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Yasiin Bey

Yasiin Bey

Actor · Born December 11, 1973 (52) · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor. Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he became an underground favorite in the hip-hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. He followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox roots. He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007. He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award. In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role. He continued his music career by releasing his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The first single, "Sex, Love and Money" earned him a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance, and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA. The following year, he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006, he released his third solo album, True Magic. The next year, he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. In 2009, he released the album The Ecstatic, which proved to be his second highest-charting album to date. He then appeared in the urban comedy Next Day Air, and (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film I’m Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Mos Def announced in September of 2011 that he changed his name to Yasiin Bey, and would go by it henceforth. In the first month of 2016, Bey declared his retirement from both the film and music industries. In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 11, 1973 (52)
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

What are Yasiin Bey's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
20%
Bonds
19%
Power
15%
Survival
14%
Self
14%
Society
13%
Ideas
5%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 6 · Dark 11

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 11 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 4

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 12 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 12
Shadow
2 of 12
Mentor
2 of 12
Hero
2 of 12
Trickster
1 of 12
Threshold guardian
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
12
Hopeful
9
Absurd
7
Contemplative
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Bittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Yasiin Bey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Yasiin Bey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 30 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Gorillaz: Live at Rock Werchter 2026 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Gorillaz | MTV World Stage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Mos Def

  • Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Gorillaz: Reject False Icons(2019)

    as Mos Def

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • French Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Focé

  • Begin Again(2013)

    as Saul

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Life of Crime(2013)

    as Ordell Robbie

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Standard Operating Procedure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • I'm Still Here(2010)

    as Mos Def

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Gorillaz: Live at Roundhouse in London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mos Def

  • Bouncing Cats(2010)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Making of Plastic Beach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mos Def

  • Next Day Air(2009)

    as Eric

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Cadillac Records(2008)

    as Chuck Berry

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Fats Waller Was Born Here (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as "Fats" Wallter/Mike (as Mos Def)

  • Passaic Mosaic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Thanks

  • Be Kind Rewind(2008)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Prince Among Slaves(2007)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Yo Gabba Gabba!(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Dexter(2006)

    Show 5 episodes · as Brother Sam

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby(2006)

    as Mos Def

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Journey to the End of the Night(2006)

    as Wemba

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • 16 Blocks(2006)

    as Eddie Bunker

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops(2006)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Boondocks(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gangstalicious (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy(2005)

    as Ford Prefect

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Lackawanna Blues(2005)

    as The Bandleader

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Woodsman(2004)

    as Sgt. Lucas

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • House(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Lee

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Something the Lord Made(2004)

    as Vivien Thomas

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Italian Job(2003)

    as Left Ear

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Brown Sugar(2002)

    as Chris Anton 'Cav' Vichon

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Civil Brand(2002)

    as Michael Meadows

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Showtime(2002)

    as Lazy Boy

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Monster's Ball(2001)

    as Ryrus Cooper

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Proud Family(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Mos Def (voice)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Carmen: A Hip Hopera(2001)

    as Lt. Miller

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • My Wife and Kids(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Bamboozled(2000)

    as Mau Mau: Big Blak Afrika

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Island of the Dead(2000)

    as Robbie J

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Where's Marlowe?(1998)

    as Wilt Crawley

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Brooklyn South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Darius

  • Ghosts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Dante

  • Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Monty

  • The Cosby Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 18 episodes · Actor

  • Later... with Jools Holland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Here and Now (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · as Alonzo

  • Split Images (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Curtis Roy

  • The Hard Way(1991)

    as Dead Romeos

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • You Take the Kids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 6 episodes · as Raymond Kirkland

  • God Bless the Child(1988)

    as Richard Watkins

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 51 titles from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2005.

Biggest box office

The Italian Job (2003)

$176M worldwide

Highest rated

Something the Lord Made (2004)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Italian Job (2003)

Film career

19882026

Peak 2005 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting50 of 51: 50 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thOther crew1 of 51: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s10 · acting2000s28 · 27 acting · 1 crew2010s9 · acting2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 24 roles
9106

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Yasiin Bey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 34 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops (2006)

95th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Something the Lord Made (2004)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Yasiin Bey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles7–67 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles13–77 · median 25 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles42–80 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles30–72 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles17–73 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Yasiin Bey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Yasiin Bey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Elliot shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles