Wednesday night at the Blue Room (18th & Vine) KC trumpeter Hermon Mehari and his group Diverse paid tribute to Mos Def by performing Def's 1999 album Black On Both Sides. Joining Diverse was Tony Tixier from France on piano.
Mos Def (Dante Terrell Smith) started his career in hip-hop in the mid 90's, and although he was originally recognized for his musical output, since the early 2000's, his screen work has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have gained critical approval for their acting. His film work includes Monster's Ball with Halle Berry, The Italian Job, The Woodsman with Kevin Bacon, Lackawanna Blues, 16 Blocks with Bruce Willis, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. One of his best roles was portraying Chuck Berry in the movie Cadillac Records.
Mos Def has also appeared on Broadway in A Free Man Of Color and will be joining the cast of HBO's Dexter.
