Yasiin Bey

Yasiin Bey

Born:December 11, 1973

Place of Birth:Brooklyn, New York, USA

Known For:Acting

Biography

Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is a multifaceted artist who has left an indelible mark on both the music and film industries. Born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, Bey rose to prominence in the hip-hop world with his introspective lyrics and unique storytelling abilities. His collaboration with Talib Kweli in the duo Black Star produced one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history, showcasing his prowess as a lyricist.

Transitioning seamlessly from music to acting, Bey showcased his talent on the screen with roles in a diverse range of projects. From Spike Lee's Bamboozled to the crime thriller 16 Blocks alongside Bruce Willis, Bey proved his versatility as an actor. His portrayal of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records and his Emmy-nominated performance in Something the Lord Made further solidified his place in the film industry.

Not one to be confined by traditional labels, Bey made waves in the theater world as well. His Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated Topdog/Underdog earned him critical acclaim, showcasing his ability to captivate audiences across different mediums. His collaboration with playwright Suzan Lori Parks in the off-Broadway play Fucking A earned him an Obie Award, highlighting his range as a performer.

In addition to his acting accolades, Bey continued to push boundaries in the music scene. His sophomore solo album, The New Danger, was met with critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination, showcasing his ability to blend genres and experiment with his sound. His subsequent albums, including True Magic and The Ecstatic, further solidified his reputation as a groundbreaking artist unafraid to challenge the status quo.

In a bold move, Bey announced in 2011 that he would be known as Yasiin Bey moving forward, signaling a new chapter in his artistic journey. His decision to retire from both the film and music industries in 2016 marked the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire aspiring artists around the world. Recognized as one of the "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time" by About.com, Yasiin Bey's influence transcends genres, cementing his status as a true icon in the world of entertainment.

Images

Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey

Filmography

Acting

The Italian Job

The Italian Job

Left Ear

2003

Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a lifetime. The one thing that he didn't plan on was being double-crossed. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous safecracker, Croker and his team take off to re-steal the loot and end up in a pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal chase that careens up, down, above and below the streets of Los Angeles.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Ford Prefect

2005

Mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher penning a new edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."
Something the Lord Made

Something the Lord Made

Vivien Thomas

2004

A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Mos Def

2006

The fastest man on four wheels, Ricky Bobby is one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. A big, hairy American winning machine, Ricky has everything a dimwitted daredevil could want, a luxurious mansion, a smokin' hot wife and all the fast food he can eat. But Ricky's turbo-charged lifestyle hits an unexpected speed bump when he's bested by flamboyant Euro-idiot Jean Girard and reduced to a fear-ridden wreck.
16 Blocks

16 Blocks

Eddie Bunker

2006

An aging cop is assigned the ordinary task of escorting a fast-talking witness from police custody to a courthouse, but they find themselves running the gauntlet as other forces try to prevent them from getting there.
I'm Still Here

I'm Still Here

Mos Def

2010

I'm Still Here is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, the film follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician. The film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads and explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.
The Hard Way

The Hard Way

Dead Romeos

1991

Seeking to raise his credibility as an actor and to land a role as a tough cop on a new show, Hollywood action star Nick Lang works a deal with New York City Police Capt. Brix, who by chance is one of his fans. Nick will be paired with detective Lt. John Moss and learn how to act like a real cop. But when Nick drives John crazy with questions and imitating him, he gets in the way of John's pursuit of a serial killer.
Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar

Chris Anton 'Cav' Vichon

2002

Sidney and Dre can attribute their lifelong friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant... witnessing the birth of hip-hop on a New York street corner. Now some 15 years later, she is a revered music critic at a national magazine and he is a successful, though unfulfilled, hip-hop record company executive. Both come to realize that their true life passions will only be fulfilled by remembering what they learned that day on the corner.
Showtime

Showtime

Lazy Boy

2002

A spoof of buddy cop movies where two very different cops are forced to team up on a new reality based T.V. cop show.
Amy

Amy

Self

2015

A documentary on the life of Amy Winehouse, the immensely talented yet doomed songstress. We see her from her teen years, where she already showed her singing abilities, to her finding success and then her downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs.
Monster's Ball

Monster's Ball

Ryrus Cooper

2001

A prison guard begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow of a man whose execution he presided over.
Cadillac Records

Cadillac Records

Chuck Berry

2008

The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry.
The Woodsman

The Woodsman

Sgt. Lucas

2004

After twelve years in prison, Walter returns home. His family has abandoned him, save for his brother-in-law. Few know he's a sex offender and pedophile. Walter finds an apartment and is regularly visited by his parole officer. He gets a job at a lumber mill and starts seeing a coworker. Then his new world begins to unravel; as his past becomes known, he strikes up a high-risk friendship with a young girl and realizes that a man loitering near a schoolyard is a child molester prowling for his next victim.
Be Kind Rewind

Be Kind Rewind

Mike

2008

A man whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films.

Production