SINGER
Mos Def
1973 - Today

Mos Def
Yasiin Bey ( yass-EEN BAY; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( MOHSS DEF), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social and political issues, such as police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the status of African Americans in the United States. After embarking on his career in 1994, he joined his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) and guest appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. In 1996, he and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Black Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998) spawned the singles "Definition" and "Respiration" (featuring Common). Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Mos Def is the 531st most popular singer (down from 422nd in 2019), the 3,278th most popular biography from United States (down from 2,379th in 2019) and the 175th most popular American Singer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Mos Def by language
Among SINGERS
Among singers, Mos Def ranks 531 out of 4,381. Before him are Patrick Hernandez, Séverine, Brandy Norwood, Dinah Washington, Mari Boine, and Marek Grechuta. After him are Gary Brooker, Héctor Lavoe, KRS-One, Maria Farantouri, Heino, and Tino Rossi.
Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsPatrick Hernandez
1949 - Present
HPI: 62.52
Rank: 525
Séverine
1948 - Present
HPI: 62.52
Rank: 526
Brandy Norwood
1979 - Present
HPI: 62.47
Rank: 527
Dinah Washington
1924 - 1963
HPI: 62.46
Rank: 528
Mari Boine
1956 - Present
HPI: 62.41
Rank: 529
Marek Grechuta
1945 - 2006
HPI: 62.39
Rank: 530
Mos Def
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 531
Gary Brooker
1945 - 2022
HPI: 62.37
Rank: 532
Héctor Lavoe
1946 - 1993
HPI: 62.37
Rank: 533
KRS-One
1965 - Present
HPI: 62.35
Rank: 534
Maria Farantouri
1947 - Present
HPI: 62.33
Rank: 535
Heino
1938 - Present
HPI: 62.31
Rank: 536
Tino Rossi
1907 - 1983
HPI: 62.29
Rank: 537
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1973, Mos Def ranks 51. Before him are Rogério Ceni, Guillaume Canet, Paulo Fonseca, Andrew Lincoln, Ceca, and David Blaine. After him are Matteo Salvini, Malaika Arora, Roberto Ayala, Rüştü Reçber, Giancarlo Fisichella, and Jerzy Dudek.
Others Born in 1973
Go to all RankingsRogério Ceni
SOCCER PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.87
Rank: 45
Guillaume Canet
ACTOR
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.81
Rank: 46
Paulo Fonseca
SOCCER PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.75
Rank: 47
Andrew Lincoln
ACTOR
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.73
Rank: 48
Ceca
SINGER
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.62
Rank: 49
David Blaine
MAGICIAN
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.41
Rank: 50
Mos Def
SINGER
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 51
Matteo Salvini
POLITICIAN
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.21
Rank: 52
Malaika Arora
ACTOR
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.09
Rank: 53
Roberto Ayala
SOCCER PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 61.85
Rank: 54
Rüştü Reçber
SOCCER PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 61.83
Rank: 55
Giancarlo Fisichella
RACING DRIVER
1973 - Present
HPI: 61.78
Rank: 56
Jerzy Dudek
SOCCER PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 61.71
Rank: 57
In United States
Among people born in United States, Mos Def ranks 3,278 out of 20,380. Before him are Matthew Ridgway (1895), Al Matthews (1942), Bud Powell (1924), Henry Flagler (1830), Mortimer J. Adler (1902), and Robert Rossen (1908). After him are Dee Dee Ramone (1951), Kevin Peter Hall (1955), Scott Bradley (1891), Bob Dole (1923), Gunning Bedford Jr. (1747), and Ken Mattingly (1936).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsMatthew Ridgway
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1895 - 1993
HPI: 62.39
Rank: 3,272
Al Matthews
ACTOR
1942 - 2018
HPI: 62.39
Rank: 3,273
Bud Powell
MUSICIAN
1924 - 1966
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,274
Henry Flagler
BUSINESSPERSON
1830 - 1913
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,275
Mortimer J. Adler
PHILOSOPHER
1902 - 2001
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,276
Robert Rossen
FILM DIRECTOR
1908 - 1966
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,277
Mos Def
SINGER
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,278
Dee Dee Ramone
MUSICIAN
1951 - 2002
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,279
Kevin Peter Hall
ACTOR
1955 - 1991
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,280
Scott Bradley
MUSICIAN
1891 - 1977
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,281
Bob Dole
POLITICIAN
1923 - 2021
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 3,282
Gunning Bedford Jr.
POLITICIAN
1747 - 1812
HPI: 62.37
Rank: 3,283
Ken Mattingly
ASTRONAUT
1936 - 2023
HPI: 62.37
Rank: 3,284
Among SINGERS In United States
Among singers born in United States, Mos Def ranks 175. Before him are Brenda Lee (1944), Bobby Brown (1969), Dusty Hill (1949), Billy Preston (1946), Brandy Norwood (1979), and Dinah Washington (1924). After him are KRS-One (1965), Tracy Chapman (1964), Neil Sedaka (1939), Michael Bolton (1953), Don McLean (1945), and Trini Lopez (1937).
Brenda Lee
1944 - Present
HPI: 62.64
Rank: 169
Bobby Brown
1969 - Present
HPI: 62.64
Rank: 170
Dusty Hill
1949 - 2021
HPI: 62.64
Rank: 171
Billy Preston
1946 - 2006
HPI: 62.53
Rank: 172
Brandy Norwood
1979 - Present
HPI: 62.47
Rank: 173
Dinah Washington
1924 - 1963
HPI: 62.46
Rank: 174
Mos Def
1973 - Present
HPI: 62.38
Rank: 175
KRS-One
1965 - Present
HPI: 62.35
Rank: 176
Tracy Chapman
1964 - Present
HPI: 62.26
Rank: 177
Neil Sedaka
1939 - Present
HPI: 62.23
Rank: 178
Michael Bolton
1953 - Present
HPI: 62.16
Rank: 179
Don McLean
1945 - Present
HPI: 62.16
Rank: 180
Trini Lopez
1937 - 2020
HPI: 62.13
Rank: 181