About Mos Def:
Regarded as one of the world’s most renowned and prolific lyricist, the 30-something virtuoso has crafted an illustrious career, while injecting his unconventional and often political artistry into the pulse of the contemporary urban musical landscape. The native Brooklynite’s creative evolution has been a gradual development, from his humble beginning as a magnetic b-boy, delivering thought provoking prose during organic street corner ciphers, creating a fertile training ground for his multiple talents and socio-economic/political awareness. The outspoken philanthropic MC has been embraced by academic intelligentsia, addressing issues ranging from the plight of political prisoners to social injustices in third world countries. Whether writing letters of encouragement to expatriated Black Panther member Assata Shakur or sounding off political anthems in opposition to Hurricane Katrina efforts the urban wordsmith has never been defeated by controversy. His unique blend of humor and charismatic wit has assisted with mastering the art of showmanship in music, tv, film and theater. The Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominated street scholar has not only demonstrated his versatility but his fortitude and promise as a thespian, gracing the silver screen in a spectrum of blockbuster hits including 16 Blocks, The Italian Job, Brown Sugar, Monster’s Ball, Journey to the End of the Night, Cadillac Records and Be Kind Rewind. Next up he will play the iconic sidekick “Mouse” alongside Ezikeal “Easy” Rawlins in the detective film Little Scarlet, based on the novel by Walter Mosley. As a TV host he brought us six seasons of the standout Peabody Award Winning HBO Def Poetry Jam series, providing the ultimate intermediary between underground spoken word poets and seminal icons. The appellation of his current musical project The Ecstatic parallels his inimitable personality–bold, inspiring and passionate–while the sheer ingenuity of Black on Both Sides featuring his partner-in-rhyme celebrated MC, Talib Kweli, remains one of hip-hop’s classic archetypal works of art.
