Why did Mos Def change his name?

The rapper converted to Islam in his teens. “[I don’t want] to deal [any more] with having any moniker or separation between the self that I see and know myself as,” Mos Def said.

Is Mos Def still out of the country?

Mos Def has been allowed out of South Africa, 11 months after getting arrested for using the wrong passport. The rapper, who’s also known as Yasiin Bey, has been living in the country since 2013 but was stopped from leaving in January.

Is Mos Def not allowed in the US?

Yasiin Bey, formerly known Mos Def, barred from entering U.S. for tour: report. You really can’t go home again. Yasiin Bey, the artist formerly known Mos Def, has canceled his U.S. tour after being denied entry into the country of his birth. But in recent years he has been increasingly critical of U.S. policies.

Why did Mos Def stop making music?

Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) to Deliver Farewell Performance at ONE Musicfest 2017: See the Full Lineup. Bey announced his retirement from the music and acting business after getting into a legal fight in South Africa. He was charged with trying to leave the country while using a passport not recognized by that country.

Why did Mos Def change to yasiin?

During the interview (photo by Steven Pan/GQ), the rapper explained why he decided to switch his name and how it stemmed from materialistic pressures. “I began to fear that Mos Def was being treated as a product, not a person, so I’ve been going by Yasiin since ’99,” he said.

Why is Mos Def stuck in Africa?

Mos Def is leaving his home in South Africa after his idealistic “world passport” got him arrested. 22 after he tried to leave the country using a world passport, an idealistic travel document issued by a pacifist organization promoting a world without borders.

Why can’t Mos Def come back to America?

The rapper Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, has cancelled an upcoming tour of the United States, with promoters citing “legal” issues.

What nationality is Mos Def?

American
Mos Def/Nationality
That’s because Mos Def, who was born Dante Smith but now goes by the name Yasiin Bey, is a U.S. citizen who entered South Africa on an American passport, but was trying to leave on a World Passport — a little-known document issued by the World Service Authority in Washington, D.C.

What is Mos Def’s real name?

Dante Terrell Smith
Mos Def/Full name

The rapper, born Dante Terrell Smith, has built a career in hip-hop and film on the name Mos Def.

Who is Mos Def father?

Abdul Rahman
Mos Def/Fathers
Early life. Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Sheron Smith and Abdulrahman Smith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUPiHe65OI