On this date in 1999, Rapper/actor/social activist Yasiin Bey, who was formally recognized by the Hip Hop world as Mos Def, released his first solo album, Black On Both Sides on the Rawkus/Columbia imprint.
On his debut album following the Black Star album with Talib Kweli, Mos Def kept it all the way Brooklyn, with his lyrical gymnastics laced with social commentary for the technology-addicted Internet generation. Songs like “Mathematics” and “Mr. N***a” reflect the cultural climate of 1999 while his borough anthem “Brooklyn” and love interest story “Ms. Fat Booty” keep the ear in the streets tuned in.
Salute to Mos, and producers Diamond D, ATCQ’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Psycho Les, and Ayatollah, This certified gold classic is forever etched in the annals of Hip-Hop history!
Over the past couple of months, if you were online at all, there’s a strong likelihood you heard “Not My Problem,” the catchy breakout single from New York rising star Laila! (yes, the punctuation is part of her name). If you did any research on the 18-year-old artist, you might have learned a surprising tidbit: Laila! was rumored for the past year to be the daughter of a hip-hop icon, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def of Black Star).
However, since she is such a new artist, it was hard to confirm this fact, as she’d done almost no interviews and only released a handful of well-received singles. So…
Is Laila! Really Mos Def’s Daughter?
As it turns out… yes! She confirmed her parentage in an interview with Complex‘s Jordan Rose. While the interview hasn’t been published yet as of this writing, Complex shared a clip on social media. While she said he didn’t give her any specific special sauce to help her on her way, he was supportive of her artistic journey. “I have just always been my own artist in a way,” she said. “That’s the cool thing, because I feel like as a kid, whenever we would just jam sesh and vibe out, me and him, I always had my own style. I always had my own thing going on. And he’s always just been like, ‘Okay kid, I see you.’”
An interview that was published was with established hip-hop media personality Angela Yee, in which she addressed her dad again. “They’ve always been so supportive of everything that I’ve wanted to do,” she said. “They never question what I want to do. My mom, my dad, you guys have always just been like, ‘Okay, that’s what she’s gonna do. That’s Laila!’ And I feel like that’s always made me feel like I can take on the world, or I can show the world who I am because I’ve always had that in my life.”
Yasiin Bey needs no introduction. He’s one of the most acclaimed rappers of his generation, and someone who’s been praised for putting artistry before commercialism. It’s this propensity for artistry that led Bey aka Mos Def to criticize Drake during a January interview. He claimed the Toronto rapper failed to meet his definition of hip-hop. A lot has transpired since then, however. The Big Three was destroyed by Kendrick Lamar, and Drake took another high profile L in a rap battle.
Yasiin Bey has decided to resurface in the aftermath of the Drake vs. Kendrick battle and drop a new freestyle. His instrumental choice? The song that started the whole Big Three conflict in the first place, “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin. Bey sounds sharp as ever over the sparse beat, but the lines that turned the most heads were aimed squarely at the Big Three. The Black Star rapper appears to criticize the artists connected to the moniker for being superficial and greedy.
Yasiin Bey Claimed The Big Three Is “Not Much To Look At”
“Greedy, seedy, and creepy/Corny, horny, and boring,” Bey raps. “Bougie, goofy, and moody/Foolish, ruthless, and clueless/Variations on a petty Big 3/A whole lot to look at, but not much to see.” Calling rap’s most popular artists “petty” is enough to offend the younger generation, but Bey doubles down and claims that the Big Three don’t provide much substance. “A whole lot to look at, but not much to see” is a root of the rapper’s original problem with Drake.
In the aforementioned January interview, Bey dubbed Drake a “pop artist” instead of a rap artist. “Drake is pop to me,” he asserted. “In the sense like if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song. It feels like his music is compatible with shopping. You know, shopping with an edge in certain instances.” He drew so much negative attention for his comments that he clarified them on Instagram. That said, he stood by his opinion. “I require more of myself and others than just talent or charm or charisma,” he told Drake. “Particularly in times of urgent crisis.” Bey’s freestyle can be seen, consequently, as a triple down.
On May 5th, 1998 Rawkus Records released the first installment of the Lyricist Lounge albums titled Lyricist Lounge, Volume One, which showcased New York. It was a double-disc compilation that featured De La Soul, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Tash of Tha Alkaholiks, Punch & Words, O.C, Ras Kass, Black Thought, Common, Pharoahe Monch, Saul Williams, Kool Keith, Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek, Bahamadia, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Jurassic 5, KRS-One, Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine, Last Emperor, and Company Flow.
This CD is one of those that you don’t get often. It had incredible and intensely clever wordplay, and was great for the culture because of the positive support it showed for hip hop. Back then everyone thought hip-hop was rap music and rap music was gangsta. It made people think twice before making an assumption like that. Any hip-hop purist who enjoys freestyles and great rhymes that make you think then this is the album for you.
In an interview earlier this month, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) said of Drake, “Drake is pop to me, in the sense like, if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song… it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping. Or shopping with an edge in certain instances… It’s likable.”
In an Instagram Live broadcast yesterday (January 29), he said:
“Drake, if you’d like to speak to me directly, you can at any point. I reached out to [Dave] Chappelle, I actually reached out to you. I DM’d you. You are a very talented MC, but for me, I require more of myself and others than just talent or charm or charisma, particularly in times of urgent crisis. And what I would like to see, in terms of creators or creative people in the world, as it relates to our culture, is for people to connect with us beyond the jukebox or the dance floor.
A fair-weather friend can hardly be called a friend at all. The people who party with you: that’s cool. But will they show up for you when you’re at the triage?”
Check out the video below.
Yasiin Bey admits Drake is a “talented MC” but wants more substance in his music pic.twitter.com/1VAO5D3dkO
Yasiin Bey, the rapper formerly known as Mos Def, hit Instagram on Monday to talk about Drake once again. This time, Bey stated he was not attempting to slander or clown The Boy.
After saying he doesn’t hate anyone, Bey revealed, “I have reached out to him, I have no responses yet. I’m not keen to talk about people or to them through a screen, I prefer to talk to people directly.
“The young man is very talented, he’s been able to be very successful with that talent, and I have no issue with his success or anything that he’s been able to achieve as a result of his talent.”
Later in the video, Bey referred to Drake as a “very talented MC” and added that he reached out Dave Chappelle to attempt to get in contact.
Drake took an online shot at Yasiin Bey following the “Ms. Fat Booty” rapper claiming the Certified Lover Boy makes Pop Music.
In case you missed it, Bey was on The Cutting Room Floor podcast and compared Drizzy’s music to strolling through Target.
“Drake is pop to me,” Bey said. “In the sense, like, if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song… It feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping.
“Or, you know, shopping with an edge in certain instances.”
Yasiin Bey(Mos Def) says Drake’s music is pop and is compatible with shopping at Target.
Black Star is a prolific and influential rap duo born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, and consisting of Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli. The two MCs have made a massive mark on the hip hop soundscape, together, and in their solo catalogs, with a combined total of over a dozen LPs and mixtapes between them. Through their extensive catalog, Bey and Kweli have pushed the boundaries of the conscious rap sound. The duo first formed in 1996 with an unparalleled blend of intellect, lyrical prowess, and social consciousness, delivered over inventive instrumentation.
Their critically acclaimed 1998 debut album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, resonated as a groundbreaking masterpiece, elevating the duo to cult status. While the pair continued to collaborate on film soundtracks, feature verses for other rap icons, and many appearances on The Chappelle’s Show in the years following the release of their debut, many fans wondered why they never produced a sophomore effort in the early aughts.
Though Talib Kweli reportedly expressed to media outlets that a second album was underway in 2002, no such effort would arise until the 2022 record No Fear Of Time. Here’s a look into what the MCs have been up to since the origins of Black Star nearly 20 years ago.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 15: Mos Def attends Black Star In Concert at Sony Hallon November 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Yasiin Bey recently made headlines due to his criticism of Drake, referring to the rapper’s prolific catalog as pop music, suitable to accompany day-time shopping at commercialized locations like Target. Long before he became known to the public as Yasiin Bey, the Brooklyn native headed Black Star under the stage name Mos Def. In fact, Bey abandoned the Mos Def moniker specifically because he felt that it was becoming more of a brand than an actual name. As a result, the known anti-corporate artist transitioned to publicly using his assumed name taken from the 36th surah of the Qur’an.
As a solo act, Yasiin Bey made waves with landmark releases such as Black On Both Sides, which touted such chart-topping records as “Ms. Fat Booty” and “Mathematics.” The rapper also holds an impressive career in television and film, having appeared in over 50 credited roles per IMDb. Bey most notably starred in films such as 2003’s The Italian Job, 2008’s Be Kind Rewind, and a 5-episode stint in the Showtime series Dexter. In 2016, Bey announced plans to retire from both acting and rapping, though he has continued to tour in the years since.
In 2021, Bey teamed with his Black Star compatriot Talib Kweli and comedian Dave Chappelle to launch The Midnight Miracle podcast. The series is available exclusively through the subscription-based podcasting app Luminary, which also hosts the long-awaited Black Star reunion album.
Like Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli has held a prominent position as one of the most thoughtful and introspective rappers of his generation. In the years since Black Star’s debut, Kweli has gone on to release 8 solo albums, as well as 9 collaborative projects, showcasing his unyielding commitment to hip hop as an art form. Despite releasing most of his chart-topping singles in the early years of his career, Talib Kweli has continued to inspire generations of rap listeners with hard-hitting lyrics, poignant social commentary, and a distinct sound that defies replication.
In 2019, Talib Kweli launched his first podcasting venture, The People’s Party, alongside his co-host Jasmin Leigh. The show has aired over 100 episodes, each taking on a different recognizable guest with a deep dive into what rap means to them. The show has enjoyed the privilege of featuring guest appearances from notable figures such as Ice Cube, Kxng Crooked, Styles P, Black Thought, and others. Kweli’s second venture in podcasting came in the form of the aforementioned Luminary-exclusive Midnight Miracle.
Talib Kweli partnered with Luminary to bring a host of new music to the podcasting app, including the long-awaited Black Star reunion album No Fear Of Time, which released in 2022. Unfortunately, the album has still never been released outside of the Luminary app, leaving many fans without access to the duo’s latest work.
In addition to linking with Yasiin Bey, Kweli also released a memoir in 2021, titled Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story. The following year, the book won a PEN Oakland award. Most recently, Talib Kweli has been engaged in an ongoing feud with Consequence, resulting in the pair throwing near-daily shots at one another on social media, and occasionally dissing each other on wax.
Yasiin Bey, also known as Mos Def, is a hip hop legend from Brooklyn, New York, best known for his work on tracks such as “Oh No,” “Ms. Fat Booty,” and “Mathematics.” The rapper has an extensive catalog of hit solo records and serves as one-half of the iconic hip-hop duo Black Star alongside fellow Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli. Though many young listeners may not be familiar with Yasiin Bey’s work, a brief glance at his bio showcases his versatility and influence on the modern rap sound.
Currently, the rapper is making headlines in the news for referring to Drake as a pop star who makes commercial music for mass consumption. While these comments are objectively true, some have taken issue with Yasiin Bey’s wording, misinterpreting the comments as a diss. Regardless, hip hop heads have long revered the legendary emcee for his thoughtful lyrics, capable rhymes, and powerful social commentary. Here’s a brief look at Bey’s career, examining the artist’s life and legendary career.
Yasiin Bey was born Dante Terrell Smith and raised by his mother in Brooklyn. In his youth, Bey encountered a range of traumatic issues in his community, including gang violence, drug use, and poverty. A particularly traumatic moment occurred when the rapper saw a car hit his five-year-old brother. Though his younger brother survived the incident, Bey chose to avoid the streets as much as possible in the years following the event.
To stay away from crime and poverty, Yasiin Bey took up acting at a young age. By the time he was a Sophomore in high school, he had already flown out to Los Angeles to film a season of the short-lived sitcom You Take The Kids and appeared in leading roles in multiple stage shows. Before long, Bey quit school to perform full-time. As he began to launch his rap career, he had already shared the screen with legendary performers of both music and film, including Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Deion Sanders, and many more.
Later, Bey launched his solo rap debut Black On Both Sides under the moniker Mos Def in 1999, with the chart-topping single “Ms. Fat Booty.” Throughout the early 2000s, Mos Def found massive success in both film and music by frequently collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Q-Tip, Dave Chappelle, and many other prolific artists. His largest screen acting credits include works such as 2003’s The Italian Job, 2005’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and a 5-episode stint in the Showtime series Dexter.
In September 2011, the rapper elected to legally change his name to Yasiin Bey and retire the Mos Def moniker. He explained that after years of cultivating a diverse media career, the title of Mos Def had become more of a product or brand than an actual person. During interviews, the rapper clarified that close friends and family members had been calling him Yasiin for over a decade. He expressed his readiness to officially adopt the name in all aspects of his life.
The name Yasiin is derived from the 36th surah of the Qur’an, holding special significance for the artist formerly known as Mos Def due to his roots in the Islamic community. During an interview with The Guardian, the rapper explained, “Mos Def is a name that I built and cultivated over the years, it’s a name that the streets taught me, a figure of speech that was given to me by the culture and by my environment, and I feel I’ve done quite a bit with that name… it’s time to expand and move on.”
In January 2016, Yasiin Bey announced his retirement from film and music. His final screen acting credit came later that year for his appearance in the film Tour de France. His final album, December 99th, serves as a collaborative effort with producer Ferrari Sheppard and debuted in December 2016. Despite his claim to retire, Bey has continued to tour and appear on tracks as a featured artist. In March 2019, he performed songs from an unreleased album, Negus, at Art Basel Hong Kong. According to a press release from the artist, the album is not intended for mass consumption through digital or physical means. Instead, he plans to release the music exclusively through a series of live installations.
Podcasting, Future Ventures, And Return To Black Star
In 2021, Yasiin Bey teamed with Dave Chappelle and Talib Kweli to launch The Midnight Miracle, a podcast series available exclusively through the subscription-based platform Luminary. As part of an ongoing promotion for the podcast hosting service, Kweli has released several albums available only through streaming on the Luminary app, including a Black Star reunion project with Bey in 2022. Though the long-awaited project No Fear of Time has gained a cult following by die-hard fans of the duo, the inaccessibility of the platform has left many fans to miss out on the 2022 release.
Still, this marks a turning point in Yasiin Bey’s career, leaving many fans to wonder what’s next for the visionary artist. For now, only time will tell, though Bey has continued to tease new music since his alleged retirement.
Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, recently made headlines after sitting down with The Cutting Room Floor for a rare interview. During the conversation, he was asked about whether or not he considers Drake to be hip hop. As he laughed, the rap legend responded, “Drake is pop to me. In the sense, like, if I was in Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song. It feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping. Or, as you know, shopping with an edge in certain instances.” Bey continued about Drake, saying that his music is “likable” and joked about shopping, exclaiming, “So many SKUs!” On a more serious note regarding the Canadian rapper, he asks, “What happens when this thing collapses?”
Bey’s remarks took the internet by storm, with Drake’s response referencing an old Method Man interview. The debate on whether or not Drizzy is hip hop divided the rap community, with purists backing Yasiin Bey’s opinion and others coming to Drake’s defense. Many also criticized the artist formerly known as Mos Def for a Fashion Week performance, calling it hypocritical after calling out Drake for making “shopping music.”
No matter the position one takes on his comments, Yasiin Bey is one of hip hop’s most respected lyricists. His prolific career speaks for itself, with classic records including Black On Both Sides and the first Black Star album with Talib Kweli. Beyond his most well-known works are plenty of gems within his discography. Today, we are taking a look into Yasiin Bey’s best underrated hip hop songs. Check out the list below.
7. “Zimzallabim” (2004)
While not as highly regarded as his debut album, Yasiin Bey’s 2004 sophomore effort, The New Danger, includes numerous underrated highlights. The album combined hip hop with psychedelic rock and soul, with the help of many producers and his band, Black Jack Johnson. One track that effortlessly displays this combination of genres is “Zimzallabim.” Co-produced by Easy Mo Bee and Bey himself, Yasiin applies his signature rap style to a rock-fused track, resulting in one of his most confident vocal performances. The song breathed new life into Bey’s eccentric rap style and remains one of his most underrated hip hop songs.
6. “Champion Requiem” (2004)
“Champion Requiem,” the closing track on The New Danger, is a standout moment that deserves more shine. Produced by 88-Keys, who lent beats to Black on Both Sides and Black Star’s debut, the upbeat track allows Bey to spit tough bars. Some of his best flows are on this song as he keeps up with the thumping groove. Compared to the off-kilter production on the rest of the album, “Champion Requiem” perfectly blends Yasiin’s traditional style with the album’s funky approach.
5. “Revelations” (2009)
Many of Yasiin Bey’s best underrated hip hop songs come from his fourth studio album, 2009’s The Ecstatic. Seen as a return to form by many following True Magic, The Ecstatic saw a reinvigorated Bey applying his conscious rap style across a range of musical influences. The album’s quirky and adventurous soundscape contained beats from many producers, including Madlib. The Beat Konducta produced “Revelations,” originally an instrumental from his Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix album. Yasiin Bey’s relaxed flow matches the ominous production and his sung melodies enhance the unique production. Songs like “Revelations” helped foreshadow the sound of Black Star’s Madlib-produced No Fear of Time.
4. “Wahid” (2009)
Another underrated Yasiin Bey song and one of the four beats that Madlib contributed to The Ecstatic is “Wahid.” Bey manages to float over the abrasive production, smoothly flowing over the unpredictable instrumentation. “Wahid” may be a short song, but it is unparalleled in Yasiin Bey’s discography. It is a hard-hitting Madlib production that contains some of Bey’s most impressive rhyming. On an experimental album, it provides a burst of energy that leaves quite the impression.
3. “Black Fantastic” (2013)
Yasiin Bey’s close collaborator and tour DJ, Preservation, remixed The Ecstatic in 2013, giving each song a reworked instrumental. The album, titled The REcstatic, includes a standout track titled “Black Fantastic.” The Minnesota-produced song replaced “Casa Bey” as the album’s closer, featuring the same lyrics but delivered differently over a gorgeous beat. The stunning piano-based instrumental creates an excellent backdrop for Yasiin to reimagine “Casa Bey” in a brand new, arguably superior way. “Black Fantastic” is an underrated deep cut in Yasiin’s discography.
2. “History” feat. Talib Kweli (2009)
Between Black Star’s seminal 1998 debut and their 2022 return with No Fear of Time, Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli released a number of individual collaborations. “History” is quintessential Black Star, featuring a soulful instrumental from the late J Dilla. Both Bey and Kweli sound comfortable over the beat, which samples Mary Wells’s “Two Lovers History.” Outside of the exciting and rare union between both members of Black Star, “History” is arguably one of their best collaborations ever, as it highlights their collaborative chemistry.
1. “Sensei On The Block” (2015)
Over a decade since his last solo album, Yasiin Bey appears to go wherever the wind takes him musically. Whether it is a sound installation, the long-awaited Black Star album, or a rare guest feature, his next move cannot be predicted. In 2015, Ski Beatz promoted a track he produced for Bey titled “Sensei On the Block.” The single saw him returning to the “Mos Def” moniker. However, Yasiin Bey released a statement following its release, saying that “any music that’s been released under that name is without [his] consent” and that “it’s being sold illegally.” Despite it being released against his permission, the song is definitely underrated. Bey’s lyrical performance is on par with some of his most classic works, and the steel drum-laced instrumental still sounds fresh nine years later.
Yasiin Bey, previously known as Mos Def, has been at the center of quite a bit of discussion recently. So much so that a simple conversation with Solange after a fashion show earlier this week turned into news. It all started earlier this month when Bey was asked about Drake’s music in an interview. “Drake is pop to me. In the sense, like, if I was in Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song. It feels like a lot of his music is compatible with… shopping. Or, as you know, shopping with an edge in certain instances,” Bey replied.
That statement didn’t sit right with many rap fans and fellow rappers. One who notably spoke out against Bey’s comments was NLE Choppa. He came to Drake’s defense against the allegations that he just makes pop rap. Drake himself also fired back with a post to his Instagram story. He shared an old video clip of Method Man claiming that rap is more about upholding the culture more than any specific sound or style. Drake hit back again in a more direct way earlier this week, calling Bey a “crackhead.” Check out that Yasiin Bey has been up to in the mean time below.
Earlier this week the story got another twist. Yasiin Bey did a performance during a show at Paris Fashion Week that went viral for all the wrong reasons. He performed alone on a small stage mostly singing while runway models walked up and down either side of him. The performance had Drake fans questioning whether or not Bey was contributing to so called “real” hip-hop himself.
As it turns out Solange was in attendance at that same show. Afterward the pair caught up and cameras were ready to capture their conversation. What do you think of Solange and Yasiin Bey crossing paths at a fashion show where he gave a controversial performance? Let us know in the comment section below.
The Cutting Room Floor) 
