Brooklyn stand up!)
A call to action for his fellow Brooklynites to show pride

Ha, my ghetto nation get toe to toe
Refers to the working-class people that make up his community

Stay rocking steady steady 'cause I told you so
The artist is confident that his song will have a lasting impact

And after y'all get it go I let it go some more
Willing to continue performing as long as the audience enjoys it

That black jack about something for sure) for sure
Confidence in his craft and abilities

(say what!)
Expression of enthusiasm

Let me see you in the world making your shoulder role
Encouragement to dance and enjoy the music

And if it get good tell your nigga throw your 'bows
Continue dancing and if it feels good, show more enthusiasm

'Cause we are so ghetto
Proud of being from an urban and sometimes impoverished community

Yes we are rock and roll
Taking pride in their cultural identity

Ha, I am a fighter and a lover
A declaration of his personality

I'm the freaky baby daddy, I'm a bad motherfucker
Confidence in his sexuality and abilities

I'm the earth, wind, fire, and the thunder
A declaration of power and influence

I said I am, go ask my mother
Confident in his self-awareness and identity

You don't believe that shit believe what you want to
Not concerned with others' opinions or beliefs of him

Alright, ok, so, shut-up!
Telling others to stop talking or bothering him

Speak language come straight from the gutter
Using language and expressions typical of urban and poor communities

Observe the terms that we trade with one and other
Acknowledging the unique expressions and terms within his community

Like, what's good, what's popping, what's cracking
Listing examples of common expressions within his community

What it is, how you living, what's happening
Listing more examples of common expressions

Work songs that the slaves sang back then
Reference to the music and culture of historical oppression

The playground chants, with little girls clapping
A contrast to the historical oppression, highlighting the joy in everyday life

Space!
A call for physical space and respect

Gimme the space!
An expression of urgency for physical space

Back up, gimme the space!
Reiterating the need for physical space

Let a nigga rock!
An expression of freedom and creative expression