Yasiin Bey is a Brooklyn-born hip-hop artist and actor, formerly known as Mos Def. Born Dante Terrell Smith in 1973, he works in rap and is associated with underground hip-hop and soul as well as hip hop.

Career

He begins rapping in Urban Thermo Dynamics in 1994. In 1998, he forms Black Star with Talib Kweli. He later releases solo albums including Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006 and The Ecstatic in 2009.

Name change

He announces the change from Mos Def to Yasiin Bey in 2011 and uses Yasiin Bey as his professional name.

Associated acts

He is linked with Urban Thermo Dynamics and Black Star, and is also associated with The Mau-Maus, Medina Green, Black Jack Johnson, Native Tongues and Dec. 99th.

Labels

He is associated with Medina Sounds Music and G.O.O.D. Music.