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
The Beggar
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woman you know just how I feel
You try to tell me that you don't know
When I know you know the deal
Woman you know I love you
Woman you know I care
Hey
I'm running game
You try to say baby you don't play fair
Oh darling
If there is any doubt in your mind
I want you to be sure
Hey
If you don't ever see me again
I want you to be sure
That I love you
Oh girl
Oh baby I love you
Darling I love you
Hey
Oh darling I love you
Hey
(Turn the lights down low)
(Turn the lights down low)
Oh baby
You got to understand how I feel
You need to understand where I'm coming from
Ain't no need to be afraid
Ain't no need to get up and run
Oh darling
Oh girl you know I love you
Oh darling
You know you know I love you
Oh baby
If you never see me again
I need you to be sure
From this moment right now
'Til for ever more
Said I love you
Love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love
You, love you, love you, love you
Baby
Woman I love you
Woman I love you
Woman I love you, ah
Woman I love you
The lyrics of Mos Def's song The Beggar express a man's love and devotion to his woman. He reassures her that he loves her and cares for her deeply, despite her doubts or skepticism. The repeated line "woman you know I love you" emphasizes his sincerity and desire to be understood and trusted. He acknowledges her accusations of him "running game" or not playing fair, but he insists that his feelings for her are genuine and unwavering.
The tone of the song is romantic and heartfelt, with a sense of urgency to convey the depth of the man's emotions. The repetition of certain phrases and the use of simple and direct language make the lyrics feel intimate and authentic. The request to "turn the lights down low" adds to the mood of intimacy and creates a sense of privacy and intimacy.
Overall, the song expresses the essential elements of love: trust, honesty, and devotion. The man wants his woman to know without a doubt that he loves her and will continue to do so forever. The Beggar is a beautiful love song that captures the vulnerable and emotional aspects of being in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman you know I love you
Addressing a woman and assuring her that he loves her.
Woman you know just how I feel
Telling the woman that she knows exactly how he feels about her.
You try to tell me that you don't know
Referring to the woman as someone who denies knowing his true thoughts and feelings.
When I know you know the deal
He is certain that the woman knows everything that he is telling her.
Woman you know I care
Assuring the woman that he cares for her.
You try to say I'm running game
The woman accuses him of being insincere about his feelings for her.
You try to say baby you don't play fair
She is also implying that he is trying to manipulate her.
If there is any doubt in your mind
Telling the woman to speak up if she has any doubt about his love for her.
I want you to be sure
He wants her to be certain of his love for her.
If you don't ever see me again
Telling the woman to be sure of his love even if they don't see each other anymore.
That I love you
Reiterating his love for her.
You got to understand how I feel
Asking the woman to understand his feelings.
You need to understand where I'm coming from
He wants her to know his perspective of the situation.
Ain't no need to be afraid
There is no reason for the woman to feel scared or anxious.
Ain't no need to get up and run
There is no reason for the woman to feel like she needs to leave the relationship suddenly.
If you never see me again
Telling the woman to believe his love for her even if they don't see each other in the future.
From this moment right now 'til forever more
Implying that his love for the woman is eternal and everlasting.
Said I love you Love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love You, love you, love you, love you
Repeating his love for the woman multiple times to emphasize its strength.
Woman I love you
Closing the song by reaffirming his love for the woman.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: William L Calhoun, Gary Miller, Dante Smith, Douglas Arthur Wimbish, Bernard Worrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lovedichoreo1529
"The Beggar"
[Mos Def]
Woman you know I love you
Woman you know just how I feel
You try to tell me that you don't know
When I know you know the deal
Woman you know I love you
Woman you know I care...
hey
You try to say
I'm running game
You try to say baby you don't play fair
Oh darling
If there is any doubt in your mind
I want you to be sure...
heeeey
If you don't ever see me again
I want you to be sure
That I love you
Oh girl
Oh baby I love you
Darling I love you...
hey
Oh darling I love you...
hey
(Turn the lights down low)
(Turn the lights down low)
Oh baby
You got to understand how I feel
You need to understand where I'm coming from
Aint no need to be afraid
Aint no need to get up and run
Oh darling
Oh girl you know I love you
Oh darling
You know I know I love you
Oh baby
If you never see me again
I need you to be sure
From this moment right now
Till for ever more
Said I love you
Love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love
you, love you, love you, love you...
babyyyy
Woman I love you
Woman I love you
Woman I love you
AAAAAAHHHHHH...
Woman I love you
@thatnovaguy
This song will never EVER get old
@queenahja4179
So right 2023
@KJD2021
Larry dancing to this 😍😍😍😍😍😍♥️ this man will forever have my heart. Omg #LeTwins !!!!✨✨✨✨
@tasha1985
I'd be fucked up if I ever met a man like Mos Def. 😩
@rasta317
The kind of song that makes you sit back and evaluate every person you've ever been infatuated with.
@gallys7347
He i a good actor too
@CinnCity78
Word!!
@KJD2021
Brockelle Nelson true.
@younggunnerbk6229
Brockelle Nelson Long list eh?
@joeysmokez
Brockelle Nelson that's facts brockelle. Was just thinking da Samething