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May 20, 2005 Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith) became known to many through his appearances on “Chappelle’s Show,” and his memorable turn as Dr. Vivian Thomas in the HBO’s Something The Lord Made, which earned him a Best Actor Emmy and Globe nomination, along with a Teen Image Award. He also received critical praise for his role as Ford Prefect in the disappointing, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy," The thirty-three yeaar old Brooklyn native began his career with the group Thermo Dynamics, but most of his work was unknown outside of New York’s underground circuit. Like Kool Moe Dee, Chuck D and others before him, Mos Def also raps with a lyrical consciousness: “Peep the math Mau Mau be about land and freedom / Reperation and apologies / for Africa to America oddesseys / Guerilla-type tactics on them socialistic fallacies / It be about, the devestations of the social doministic thought / Keep a brown man down sport / They wantin to keep our set / The way Franz Fanon put it, you lucky I ain't "wretched" yet. He even spoofed Jay-Z’s song “Takeover,” by contrasting it with the reality of the rap industry. Jay-Z spit the lyrics: “R.O.C., we runnin this rap s—t / Memphis Bleek, we runnin this rap s—t / B. Mac, we runnin this rap s—t / Freeway, we run this rap s—t / O & Sparks, we runnin this rap s—t / Chris & Neef, we runnin this rap s—t.” Mos Def countered with his song, “The Rapeover.” He opens the song with the lyrics: “Old white men is runnin' this rap s--t / Corporate forces runnin' this rap s—t / Some tall Israeli is runnin' this rap s—t / We poke out our @sses for a chance to cash in.” The song ends with: “Cocaine, is runnin' this rap s—t / 'Dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap s—t / MTV is runnin' this rap s—t / Viacom is runnin' this rap s—t / AOL and Time Warner runnin' this rap s—t / Quasi-homosexuals is runnin' this rap s—t.” The song was removed from later editions of the CD as the lyrics were deemed anti-Semitic and homophobic. Controversy however, was just beginning. In “Katrina Clap” Mos Def lambastes both President George bush and U2 front man/philanthropist Bono: And Mr. President he ‘bout that cash / He got a policy for handlin’ the bruthas and trash / And if you poor you black / I laugh a laugh, they won’t give when you ask / You betta off on crack / dead or in jail, or with a gun in Iraq / And it’s as simple as that / No opinion my man it’s mathematical fact / Listen, a million poor since 2004 / And they got illions and killions to waste on the War, And make you question what the taxes is for… “Like where the f**k is Sir Bono and his famous friends now / Don’t get it twisted man I dig U2 / But if you ain’t about the ghetto / Then f**k You Too .” Using his popularity in rap circles, he teamed with Def Jam’s Russell Simmons to create HBS’s “Def Poetry Jam.” He has also parlayed his success into a budding acting career. Not that he is a rapper-turned-actor, for he began his entertainment career at age fourteen starring in alongside Mare Winningham in the TV movie, God Bless The Child. He also co-starred in the short-lived “Cosby Mysteries.” Recently he starred with Bruce Willia ijn the box-office flop “16 Blocks.” This young man is just scratching the surface of his unlimited talent. He will bring back “Def Poetry” for a sixth season and later this year will release a new CD. While his lyrics offend some, his attempts to provoke thought is more than what most rappers do. In an interview with Jeremy K of Ill Hill, a popular hip-hop website, Mos Def said of rap: “F**k rap. It doesn’t even matter. f**k rap, pop, all of that s--t. People who want to take all their information about culture from television, well you’re getting gypped from the door right there… people have to start scrutinizing information for themselves as opposed to leaving responsibility to people who are just trying to get more ad dollars. God save the streets.” ------------ About the author: Timothy N. Stelly, Sr. is a 46-year old poet, novelist and aspiring screenwriter who resides in northern California with his three youngest children--Lawrence, Kimberly and Dante. He is a member of various writer's groups and has three novels in print, his most recent, "Like A Straight-Up Sucka," is available at www.lulu.com. website: http://stellbreadO@tripod.com Email: stellbread@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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