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
Workers Comp.
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll give you all the diamonds and money
But you can't break my heart
'Cause that'll just get you fired
And everybody needs a job
Work is scarce competition is fierce
Word? Let's get you an award for that performance
Winner in the category for the best boring
Tell the tough guys we tougher than tough times
And needles in the nerves to make the tighten up unwind
One time, for locking out the light in your eyes
You're searching for your perfect one
Broken down from getting at all
To take it however it comes
Plain day you the specialist one
Oh me oh my!
I'll give you all the milk and the honey
But you can't break my heart
'Cause that'll just get you fired
Sloppy worker get your pay grade bust
Work is scarce skilled working is rare
Fonzi fronting at the job site
Primping up they hair
Word? Well tell them only staff could drink they coffee
Walking papers hit the office
Sleep late tomorrow morning
Tell the tough guys we're tougher than tough times
And nerves don't snap when the clock touch crunch time
That's right we're tougher than tough times
From been narrow wind
To the clock just unwind
Fa sho' we tougher than tough times
My proof don't need to lie my tighten up don't unwind
Sunshine
Lifting up the light in your eyes
You're gazing at your perfect one
Broken down from never at all
To better than you could ever want
Great day I know that you had to come
Oh me oh my
I'll give you all the diamonds and money
But you can't break my heart
Cause that'll just get you fired
And you're doing such a beautiful job
The song "Workers Comp" by Mos Def captures the struggles and realities of the modern workforce. The lyrics depict the scarcity of work opportunities and the fierce competition in the job market as people try to make ends meet. The reference to "Fonzi frontin' in the new leather" highlights the societal pressure to appear successful and the façade that people put on at work.
The chorus, "I'll give you all the diamonds and money, but you can't break my heart," speaks to the sacrifices people make for their jobs, often at the expense of their personal relationships and well-being. The fear of getting fired looms over the workers, and they strive to be the best at their jobs, even if it means being a "boring" performer or a "sloppy worker."
The song also acknowledges the toll that work can take on mental health and the psyche. The line, "needles in the nerves to make the tighten-up unwind," suggests that the pressure of work can be unbearable and that people need to find ways to relax and unwind. The upbeat tempo and the references to "sunshine" and "lifting up the light in your eyes" provide a glimmer of hope and a reminder to focus on the positive aspects of life.
Overall, "Workers Comp" is a poignant commentary on the modern workforce and the challenges that people face in finding and keeping a job.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll give you all the diamonds and money
I have a lot of wealth and riches to offer you
But you can't break my heart
I'm not willing to tolerate emotional pain or betrayal from you
'Cause that'll just get you fired
If you break my heart, you will lose your job
And everybody needs a job
Having a job is important for everybody to make a living
Work is scarce competition is fierce
It's becoming difficult to find work, and the competition for jobs is intense
Fonzi frontin' in the new leather like they don't care
People are showing off with expensive clothing and accessories, pretending like they are not affected by the scarcity of work
Word? Let's get you an award for that performance
Sarcasm, suggesting that their performance is not impressive or deserving of recognition
Winner in the category for the best boring
Mockingly suggesting that their performance is repetitive and dull
Tell the tough guys we tougher than tough times
We are resilient and able to withstand even the most difficult challenges
And needles in the nerves to make the tighten up unwind
Suggesting that people are stressed out and anxious, but we are able to stay calm and composed
One time, for locking out the light in your eyes
Acknowledging that the stress of work can be exhausting and draining, leading to a loss of enthusiasm or passion
You're searching for your perfect one
People may be looking for an ideal job or career, but it may not be easy to find
Broken down from getting at all
People may be worn out from trying to succeed and make a living
To take it however it comes
We have to accept our circumstances and make the best of the situation
Plain day you the specialist one
Even on an ordinary day, we are still skilled and valuable in our work
Oh me oh my!
Expression of surprise or amazement
Work is scarce skilled working is rare
It's difficult to find work that requires advanced skills and training
Fonzi fronting at the job site
People are showing off or putting on a facade at work
Primping up they hair
People are trying to look good or impress others at work
Word? Well tell them only staff could drink they coffee
Sarcasm, suggesting that only certain people are allowed certain privileges at work
Walking papers hit the office
People may be losing their jobs due to cutbacks or company changes
Sleep late tomorrow morning
One may not have to wake up early for work the next day due to being laid off
Tell the tough guys we're tougher than tough times
Even during difficult times, we are strong and resilient
And nerves don't snap when the clock touch crunch time
We can handle pressure and stress during important or busy times at work
That's right we're tougher than tough times
Reiteration of our ability to persevere and remain strong during challenging situations
From been narrow wind
We may have struggled in the past, but we are able to overcome our challenges now
To the clock just unwind
Everything will work out in due time
Fa sho' we tougher than tough times
Stressing our ability to handle obstacles and difficulties
My proof don't need to lie my tighten up don't unwind
We have evidence of our strength and resilience, and we won't let stress or pressure affect us
Sunshine
A positive or hopeful outlook
Lifting up the light in your eyes
Restoring hope or passion in one's work or career
You're gazing at your perfect one
Finding your ideal job or career
Broken down from never at all
Feeling unfulfilled or unsuccessful in one's work or career
To better than you could ever want
Finding a job or career that surpasses one's expectations
Great day I know that you had to come
Believing that success and fulfillment in one's work is always possible with hard work and perseverance
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dante Smith, Gilles Bousquet, Marvin Gaye
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ajesam George
on Ms. Fat Booty
https://soundcloud.com/.../sudenly-by-da-george-prod-by...