Yasiin Bey

Yasiin Bey

Yasiin Bey (/jæˈsiːn ˈbeɪ/; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def, is an American retired rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor. Regarded as one of hip hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def, has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. With the release of "Universal Magnetic" (1996), he became an underground favorite in the hip-hop world, leading to his legendary collaboration with Talib Kweli. The two formed Black Star whose debut album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, would become one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums. He followed with his 1999 solo debut, Black On Both Sides, which was certified gold and credited by critics as bringing hip hop back to its soapbox roots. He was a former child actor in television films, sitcoms, and theater, and continued acting as an adult after launching his rap career. He appeared in Spike Lee's Bamboozled, MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2002's critically acclaimed Monster's Ball, Showtime, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination. He hosted Def Poetry Jam from 2002 to 2007. He completed his Broadway debut in 2002 in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning, Topdog/Underdog. He then re-teamed with Topdog playwright, Suzan Lori Parks and director George Wolfe for the off-Broadway play Fucking A, for which he earned an Obie Award. In 2003, he starred in The Italian Job alongside Ed Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron. In 2004, he starred opposite Alan Rickman in the critically acclaimed HBO movie Something the Lord Made, for which he received a 2004 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture) and Golden Satellite Award (Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) for the same role. He continued his music career by releasing his highly anticipated and critically acclaimed sophomore solo release, The New Danger (2004). The first single, "Sex, Love and Money" earned him a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative/Urban Performance, and the album has been certified gold by the RIAA. The following year, he appeared alongside Bruce Willis in the crime thriller 16 Blocks (2006), in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, and had a cameo appearance in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Also in 2006, he released his third solo album, True Magic. The next year, he appeared in the 2007 PBS historical documentary, Prince Among Slaves, and in 2008 he played the role of Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. In 2009, he released the album The Ecstatic, which proved to be his second highest-charting album to date. He then appeared in the urban comedy Next Day Air, and (as himself) in the 2010 mockumentary film I’m Still Here, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Mos Def announced in September of 2011 that he changed his name to Yasiin Bey, and would go by it henceforth. In the first month of 2016, Bey declared his retirement from both the film and music industries. In 2014, About.com listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time".

  • Title: Yasiin Bey
  • Popularity: 6.81
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1973-12-11
  • Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Black Star, Flaco Bey, Dante Bezé, Bizet Dante, Smith Dante, Dante Smith, Mos Def, Crooklyn Dodgers, Dante Smith-Beze
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Yasiin Bey Movies

  • 2005
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    Dave Chappelle's Block Party

    Dave Chappelle's Block Party

    6.7 2005 HD

    The American comedian/actor delivers a story about the alternative Hip Hop scene. A small town Ohio mans moves to Brooklyn, New York, to throw an...

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  • 2001
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    Monster's Ball

    Monster's Ball

    6.766 2001 HD

    A prison guard begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow of a man whose execution he presided over.

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  • 2006
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    16 Blocks

    16 Blocks

    6.441 2006 HD

    An aging cop is assigned the ordinary task of escorting a fast-talking witness from police custody to a courthouse, but they find themselves running...

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  • 2008
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    Be Kind Rewind

    Be Kind Rewind

    6.314 2008 HD

    A man whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal...

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  • 2003
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    Civil Brand

    Civil Brand

    6.6 2003 HD

    Forced to work under slave-like conditions in a "prison for profit" program, the inmates of a mostly-African-American female prison, Whitehead...

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  • 2004
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    Something the Lord Made

    Something the Lord Made

    7.7 2004 HD

    A dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas.

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  • 1991
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    The Hard Way

    The Hard Way

    6.137 1991 HD

    Seeking to raise his credibility as an actor and to land a role as a tough cop on a new show, Hollywood action star Nick Lang works a deal with New...

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  • 2010
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    I'm Still Here

    I'm Still Here

    6 2010 HD

    I'm Still Here is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, the film follows the Oscar-nominee...

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  • 2005
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    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    6.664 2005 HD

    Mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a...

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  • 2000
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    Bamboozled

    Bamboozled

    6.2 2000 HD

    Frustrated when network brass reject his sitcom idea, producer Pierre Delacroix pitches the worst idea he can think of in an attempt to get fired: a...

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  • 2006
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    Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

    Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

    6.362 2006 HD

    The fastest man on four wheels, Ricky Bobby is one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. A big, hairy American winning machine, Ricky has...

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  • 2003
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    The Italian Job

    The Italian Job

    6.774 2003 HD

    Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a lifetime. The one thing that he didn't plan on was being double-crossed. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous...

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  • 2003
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    Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!

    Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!

    8 2003 HD

    This documentary praises comedian Richard Pryor by showing fragments of various shows Pryor made and having famous comedians talk about the...

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  • 2004
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    The Woodsman

    The Woodsman

    6.897 2004 HD

    After twelve years in prison, Walter returns home. His family has abandoned him, save for his brother-in-law. Few know he's a sex offender and...

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  • 2006
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    Journey to the End of the Night

    Journey to the End of the Night

    5.9 2006 HD

    In a dark and decadent area of São Paulo, the exiled Americans Rosso and his son Paul own a brothel. Paul is a compulsive gambler addicted in...

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  • 1997
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    Ghosts

    Ghosts

    8 1997 HD

    In the town of Normal Valley, an eccentric magician named Maestro entertains the local children every day in his spooky mansion. One stormy night,...

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  • 2002
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    Brown Sugar

    Brown Sugar

    6.7 2002 HD

    Sidney and Dre can attribute their lifelong friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant... witnessing the birth of...

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  • 2001
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    Carmen: A Hip Hopera

    Carmen: A Hip Hopera

    6.3 2001 HD

    An engaged Philadelphia policeman falls in love with a beautiful woman while dealing with a corrupt superior.

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  • 2021
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    You're Watching Video Music Box

    You're Watching Video Music Box

    6.4 2021 HD

    The untold story of the world’s longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists like...

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  • 2009
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    Next Day Air

    Next Day Air

    5.2 2009 HD

    Two inept criminals are mistakenly delivered a package of cocaine and think they've hit the jackpot, triggering a series of events that changes ten...

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  • 2000
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    Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

    Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

    6.9 2000 HD

    From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational...

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  • 2011
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    Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

    Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

    7.122 2011 HD

    Having forged a 20-year run as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time, the Queens NY collective known as 'A Tribe...

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  • 2023
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    Part of Me

    Part of Me

    1 2023 HD

    This is the story of the appreciation, respect and fondness of musician, actor and activist Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) for Spanish-Moroccan painter...

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  • 2023
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    Gorillaz | MTV World Stage

    Gorillaz | MTV World Stage

    8 2023 HD

    Performing live from the Tonhalle, Dusseldorf, Germany. Gorillaz played live in this unique classical venue to an intimate audience.

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  • 1988
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    God Bless the Child

    God Bless the Child

    6.3 1988 HD

    Single mother, Theresa Johnson, becomes homeless, loses her job and tries to survive with her young daughter, Hillary, through charities and public...

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  • 1998
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    Where's Marlowe?

    Where's Marlowe?

    5.7 1998 HD

    After making a disastrous 3-hour documentary on New York City's water supply, two young filmmakers focus on the goings-on of life in the LA offices...

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  • 2005
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    Lackawanna Blues

    Lackawanna Blues

    6.3 2005 HD

    In a story fueled by rhythm and blues, a young boy's life is shaped by love and the stories of a cast of characters in the boarding house where he...

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  • 2008
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    In Prison My Whole Life

    In Prison My Whole Life

    1 2008 HD

    William Francome is a fairly typical, white middle-class guy. Typical except for the fact that he is about to embark on a journey into the dark heart...

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  • 2000
    imgMovies

    Island of the Dead

    Island of the Dead

    3.4 2000 HD

    Stranded on a deserted island, a group of people struggle to survive against a swarm of supernatural flies.

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  • 2013
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    Life of Crime

    Life of Crime

    5.7 2013 HD

    Two common criminals get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer who shows no interest in paying...

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  • 2013
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    Begin Again

    Begin Again

    7.239 2013 HD

    Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive,...

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  • 2010
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    Bouncing Cats

    Bouncing Cats

    1 2010 HD

    This documentary follows the efforts of Abraham "Abramz" Tekya and Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to use dance to empower youth in war-torn Uganda....

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  • 2013
    imgMovies

    Standard Operating Procedure

    Standard Operating Procedure

    1 2013 HD

    Yasiin Bey appears in a video demonstrating the Standard Operating Procedure for force-feeding prisoners on hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay.

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  • 2022
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    Hargrove

    Hargrove

    7 2022 HD

    Jazz trumpet legend Roy Hargrove, deemed by his peers as a musical prophet, up close and personal like you have never seen him before. The film...

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  • 2012
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    Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

    Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

    6.6 2012 HD

    SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of...

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  • 2008
    imgMovies

    Cadillac Records

    Cadillac Records

    7.145 2008 HD

    The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends,...

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  • 2016
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    French Tour

    French Tour

    5.4 2016 HD

    Far’Hook is a 20-year-old rapper. Following a violent dispute with a rival, he’s forced to leave Paris for a while. His producer, Bilal,...

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  • 2015
    imgMovies

    Amy

    Amy

    7.6 2015 HD

    A documentary on the life of Amy Winehouse, the immensely talented yet doomed songstress. We see her from her teen years, where she already showed...

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  • 2008
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    Prince Among Slaves

    Prince Among Slaves

    6 2008 HD

    Abdul Rahman, an African prince who was sold into slavery, spent four decades in servitude before an amazing coincidence took him to the White House...

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  • 2003
    imgMovies

    Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

    Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

    1 2003 HD

    Gil Scott-Heron was one of the most influential musicians and poets of the last 50 years. In Don Letts's documentary, Gil tells his own story for the...

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  • 2006
    imgMovies

    Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops

    Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops

    1 2006 HD

    A documentary on the secret dossiers that police, FBI, and task agencies have compiled on hip-hop performers and industry executives.

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  • 2002
    imgMovies

    Showtime

    Showtime

    5.533 2002 HD

    A spoof of buddy cop movies where two very different cops are forced to team up on a new reality based T.V. cop show.

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  • 2019
    imgMovies

    Gorillaz: Reject False Icons

    Gorillaz: Reject False Icons

    7.6 2019 HD

    Focused on the life of the band and their collaborators over the 3 vital years in which they developed critically acclaimed albums, 'Humanz' and 'The...

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  • 2020
    imgMovies

    Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

    Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

    7.2 2020 HD

    An outstanding lineup of entertainers gathers in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to salute Dave Chappelle, recipient of the 22nd annual Mark Twain...

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  • 2010
    imgMovies

    The Making of Plastic Beach

    The Making of Plastic Beach

    1 2010 HD

    A documentary about the production, recording and development of Gorillaz' third studio album, Plastic Beach.

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  • 2021
    imgMovies

    Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light

    Peculiar Contrast, Perfect Light

    1 2021 HD

    My Blackest self, whose whitest death, is luxury. I am no stranger anymore. The world is love to me.

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  • 2005
    imgMovies

    Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

    Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

    1 2005 HD

    An in-depth examination of the complete production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).

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  • 1992
    imgMovies

    Split Images

    Split Images

    1 1992 HD

    A journalist knows more about a grizzly murder than is good for her. All her evidence points toward a mysterious millionaire but no one will believe...

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  • 2008
    imgMovies

    Passaic Mosaic

    Passaic Mosaic

    1 2008 HD

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  • 2003
    imgS3 E3

    Chappelle's Show

    Chappelle's Show

    8 2003 HD

    Dave Chappelle's singular point of view is unleashed through a combination of laidback stand-up and street-smart sketches.

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  • 2003
    imgS23 E53

    Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    5.5 2003 HD

    Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.

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  • 1996
    imgS6 E22

    Spin City

    Spin City

    7 1996 HD

    Workaholic Mike Flaherty is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's key strategist and much-needed handler. Mike runs...

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  • 1997
    imgS28 E39

    The View

    The View

    4.4 1997 HD

    ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, currently featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro...

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  • 2001
    imgS5 E26

    My Wife and Kids

    My Wife and Kids

    7.426 2001 HD

    Michael Kyle is a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three...

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  • 2005
    imgS4 E10

    The Boondocks

    The Boondocks

    8.131 2005 HD

    When Robert “Granddad” Freeman becomes legal guardian to his two grandsons, he moves from the tough south side of Chicago to the upscale...

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  • 2005
    imgS11 E73

    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

    6.8 2005 HD

    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson, who is the third...

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  • 1994
    imgS1 E18

    The Cosby Mysteries

    The Cosby Mysteries

    5.3 1994 HD

    The Cosby Mysteries was an American television mystery series that starred Bill Cosby. It is the first television series to star Cosby since The...

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  • 1997
    imgS1 E22

    Brooklyn South

    Brooklyn South

    9.7 1997 HD

    An American ensemble police drama series following the life of police officers from the 74th Precinct in southern Brooklyn, New York City.

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  • 1992
    imgS1 E12

    Here and Now

    Here and Now

    6 1992 HD

    Here and Now is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 19, 1992 to January 2, 1993. The series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner...

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  • 1990
    imgS1 E6

    You Take the Kids

    You Take the Kids

    6 1990 HD

    You Take the Kids is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from December 1990 to January 1991. The series stars Nell Carter, who also performed the...

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  • 2006
    imgS8 E12

    Dexter

    Dexter

    8.195 2006 HD

    Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police also leads a secret life as a serial killer, hunting down criminals who...

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  • 2004
    imgS8 E22

    House

    House

    8.59 2004 HD

    Dr. Gregory House, a drug-addicted, unconventional, misanthropic medical genius, leads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional...

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  • 1956
    imgS61 E2

    Tony Awards

    Tony Awards

    5 1956 HD

    The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The...

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  • 2022
    imgS1 E3

    jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

    jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

    6.8 2022 HD

    The lives of an emerging superstar and a filmmaker intertwine in this intense, intimate docuseries charting Kanye West's career, filmed over two...

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  • 2001
    imgS3 E11

    The Proud Family

    The Proud Family

    7.8 2001 HD

    Follow the adventures and misadventures of Penny, a 14-year-old African American girl who's doing her best to navigate through the early years of...

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  • 1975
    imgS50 E10

    Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

    6.936 1975 HD

    A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture...

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  • 2003
    imgS22 E36

    Real Time with Bill Maher

    Real Time with Bill Maher

    6.012 2003 HD

    Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's...

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  • 1992
    imgS17 E5

    HBO First Look

    HBO First Look

    4.9 1992 HD

    HBO First Look is an American television show on HBO that chronicles up and coming movies. It first started in 1992 with a documentary on A League of...

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