Yasiin Bey

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 series "The Boondocks" (Adult Swim, 2005-14), he also showed dramatic talent when far removed from the music world element. Def earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his leading role in "Something the Lord Made" (HBO, 2004), and multiple Image and Black Reel Awards for such diverse offerings as "The Italian Job" (2003) and "Cadillac Records" (2008), in which he was tasked with portraying rock-n-roll icon Chuck Berry. His natural charisma and playful energy made Def a perfect comic foil, but he also proved an appealing leading man in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (2005) and "16 Blocks" (2006). With his screen versatility and his reputation as one of hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def enjoyed a unique multi-media career virtually unmatched by any of his rapper-actor peers.