Rapper formerly known as Mos Def calls Cape Town home

mos-def

Yasiin Bey, 40, the rapper formerly known as Mos Def, has moved to the picturesque South African coastal city Cape Town.

The Brooklyn, New York hip-hop star and actor has been calling Cape Town his home since May 2013.

“Last year May, I came [to Cape Town] and I said I’m not leaving. I’m staying. It’s a beautiful place. It has the ocean, mountain, botanical gardens and beautiful people,” Bey told Mail & Guardian.

The rapper hasn’t forgotten about his urban New York roots, but by self admission, things are not so great in the US, telling Mail & Guardian: “Man, I’m going to tell you something. For a guy like me, with five or six generations from the same town in America, to leave America, things gotta be not so good with America,” Bey added, “There are some beautiful places in America. I love Brooklyn. New York City needs to thank Brooklyn every day just for existing. That’s how I feel about it. It was a hard thing to leave home. But I’m glad I did.”

Like so many entrepreneurs, Bey, ranked 24th on the Top 50 MCs of Our Time by About.com, sees Africa as a continent of opportunity with amazing talent and places, “The arts, the crafts, the energy, the people coming out of this continent, are like no other in the world.”

Sounds like Bey is definitely taken by the vibes of Cape Town and the continent. Whatever projects are in the pipeline for the rapper, you can bet Africa will play an important role in them.

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