I was a fan of Mos Def before I interviewed him. Thankfully, I still am.
We waited, the photographer and I, an hour or so for Mos in the office of his label Downtown Records. Located in Soho. I was sitting on the couch in the lounge area, near the elevator. I had my head down for a nanosecond, thumbing at my BlackBerry. I feared he wouldn’t show up. By the time I looked up, the photographer had advised me that Mos, who was already across the room, had entered. As silently as a ninja. Not that I imagined trumpets blaring upon his arrival or anything, but dude was discrete. He wore a cheetah hoodie, the same one he chose for his second appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher, jeans with a trendy wash, a tiny leather jacket and sunglasses. Of course, the sunglasses.
He himself was tiny, as most rappers are in real life. It’s a strange trend. Or maybe we just imagine them big in our minds.
Since Mos was hungry, we decided to hit a local cafe. I preferred a non-restaurant setting for a magazine feature. It’s too typical. But I mean, this was Mos Def in a restaurant so I took it. Before we left, he went over some packaging for his album cover (pictured below). “Aren’t you supposed to have people to do that for you?” I joked.
This is the published XXL story, one of my favorites: Quiet As Kept
I always like to see the stuff that gets cut out. An article is never a full story and neither is an interview. There are bits and pieces that you put into context. On my Blackberry, I took a lot of notes during my few hours with Mos, which were really quite enjoyable. And enlightening.
Unedited Notes (his quotes in italics):
Listens to “Casa Bey” where he’s singing – The kudlow report on cnbc. Walks over to cubicle area and goes over album packaging with Amanda. Don’t say in stores. That’s cheesy. Just say 6.9.09. Details. Hands on with little details like he’s an exec. Aren’t you supposed to have people to do that for you? Macbook Pro. Pulls up hood in elevator. On phone on sidewalk, walking from spring on crosby/broome. Nippy outside, blue skull thingy hanging from belt buckle Yeah it does. It better. Sometime. Vans double taps from japan, starts singing, making phone calls. Trip got extended cause had to see some folks, starts singing to someone over phone to demonstrate his artist. Asks to see photos. Huddles in front of fed-ex truck on spring and lafayette. Near 6 train Spring. Pass an old lady walking into her apmt. “Son of on a bitch. I hope you fuckin die. Woman screaming. Oh that was mos def.
To the basement, past the kitchen, dark area, very gloomy, can barely see menu. Two women sitting next to us Rice and beans, side of avocado 10 days, freezing out “They was tellin me how warm and balmy it was. I almost didn’t wear this hoodie.”
Photographer shows booklet of kids who train surf Walks wIth the pimp lean down the hallway Back to studio GY black cap with orange lettering Cafe du monde white graphic tee Red suspenders Needs cigarettes. Can I order some? Nah that’s some bougie shit. Pack of american spirit yellow. For the tan tumor that you- Explaining to him that studio shots are cliche. “They haven’t seen ME in the studio” Studio just finished in June During dinner, Mos staring off at other patrons into distance. Smiling shyly, not looking you in eye.
Seems excited about the tracks in the studio. Black long sleeved shirt underneath tshirt. Plays “casa bey.” Temp stat in studio at 72. Gets up and starts scatting vocals to “Casa Bey” Two rings, one gold, one greenish. Cafe du monde shirt from new orleans – that’s where the spot is Sings some kind of “Freedom fighters” georgia and murdrow. Like bilal, nina, betty carter, making own beats. Sounds like hymn. Like mj off the wall. Off on tangent, no one knows what saying. Wrote song for stepdaughter. Adele, all of dem, she got all of that. Trying to get her on the album. Either roses or yuriah’s flight. Its that love power cause human beigns we fragile. Everybody wants a hug.
Talks to son Fidel over phone. Its me pop. I’m at work pop. Ima see you later ok. Stop tryna be a teenager, you 60. I love you pop. Ill see you soon Mos on the phone: How was House? Did you check it? How I do? Cheetah print hoodie. My favorite joint. Swagger, you can fake it. She’s like, “he’s a control freak, this guy.” Plays Georgia (but sounded like jojo or jomo) “yuriah’s flight” (sounds like.the joints badu has on her album) Talk about album and what people should expect. What artists are you excited about. People on a higher plane just on a higher plane. Through stones throw. When I heard her I was like whoa. This is coming like a female madlib
To the basement, past the kitchen, dark area, very gloomy, can barely see menu. Two women sitting next to us Rice and beans, side of avocado 10 days, freezing out “They was tellin me how warm and balmy it was. I almost didn’t wear this hoodie.”
Photographer shows booklet of kids who train surf Walks wIth the pimp lean down the hallway Back to studio GY black cap with orange lettering Cafe du monde white graphic tee Red suspenders Needs cigarettes. Can I order some? Nah that’s some bougie shit. Pack of american spirit yellow. For the tan tumor that you- Explaining to him that studio shots are cliche. “They haven’t seen ME in the studio” Studio just finished in June During dinner, Mos staring off at other patrons into distance. Smiling shyly, not looking you in eye.
Seems excited about the tracks in the studio. Black long sleeved shirt underneath tshirt. Plays “casa bey.” Temp stat in studio at 72. Gets up and starts scatting vocals to “Casa Bey” Two rings, one gold, one greenish. Cafe du monde shirt from new orleans – that’s where the spot is Sings some kind of “Freedom fighters” georgia and murdrow. Like bilal, nina, betty carter, making own beats. Sounds like hymn. Like mj off the wall. Off on tangent, no one knows what saying. Wrote song for stepdaughter. Adele, all of dem, she got all of that. Trying to get her on the album. Either roses or yuriah’s flight. Its that love power cause human beigns we fragile. Everybody wants a hug.
Talks to son Fidel over phone. Its me pop. I’m at work pop. Ima see you later ok. Stop tryna be a teenager, you 60. I love you pop. Ill see you soon Mos on the phone: How was House? Did you check it? How I do? Cheetah print hoodie. My favorite joint. Swagger, you can fake it. She’s like, “he’s a control freak, this guy.” Plays Georgia (but sounded like jojo or jomo) “yuriah’s flight” (sounds like.the joints badu has on her album) Talk about album and what people should expect. What artists are you excited about. People on a higher plane just on a higher plane. Through stones throw. When I heard her I was like whoa. This is coming like a female madlib
Outside on the street, after the interview and shoot are complete
Red truck across the street shoveling dirt. Walks back to the building alone as quietly as he came.
Red truck across the street shoveling dirt. Walks back to the building alone as quietly as he came.
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Funny: Mos Def Interview with Interview Excerpt:
It’s not that people have to “ball” less, it’s just that they need to do something good. This is what I wanted to tell XXL. They had this cute little girl asking me all these biographical questions, and I was like “what does this have to do with it?” Making people pretend they know me because they know where I was born. I just want to be necessary and do good works.
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Which stemmed from this:
Unpublished portion of Mos Interview:
You started rapping at like 9. How did you… Was it a Run DMC song that you heard that made you want to rap?
First rap song I ever heard was “It’s Like That.” I don’t know, it found me and I found it. We found each other.
How did you find each other?
It was everywhere. It was just in the air. Where wasn’t hip-hop. I was born in 73 so 81, 82 I’m 8, 9 years older just absorbing all of this stuff.
But not everybody wants to actually do it and not everybody can.
I didn’t have any type of ambition either. It was just… it was child’s play. It was child’s play but it was an interest that never left so by the time I was 18 people were actually doing it professionally and even then people didn’t have any ambitions of doing it for like 10 years outta they life.
Were you always… Did you start writing your rhymes? When you were 9, did you write poetry?
I always was writing. I like to read. I like writing. So I was always writing so it was just natural for me. It was… I never really had that ambition that other people have. Like, “I’ma go to L.A…” My circumstance was different. It was in my environment and I enjoyed doing it so I did it and as I got older, my main ambition was just to be able to do it professionally and that was like a big dream. Like, wow can you imagine if that was just your job. That’s all you had to do.
So it wasn’t a big deal to you to be a rapper?
I just enjoyed it. You know, I enjoyed it. I was a kid so I never looked at myself as a rapper or… I was just doing the things I do and I was good at it so I kept doing it.
I know you were raised in the Roosevelt Projects.
Roosevelt Projects.
How long were you there?
Well, I lived in Roosevelt with my mother and my grandmother til I was like 13, 12 or 13 and then we moved to Flatbush – back to Flatbush. ‘Cause we had lived in Flatbush—I lived all over Brooklyn.
Were you a quiet kid?
Yeah, I was a quiet kid. I was reserved, shy.
I read somewhere that you got picked on in school.
Oh, everybody gets picked on in school I guess.
And you started rapping to—
I mean, I started rhyming because I liked to do it but it was also a way to… achieve some social status among my peers, you know. Some kids play sports. Some kids draw. I rhymed.
I know you were close to your mom. Were you a momma’s boy?
These questions, they’re not gonna give anybody any more insight into how I am! No…
Why do you think that? What are the questions that—
People know me cause of what I do but they can’t [pause] they don’t really know me. and I don’t pretend to know them or make assumptions about the audience or herd them in a group. I’m just an individual doing what I love to do. I hope that it’s of some use. The biographical facts about me, I guess there’s some interest to some people but they’re not really—
I think it is. It makes up who you are and hip-hop fans—
Yeah, but people read that in a magazine, they’re not gonna get, you know.
You don’t feel like it helps any.
It’s arguable. More or less.
