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Tomorrow night musical artist and poet Mos Def will be performing at LeFrak Gymnasium on the Amherst College campus as headliner of Amherst College’s Annual Spring Concert.

Spawned from what many consider to be the “golden-age of hip-hop” of the early 90s, the Brooklyn-born artist’s exposure to the old school hip-hop of New York helped nurture his burning talent. Def began rapping and acting at the early age of nine, and by the age of 21 he’d embark on a music career with his sister Ces and brother DCQ. It was 1994 when their group, Thermo Dynamics, released two singles and compiled a debut album called “Manifest Destiny.” Unfortunately for the transitory group, their album wasn’t released until ten years later.

It was at the age of 23 that Def began to expose himself as a major force in underground hip-hop, working with such alternative rap groups that are still popular like De La Soul as well as Babees and da Bush. His debut solo single, “Universal Magnetic,” won Def underground acclaim; it instantly imprinted his art with a social conscience. Since then, Def’s music has gone on to twist soul, jazz and funk with edgy Afro centric lyrics.

After collaborating with upcoming University of Massachusetts’s Spring Concert headliner, Talib Kweli, the group Black Star was born. In 1998 the duo released a debut full-length album “Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star,” before Def released a solo album “Black on Both Sides” (1999). However, it was with Def and Kweli’s album that created a controversial stir. “Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star” was released in the wake of slayings of legendary rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. Consequently the artists used their album to focus on what they believed to be an ever-growing deceitfulness and violence in the hip-hop world.

With the release of Def’s 2004 solo album, “The New Danger,” came with a landslide of praise and a Grammy Award nomination for the song “Ghetto Rock.” His most recent solo album, “True Magic,” emerged in December 2006 to a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance for the song “Undeniable.”

Def is also an outspoken critic in social and political issues, and was particularly active during the aftermath of 2005’s tragic Hurricane Katrina. In September 2005 Def released a single from “True Magic” called “Katrina Clap” to criticize the government’s weak response to the disaster. The artist’s activism caused a clash with the law after performing the song on a flatbed truck outside of Radio City Music Hall without a permit. The song is now known as “Dollar Day,” as it was later renamed for the album.

Adding to Def’s artistically urban image is his position as host of HBO’s award winning show “Def Poetry,” which he’s hosted since its launch six seasons ago. The series, also known as “Def Poetry Jam,” is a production of hip-hop legend Russell Simmons, and exhibits poetic spoken-word performances by well known and up-and-coming “slam” poets. In many ways, Def’s lyrics are complimentary to the show’s poetry, which often surround issues of social injustice and urban life. Kweli has appeared on the show, as well as other well-known musicians like Ani DiFranco, Kanye West, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

Doors for tomorrow’s concert will open at 7 p.m., with opening acts Subliminal and Lyrispect performing at 8 p.m., and Mos Def following. The Amherst College Program Board organized the concert.

According to Amherst College Web site, tickets are free to all Amherst College Students, $15 for Five College students and $25 for the public. Tickets are still available and can be ordered at Ticketfusion.com or by calling (877)548-3237. They may also be picked up at Amherst College’s Keefe Campus Center room 107A today between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Morgan-ann Rousseau can be reached at [email protected].