Yasiin Bey (; born
Dante Terrell Smith Bey; December 11, 1973), better known by his former
stage name Mos Def , is an American
hip hop recording artist,
actor,
comedian, and
activist from
Brooklyn,
New York City,
New York. Best known for his music, Bey embarked on his hip hop career in 1994, alongside his siblings in the short-lived
rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which he appeared on albums by
Da Bush Babees and
De La Soul. He subsequently formed the trio
Black Star, alongside fellow Brooklyn-based rapper
Talib Kweli, and Cincinnati producer
Hi-Tek and released their
eponymous debut album in 1998. He was a major force in late-1990s
underground hip hop while under
Rawkus Records. In 1999, Bey released his solo debut,
Black on Both Sides, under Rawkus and
Priority Records. His debut was followed by
The New Danger (2004),
True Magic (2006) and
The Ecstatic (2009).