Mos Def - Umi Says

People’s Party with Talib Kweli arriving soon! A weekly interview show with big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. 1st episode on Sunday, June 9th at From 1999 Album: “Black On Both Sides“ Born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, NY, Mos Def began rapping at age nine and began professionally acting at age 14, when he appeared in a TV movie. After high school, he began acting in a variety of television roles, most notably appearing in 1994 on a short-lived Bill Cosby series, The Cosby Mysteries. In 1994 Mos Def formed the rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics with his younger brother and sister, and signed a recording deal with Payday Records that didn’t amount to much. In 1996 his solo career was launched with a pair of high-profile guest features on De La Soul’s “Big Brother Beat“ and Da Bush Babees’ “.“ A year later, in 1997, Mos Def released his debut single, “Universal M