What is Mos Def?
{{Infobox musical artist | image = Mos Def - Ilosaarirock 2012.jpg | caption = Def performing at the 2012 [[Ilosaarirock]] festival | birth_name = Dante Terrell Smith | alias = {{flatlist| * Yasiin Bey * Black Dante * Dante Beze * Flaco * El-Bey the Moor }} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=no|1973|12|11}} | birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S. | occupation = {{flatlist| * Rapper * singer * songwriter * record producer * actor * activist }} | years_active = 1994–present | background = solo_singer | instrument = {{flatlist| * [[Singing|Vocals]] * [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]] * [[Electric bass|bass guitar]] * [[Sampler (musical instrument)|sampler]] * [[Drumkit|drums]] }} | genre = {{flatlist| * [[Alternative hip hop]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Reese|first=Eric|year=2018|title=The History of Hip Hop: Volume 1|publisher=[[Barnes & Noble Press]]|isbn=9781538076798|chapter=Rise of Hip-Hop in the 2000's}}</ref> * [[conscious hip hop]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Josh|date=May 27, 2014|url=https://theknow.denverpost.com/2014/05/27/steal-track-courier-gt/89706/|title=Steal This Track from Courier GT|newspaper=[[The Denver Post]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021|archive-date=July 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715044010/https://theknow.denverpost.com/2014/05/27/steal-track-courier-gt/89706/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * [[progressive rap]]<ref>{{cite web|last=O'Connor|first=Christopher|date=March 29, 2000|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/820250/common-moves-toward-a-progressive-hip-hop/|title=Common Moves Toward a Progressive Hip-Hop|website=[[MTV News]]|accessdate=July 15, 2021|archive-date=July 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715040610/http://www.mtv.com/news/820250/common-moves-toward-a-progressive-hip-hop/|url-status=dead}}</ref> }} | label = {{flatlist| * [[Downtown Records|Downtown]] * [[GOOD Music|GOOD]] * [[Geffen Records|Geffen]] * [[Rawkus Records|Rawkus]