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
Hip Hop
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on, y'all, let's rock this
You say one for the treble, two for the time
Come on
Speech is my hammer, bang the world into shape
Now let it fall (huh)
My restlessness is my nemesis
Committed to page, I write a rhyme
Sometimes won't finish for days
Scrutinize my literature, from the large to the miniature
I mathematically administer
Subtract the wack
Selector, wheel it back, I'm feeling that
(Ha ha ha) from the core to the perimeter black
You know the motto
"Stay fluid even in staccato"
(Mos Def) full blooded, full throttle
Breathe deep inside the drum hollow
There's the hum, young man where you from?
Brooklyn number one
Native son, speaking in the native tongue
I got my eyes on tomorrow (there it is)
While you still tryna find where it is
I'm on the Ave where it lives and dies
Violently but silently
Shine so vibrantly that eyes squint to catch a glimpse
Embrace the bass with my dark ink fingertips
Used to speak the king's English
But caught a rash on my lips
So now my chat just like dis
Long range from the base-line (swish)
Move like an apparition
Low to the ground with ammunition (chi-chi-chi-baow)
Move from the gate, voice cued on your tape
Putting food on your plate
Many crews can relate
Who choosing your fate? Yo
We went from picking cotton
To chain gang line chopping
To B-Bopping
To Hip-Hopping
Blues people got the blue chip stock option
Invisible man, got the whole world watching
(Where ya at?) I'm high, low, East, West, all over your map
I'm getting big props, with this thing called Hip Hop
Where you can either get paid or get shot
When your product in stock
The fair-weather friends flock
When your chart position drop
Then the phone calls
Chill for a minute
Let's see who else tops
Snatch your shelf spot
Don't gas yourself akh'
The industry just a better built cell block
A long way from the shell tops
And the bells that L rocked
Rock (rock), rock (rock), rock (rock), rock (rock)
Rock, rock (ha), rock, rock
(Over here just sayin')
(Hip Hop)
(Class is in session)
(Hip Hop, one, on-on-one, one, two, one, two)
(Sweat inside my hand)
(Hip Hop)
(The more emotion I put into it, the harder I rock)
(Hip Hop)
Hip Hop is prosecution evidence
An out of court settlement, ad space for liquor
Sick without benefits (huh)
Luxury tenements choking the skyline
It's low life getting tree-top high (top high)
It is a back water remedy
Bitter intent to memory, a class E felony
Facing the death penalty (huh)
Stimulant and sedative, original repetitive
Violently competitive, a school unaccredited (there it is)
The break beats you get broken with
On time and inappropriate
Hip Hop went from selling crack to smoking it
Medicine for loneliness
Remind me of Thelonius and Dizzy
Boppers to B-Boys getting busy
The war-time snap shot
The working man's jack-pot
A two dollar snack box
Sold beneath the crack spot
Olympic sponsor of the black Glock
Gold medalist in the back shot
From the sovereign state of the have-nots
Where farmers have trouble with cash crops (huh)
It's all city like Phase 2
Hip Hop will simply amaze you
Praise you, pay you
Do whatever you say do
But, black, it can't save you
In the song Hip Hop, Mos Def uses the technique of a call and response that is typical in hip hop music. He starts with a chant “you say one for the treble, two for the time” that is repeated by another voice. Mos Def then announces himself as a rapper and his fundamental “hammer” as his speech which he uses to change the world. These two opening lines of the rap set the tone for the whole song. He is not only a rapper but also a social commentator working for the change of his society.
The rapper then talks about his restlessness as his enemy. He is a constant worker who is always committed to creating content even if it takes several days to come up with the lyrics. He deals with scrutinizing his literature from the big picture to the minute one. The chorus of the song comes in with the phrase “rock this" which is an invitation to get up and dance to the rhythm of the music. The second verse starts with Mos Def showing his intellectual prowess in delivering his rap. He uses examples of how he administers his content by following a mathematical procedure to listen and eliminate any “wack” lyrics. He goes on to talk about his native Brooklyn with his eyes firmly fixed on tomorrow. He feels the pulse of the community and knows exactly where the community is in terms of their aspirations.
Line by Line Meaning
You say one for the treble, two for the time
Get ready to rock this beat, start counting with me
Speech is my hammer, bang the world into shape
I use my words to make a change in the world
My restlessness is my nemesis
I struggle to stay still and calm
Committed to page, I write a rhyme
I put all my passion into the words I write
Sometimes won't finish for days
I care a lot about the quality of my work
Scrutinize my literature, from the large to the miniature
I pay attention to every detail of my writing
I mathematically administer
I make precise calculations in my creative process
Subtract the wack, Selector, wheel it back, I'm feeling that
I remove anything that doesn't fit or is not good enough, and repeat my favorites
(Ha ha ha) from the core to the perimeter black
I'm proud of my origins and express them in my music
You know the motto
I live by a certain set of values
"Stay fluid even in staccato"
I stay flexible even when I have to pause or shift suddenly
(Mos Def) full blooded, full throttle
I go all in, with my entire being
Breathe deep inside the drum hollow
I feel the beat of my music deep in my soul
There's the hum, young man where you from?
I express a curiosity about where people come from, and honor my own heritage
Brooklyn number one
I represent and shout-out my home neighborhood
Native son, speaking in the native tongue
I use my own, authentic voice in my music
I got my eyes on tomorrow (there it is)
I focus on the future and what's ahead
While you still tryna find where it is
Others are still struggling and looking for their way
I'm on the Ave where it lives and dies
I'm fully immersed in the streets, where life happens
Violently but silently
Things can be intense and painful, yet still go unnoticed
Shine so vibrantly that eyes squint to catch a glimpse
My talent is so powerful and unique that people have to look closely to appreciate it
Embrace the bass with my dark ink fingertips
I'm fully in sync with the rhythm of my track
Used to speak the king's English
I used to conform to the formal, English language
But caught a rash on my lips
But now I've contracted a musical vibe, and speak a different, stylized way
So now my chat just like dis
So I now talk like this, more informally and rhythmically
Long range from the base-line (swish)
I have long reach and can hit my target accurately
Move like an apparition
I move quickly and almost invisibly
Low to the ground with ammunition (chi-chi-chi-baow)
I'm grounded and well-prepared with my sound effects
Move from the gate, voice cued on your tape
I start the flow from the beginning, and anticipate your reaction
Putting food on your plate
My music feeds and sustains you
Many crews can relate
My audiences and fan bases can identify with me
Who choosing your fate? Yo
Who decides your destiny? How about you?
We went from picking cotton
We've come a long way from historical slavery and oppression
To chain gang line chopping
But there's still violence and hard labor for some people out there
To B-Bopping
But we managed to create and enjoy some culture and fun out of it
To Hip-Hopping
And now we're even expressing and celebrating ourselves through this genre
Blues people got the blue chip stock option
Black culture and art have become valuable and respected in society
Invisible man, got the whole world watching
People who are ignored or underappreciated are still influential and seen across borders
(Where ya at?) I'm high, low, East, West, all over your map
I'm everywhere, I'm versatile and I reach everywhere through my music and lyrics
I'm getting big props, with this thing called Hip Hop
I'm becoming famous and respected for my work in the Hip Hop genre
Where you can either get paid or get shot
This industry can make or break your life, or even put it in danger
When your product in stock
When your music is popular and in demand
The fair-weather friends flock
People who were not around before want to associate with you and benefit from your success
When your chart position drop
But if things don't go well, these same people abandon you
Then the phone calls
People start to ignore you or even insult you
Chill for a minute
Take a break and step back a bit
Let's see who else tops
There's still room for different artists to shine and compete
Snatch your shelf spot
Protect your own spot, and keep your position strong
Don't gas yourself akh'
Don't lie or overexaggerate about your success
The industry just a better built cell block
The music industry can be as restrictive and oppressive as a prison
A long way from the shell tops
We've come a long way from the old-school sneakers and clothes
And the bells that L rocked
And the sounds and rhymes that originated from artists like LL Cool J
Hip Hop is prosecution evidence
Hip Hop has often been used to incriminate its own creators or listeners
An out of court settlement, ad space for liquor
Hip Hop culture is often used in misleading or harmful ways, for example, to advertise alcohol to underage audiences
Sick without benefits (huh)
Hip Hop artists often struggle with health or mental health issues, and lack access to proper care
Luxury tenements choking the skyline
Gentrification and wealth disparity have changed the urban landscape
It's low life getting tree-top high (top high)
People with less privileges or resources are still trying to get by or get noticed
It is a back water remedy
Hip Hop is an alternative and authentic way of addressing social or personal issues
Bitter intent to memory, a class E felony
Hip Hop can have a negative, resentful, or criminal tone or content
Facing the death penalty (huh)
Hip Hop can bring you notoriety, but also expose you to danger or deadly situations
Stimulant and sedative, original repetitive
Hip Hop can be energizing, but also calming or repetitive
Violently competitive, a school unaccredited (there it is)
Hip Hop can be intensely competitive and purely judged by the crowd, not by formal education
The break beats you get broken with
Hip Hop uses specific rhythms and samples, often taken from past hits or obscure cult classics
On time and inappropriate
Hip Hop can be precise, but also insult or offend certain groups
Hip Hop went from selling crack to smoking it
Hip Hop went through a dark phase where it was used or associated with drugs in harmful ways
Medicine for loneliness
Hip Hop can provide solace and relief for people who feel alone or misunderstood
Remind me of Thelonius and Dizzy
Hip Hop can be compared to legendary jazz musicians who fused innovation, technique, and improvisation
Boppers to B-Boys getting busy
Hip Hop incorporates elements from multiple generations or local scenes, and celebrates them unapologetically
The war-time snap shot
Hip Hop captures and reflects social or historical events, sometimes with a critical or revolutionary tone
The working man's jack-pot
Hip Hop can offer a way out of poverty, or at least a sense of self-respect and autonomy
A two dollar snack box
Hip Hop can represent a typical, modest treat or pleasure
Sold beneath the crack spot
Hip Hop is often sold at street corners or urban markets, often in unsafe or illegal contexts
Olympic sponsor of the black Glock
Hip Hop can glorify or endorse weapons and violence
Gold medalist in the back shot
Hip Hop can celebrate sexual prowess or intimacy, often with an aggressive or reckless tone
From the sovereign state of the have-nots
Hip Hop artists often come from marginalized or disprivileged communities, and use their music to claim their rights or voice their struggles
Where farmers have trouble with cash crops (huh)
Hip Hop artists often face poverty and money problems, like many working-class people do
It's all city like Phase 2
Hip Hop culture can be widespread and influential, like the iconic graffiti artist Phase 2
Hip Hop will simply amaze you
Hip Hop can shock or impress you, with its skills, creativity, or expression
Praise you, pay you
Hip Hop can show respect and appreciation for its artists, but also pay them well
Do whatever you say do
Hip Hop can offer a sense of empowerment and freedom of expression, to both artists and listeners
But, black, it can't save you
Despite all the potentials and benefits, Hip Hop culture cannot protect or elevate you from all the hardships and inequalities in the world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Dante Smith, Joseph Kirkland, Michael Axelrod, David Axelrod, Gabriel Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ajesam George
on Ms. Fat Booty
https://soundcloud.com/.../sudenly-by-da-george-prod-by...