Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is an American rapper, singer and actor from Brooklyn, New York. His style blends conscious hip-hop, alternative rap, soul, jazz and spoken word, with writing focused on identity, society, politics, culture and the African American experience. With projects such as Black Star alongside Talib Kweli, followed by albums including Black on Both Sides and The Ecstatic, Yasiin Bey became one of the leading figures in alternative and conscious hip-hop.