Image of Mos Def

Mos Def

Regarded as one of hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. A child of hip-hop's Golden Era, the native Brooklynite spent his childhood imbedded in the culture surrounding him as well as absorbing knowledge from across the artistic spectrum. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), Mos became an underground favorite in the hip hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. Mos followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip-hop back to its soapbox roots. As with his music, Mos has demonstrated insight and passion with his acting career, appearing in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. In addition Mos has served as the host, music supervisor and co-executive producer for the HBO series Def Poetry and served as a writer, producer and actor on the MTV sketch comedy series Lyricist Lounge. Mos completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony nominated, Pulitzer Prize winning, Topdog/Underdog. Mos re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play, Fucking A, for which he was awarded an Obie Award. In 2003, Mos Def starred in Paramount Pictures' The Italian Job, alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. Then in 2004, Mos Def starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he has received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. Def was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role. Also in 2004, he starred on the big screen in the feature film The Woodsman, with Kevin Bacon, Benjamin Bratt, Eve and Kyra Sedgwick. Mos Def continued his music career by releasing his highly-anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The album was met with praise from both critics and fans alike. The first single, "Sex, Love and Money' earned Def a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA. He then went on to appear in Spyglass Entertainment's The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy in May 2005 as hero "Ford Prefect." The film received favorable reviews and earned over $104 million worldwide. The following year he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006 he released his next album, True Magic. The following year he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. Def then released his latest album, The Ecstatic in 2009 which proved to be his second highest charting album to date. He also appeared in the urban comedy, Next Day Air and guest starred in an episode of the FOX TV series, House. Most recently, Mos Def appeared (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film, I’m Still Here, staring Joaquin Phoenix. As of 2011, Def is currently working on the films, Mama Black Widow and Keep Coming Back. He is also set to reprise his role in the sequel to Italian Job.


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Dec 11, 1973 In Brooklyn, New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
49
First Appeared:
In the movie God Bless the Child 1988-03-21
Latest Project:
Movie Krystal 2018-04-13
Known For
Poster of Begin Again
Poster of Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Poster of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Poster of You Take the Kids
Filmography
Movie Krystal n.a. 2018-04-13
Movie French Tour Focé 2016-11-16
Movie Amy Yasiin Bey 2015-07-03
Movie Begin Again Saul 2013-09-07
Movie Standard Operating Procedure 2013-07-07
Movie Life of Crime Ordell Robbie (as Yasiin Bey) 2013-09-14
Movie Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap Himself 2012-06-15
Movie Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest Himself 2011-07-08
Movie Bouncing Cats 2010-04-29
Movie I'm Still Here Himself 2010-09-10
Movie Next Day Air Eric 2009-02-06
Movie In Prison My Whole Life Himself 2008-01-18
Movie Cadillac Records Chuck Berry 2008-12-05
Movie Be Kind Rewind Mike 2008-01-20
Movie Journey to the End of the Night Wemba 2006-04-21
Movie 16 Blocks Eddie Bunker 2006-03-01
Movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Mos Def 2006-08-04
Series Dexter Brother Sam 2006-10-01
Movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Ford Prefect 2005-04-28
Movie Lackawanna Blues The Bandleader 2005-02-12
Movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party Mos Def 2005-09-12
Series The Boondocks Unknown 2005-11-06
Series House Unknown 2004-11-16
Movie Something the Lord Made Vivien Thomas 2004-05-30
Movie The Woodsman Sgt. Lucas 2004-12-24
Series Chappelle's Show Unknown 2003-01-22
Series Jimmy Kimmel Live! Unknown 2003-01-26
Movie Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! Himself 2003-01-01
Movie The Italian Job Left Ear 2003-05-30
Movie Civil Brand Michael Meadows 2003-08-29
Movie Brown Sugar Chris 'Cav' Anton Vichon 2002-10-05
Series My Wife and Kids Unknown 2001-03-28
Movie Monster's Ball Ryrus Cooper 2001-06-07
Movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera Lt. Miller 2001-05-08
Movie Bamboozled Mau Mau: Big Blak Afrika 2000-10-06
Movie Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme Himself 2000-04-14
Movie Island of the Dead Robbie J 2000-11-14
Movie Where's Marlowe? Wilt Crawley 1998-10-01
Series The View Unknown 1997-08-11
Series Brooklyn South Unknown 1997-09-22
Movie Ghosts Dante 1997-09-04
Series Spin City Unknown 1996-09-17
Series The Cosby Mysteries 1994-01-31
Series Late Night with Conan O'Brien Unknown 1993-09-13
Series Here and Now Unknown 1992-09-19
Movie The Hard Way Dead Romeos 1991-03-08
Series You Take the Kids Raymond Kirkland 1990-12-15
Movie God Bless the Child Richard Watkins 1988-03-21
Series LIVE with Kelly and Mark Unknown 1988-09-05