Yasiin Bey
Known for Acting · 77 credits
- Born
- 1973-12-11 (age 52)
- Place of birth
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Black Star · Flaco Bey · Dante Bezé · Bizet Dante · Smith Dante · Dante Smith
Biography
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor.
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. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he 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. He 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.
He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared 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. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007.
He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award.
In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He 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.
Known For
TV Shows (21)
House
2004
as Lee
Dexter
2006
as Brother Sam
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Musical Guest
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003
as Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2005
as Self
The View
1997
as Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
Spin City
1996
as Monty
The Boondocks
2005
My Wife and Kids
2001
The Proud Family
2001
as Mos Def (voice)
Brooklyn South
1997
as Darius
HBO First Look
1992
as Self
Yo Gabba Gabba!
2007
Chappelle's Show
2003
as Self - Black Star
Mark Twain Prize
1999
as Self - Musical Guest
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
2022
as Self (archive footage)
The Cosby Mysteries
1994
Here and Now
1992
as Alonzo
You Take the Kids
1990
as Raymond Kirkland
Movies (56)
The Italian Job
2003
as Left Ear
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2005
as Ford Prefect
Begin Again
2014
as Saul
16 Blocks
2006
as Eddie Bunker
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
2006
as Mos Def
Be Kind Rewind
2008
as Mike
Showtime
2002
as Lazy Boy
Monster's Ball
2001
as Ryrus Cooper
The Woodsman
2004
as Sgt. Lucas
Cadillac Records
2008
as Chuck Berry
Something the Lord Made
2004
as Vivien Thomas
I'm Still Here
2010
as Mos Def
The Hard Way
1991
as Dead Romeos
Coachella
2006
as Self - Interviewee
Amy
2015
as Self
Bamboozled
2000
as Mau Mau: Big Blak Afrika
Life of Crime
2013
as Ordell Robbie
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
2005
as Self - (as Mos Def)
Brown Sugar
2002
as Chris Anton 'Cav' Vichon
Lackawanna Blues
2005
as The Bandleader
Ghosts
1997
as Dante
Next Day Air
2009
as Eric
Where's Marlowe?
1998
as Wilt Crawley
Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'
2005
as Self
Civil Brand
2003
as Michael Meadows
A Man's Story
2011
as Self
You're Watching Video Music Box
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Journey to the End of the Night
2006
as Wemba
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
2011
as Self
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
2012
as Self
Carmen: A Hip Hopera
2001
as Lt. Miller
Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!
2003
as Self
Split Images
1992
as Curtis Roy
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 2
as Self
Alicia Keys: Unplugged
2005
as Self
Island of the Dead
2000
as Robbie J
The Making of Plastic Beach
2010
as Mos Def
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
2000
as Himself
In Prison My Whole Life
2008
as Self
God Bless the Child
1988
as Richard Watkins
Gorillaz: Reject False Icons
2019
as Mos Def
Together for Palestine
2025
as Self
Prince Among Slaves
2008
as Narrator
Bouncing Cats
2010
Gorillaz | MTV World Stage
2023
as Mos Def
Standard Operating Procedure
2013
Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops
2006
September in Brooklyn: The Making of Block Party
2006
as Self
Hargrove
2022
as Self
French Tour
2016
as Focé
Gorillaz: Live at Roundhouse in London
2010
as Mos Def
Fats Waller Was Born Here
2008
as "Fats" Wallter/Mike (as Mos Def)
Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
2003
as Himself
Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light
2021
Part of Me
2023
as Himself
Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth
2005
as Self (as Mos Def)
About Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor. 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. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he 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 B… With 77 credits spanning from 1956 to 2025, Yasiin Bey has appeared in 56 films and 21 TV shows.
Fans searching for Yasiin Bey movies, Yasiin Bey filmography, or the latest projects starring Yasiin Bey can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Yasiin Bey Movies
- The Italian Job (2003) — as Left Ear
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) — as Ford Prefect
- Begin Again (2014) — as Saul
- 16 Blocks (2006) — as Eddie Bunker
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) — as Mos Def
Where to Watch Yasiin Bey Films
Most Yasiin Bey movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Yasiin Bey, check our movies catalogue and browse page.