preview: yasiin bey aka mos def @ Stylus, Leeds

Image: Yasiin Bey

Hip-hop is renowned for its constant reinvention, and with the genre's protagonists that shifting identity happens all the time. The Wu Tang Clan is a nine emcee strong group of multi-named and multi-personalitied rappers, Dr Dre went from rapping "I don't smoke weed or a sess" to naming his debut album The Chronic, and every syllable spitting henchman has at least two pseudonyms. It's just the way it works.

One of the more interesting transformations in recent times has been Mos Def's metamorphosis to Yasiin Bey. Easily regarded as one of the most talented and charismatic rappers of the last twenty years, Mos Def first came to prominence as part of the beguiling backpack movement in the mid nineties, a retaliation against the proliferation of crime driven themes of Gangsta Rap led by the label which he was on, Rawkus Records.

Mos was instrumental in two records that pretty much defined the brilliance of that period in hip-hop, his debut offering Black on Both Sides and the love to the core principles of the culture of hip-hop when he teamed up with Talib Kweli for Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (stream above on Spotify). Both certified Mos' refreshing lyricism and ease between drifting between a languid delivery and animated rant, creating an icon in the process.

What followed was a move slowly into more commercially palatable material (his collaboration with Pharoahe Monch and Nate Dogg 'Oh No' remains one of hip-hops most unlikely successful alliances) and an acting career, before he reengaged with his political past when renaming himself as Yasiin Bey in late 2011.

His trajectory so far has involved lashing out against the overblown opulence of Jay-Z and Kanye West with 'N****s in Poorest' (watch above) and a deeply disturbing protest against the force feeding of inmates at Guantanamo Bay where he underwent the process himself in clear discomfort - certainly a departure from starring opposite Mark Wahlberg in a remake of the Italian Job. But whilst it's certainly sharpened his lyrical focus it hasn't come at the cost of a close minded approach towards hip-hop music, as the collaboration with legendary New Orleans producer Mannie Fresh on the Black Jesus project below demonstrates.

Yasiin will be coming to Leeds on Wednesday 30th October for an extremely special intimate show in Stylus, where he'll be showcasing this new musical direction for a rare UK show. His last appearances on these shoes saw him headline a legends of hip-hop tour as part of Black Star alongside De la Soul and Rakim, with Mos (as he was then known) in scintillating form. Wednesday 30th promises to be much of the same. Head here for the full listing information.

Like this? Check out Artist of the Week: KRS One.

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