Double Tee Concerts

Presents

Mos Def

w/Lifesavas,

Lilla D’Mone feat. Theory Hazit

Friday August 15, 2008

8PM – All Ages

~ Roseland Theater ~

Portland, Oregon

$28 ADV / $33 DOOR

Tickets on-sale Now!

Tickets are available through all TicketsWest Locations – Safeway and Music Millennium.

To charge by telephone call (503) 224-8499 or order online at www.ticketwest.com.

www.myspace.com/mosdef

www.myspace.com/lifesavas

www.myspace.com/lilladmone

Mos Def, is a Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-nominated actor and Grammy Award-nominated American MC. Mos Def started his rap career as a member of the Native Tongue Posse collective and by guesting on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. He released a well-received album with Talib Kweli as Black Star, and was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hop explosion spearheaded by Rawkus Records. His stage name doesn't come from the words 'most definitely' but refers instead to his belief that he is in fact the most 'def' of all ('def' being the old school Hip Hop term for 'cool'). He would, however, later release a compilation album which makes reference to his name called Mos Definite.

Initially recognized for his musical output, Def's screen work since the early 2000s has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. Def is also a critic on several social and political issues, and was particularly vocal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Acting career

Mos Def's background in film and theater date back to his days at New York University, studying experimental theater. He began his professional acting career at the age of 14, appearing in the TV movie God Bless the Child, starring Mare Winningham. He then played the oldest child in the short-lived family sitcom, You Take the Kids, starring Nell Carter and Roger E. Mosley. His most notable acting role before his music career was that of Bill Cosby's sidekick on the short-lived detective show, The Cosby Mysteries. He also starred in a 1996 Visa check card commercial featuring Deion Sanders.

After brief appearances in Bamboozled and Monster's Ball, Mos re-invigorated his acting career with his performance as a talented rapper who is reluctant to sign to a major label in Brown Sugar. He was nominated for an Image Award and a Teen Choice Award.

In 2002, he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He also received positive notices as the quirky Left Ear in the blockbuster hit, The Italian Job in 2003.

In television, Mos Def has appeared on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, and has hosted the award-winning HBO spoken word show, Def Poetry since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in 2007. He also appeared on the sitcom My Wife And Kids as the Uncle of Michael Kyle's (Damon Wayans) children.

Mos won Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of the skeptical Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. For his portrayal of Vivien Thomas in HBO's film Something the Lord Made, he was nominated for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and won the Image Award. He then landed the role of Ford Prefect in the 2005 movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

In 2006, Mos Def appeared in Dave Chappelle's Block Party alongside fellow Black Star companion Talib Kweli, while also contributing to the film's soundtrack. Also, Mos Def was featured as the black banjo player in the infamous "Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes. He was later edited out of it on the DVD. Additionally, Mos Def is in the motion picture 16 Blocks along with co-stars Bruce Willis and David Morse. Mos has a recurring guest role on Boondocks, starring as "Gangstalicious." He is also set to be in Toussaint, a film about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L'Ouverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. He made a cameo appearance playing himself in the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

He also co-stars with Jack Black in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind, playing a video rental store employee whose best friend Jerry (played by Jack Black) accidentally erases the store's tapes. The two protagonists then decide to refilm the deleted movies, becoming local celebrities in the process.

Music

Mos Def appears alongside Kanye West on the track "Drunk and Hot Girls" and the bonus track "Good Night" off Kanye's album, Graduation. He is also releasing a pair of Converse shoes. Mos Def also appears on the debut album from fellow New Yorkers, Apollo Heights on a track titled, "Concern." In October, Mos signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on a remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice. Mos Def appeared on Stephen Marley's album "Mind Control" on the song "Hey Baby."

On November 7th, Mos Def performed live in San Francisco at a venue called The Mezzanine. This performance was recorded for an upcoming "Live in Concert" DVD. During this performance, he sang quite a few new tracks which may be appearing on an upcoming album. He is to be appearing on GZA's compilation album, Pro Tools, due out in 2008 .

In recent shows Mos Def has played new songs from his album said to be named "The Ecstatic." He has shown crowds tracks written and produced by Madlib and has rumored to be going to Kanye West for new material. The album is said to be released in April 2008; producer and fellow Def Poet Al Be Back has revealed that he would be producing as well, and that Mos is "four or five records in" to the album. In April Mos appeared on the title track for a new album by The Roots entitled Rising Down.

In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap," renamed "Dollar Day" for True Magic, (utilizing the instrumental for New Orleans rappers UTP's "Nolia Clap"), a criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. On the night of the MTV Video Music Awards, Mos Def pulled up in front of Radio City Music Hall on a flatbed truck and began performing the "Katrina Clap" single in front of a crowd that quickly gathered around him. He was subsequently arrested despite having a public performance permit in his possession.

Double Tee Concerts 10 NW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209