Dante Terrell Smith-Bey (born December 11, 1973) 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. Background information Born December 11, 1973 (1973-12-11) (age 36) Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. Associated acts Soulquarians Black Star Talib Kweli Native Tongues Posse Kanye West The Roots Common K\'naan Blakroc Gorillaz Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme is a 2000 documentary film directed by Kevin Fitzgerald. The film follows the art of freestyle, improvisational hip-hop. This independent release includes extemporaneous performances by artists such as Supernatural, Mos Def, The Roots, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Cut Chemist, Jurassic 5, and many others. Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme won the prize of \"Best Documentary\" at the Urban World Film Festival.