Mos Def in Conversation with Anthony DeCurtis at the 92nd Street Y

by Mos Def, Anthony DeCurtis (Narrator)

Regarded as one of hip-hop's most insightful artists, Mos Def has shaped a career that transcends genres. His groundbreaking collaboration with fellow rapper Talib Kweli in Black Star; his distinctive and daring solo work, and his acting, both in film and theater, have earned him Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe, and NAACP Image Award nominations. Add to that his activism, most recently in the Jena 6 case, and you have a portrait of an artist fully engaged with the issues of his times. Mos Def discuss his music, his acting, his social and political perspective, and his vision of the role that artists must play in the public world. Anthony DeCurtis is a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and the author of In Other Artists Talk About Life and Work.

Audible Audio

Published August 21, 2008

About the author

Dante Terrell Smith-Bey is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def. Mos Def started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, who released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hop explosion spearheaded by Rawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.

Initially recognized for his musical output, Mos Def's screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. Mos Def has also been active on several social and political issues and was particularly vocal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.