Biography
Seminal alternative hip-hop artist and acclaimed actor Mos Def was well on his way to building a screen career when he rocketed into the spotlight with back-to-back album releases, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star and Black on Both Sides. The notoriety only boosted his acting opportunities, and while he relished the chance to poke fun of the image of rap stars in "Brown Sugar" (2002), Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" (2000), and the animated …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
2010 | Earned a Grammy nomination for the music video for his single, "Stylo," alongside soul legend Bobby Womack | |
2009 | Released his fourth studio album, The Ecstatic; earned two Grammy nominations, including Best Rap Album | |
2008 | Portrayed Chuck Berry in the musical biopic "Cadillac Records" | |
2006 | Co-starred with Bruce Willis in "16 Blocks," a real time action thriller directed by Richard Donner | |
2005 | Starred in the HBO original movie "Lackawanna Blues" based on Ruben Santiago-Hudson autobiographical one man show | |
2004 | Starred with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick in "The Woodsman"; premiered at sundance | |
2004 | Starred opposite Alan Rickman in the HBO drama "Something the Lord Made" a dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas; received an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor (Mini Series or TV Movie) | |
2003 | Had memorable role in the classic remake "The Italian Job" | |
2003 | Portrayed the head of a smuggling ring in the feature drama "Showtime" | |
2002 | Cast as a hip hop star in the romance feature "Brown Sugar" | |
2002 | Made Broadway debut in "Topdog Underdog" | |
| Served as host, co-executive producer and musical director for "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry" series | ||
2001 | Had a supporting role in the feature drama "Monster's Ball" | |
2001 | Starred opposite Destiny's Child singer Beyonce Knowles in MTV's "Hip Hopera: Carmen" | |
2000 | Featured in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" | |
2000 | Starred on MTV's "The Lyricist Lounge Show," mixing comedy sketches, hip-hop and urban poetry | |
1999 | Made solo album debut | |
1998 | Made feature debut in "Where's Marlowe?" | |
1998 | Acted on episodes of "NYPD Blue" and "Spin City" (both ABC) | |
1998 | Debut album under the group name "Black Star" | |
1997 | Had a two-episode recurring role on "Brooklyn South" (CBS) | |
1996 | Made his major label debut with a cameo on De La Soul's "Stakes Is High" | |
| Lauched his first group, Urban Thermal Dynamics | ||
1994 | Cast in NBC series "The Cosby Mysteries" starring Bill Cosby | |
1993 | Cast in the ABC television drama "God Bless The Child" | |
1990 | Television debut in the CBS series "You Take The Kids" | |
| Made his stage debut in the fifth grade | ||
Awards
2004 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Something the Lord Made |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Movie in Something the Lord Made |