After weeks of speculation, Laila! Smith has confirmed that she is, in fact, the daughter of Mos Def, also known as Yasiin Bey.
In an interview with Angela Yee on Thursday, the 18-year-old talked about everything from her music to her famous dad.
Speaking of her budding music career, she said, “I’ve always known what I’ve wanted to do this with my life. I’ve always wanted to make music. I always wrote songs, I always was singing.”
She continued, “I think a lot of my heart and soul is in R&B. I’ve been really inspired when it comes to R&B. I want to give people a sense of nostalgia and relatability while making it fresh, fun, and different.”
During the interview, Laila! expressed gratitude for the support from her parents, Mos Def and her mom, who also manages her.
“I’m so blessed because I’ve had parents, family, and a support system, especially my parents, they have always been so supportive of everything I’ve wanted to do. They’ve never questioned what I wanted to do.”
When asked why no one knew Mos Def was her dad until now, she explained, “I just never led with it because I just didn’t want my talent to be diminished.”
“I’m proud of my family, I’m proud of who my dad is. [I’m my] own person, I’m my own artist, and I just didn’t think that was something I had to mention to get people to care about my music or care about who I am. And he’s very proud of me. He’s super, super proud of me,” she added.
Just found out she’s Mos Def’s daughter. https://t.co/GWBM3MmkXw pic.twitter.com/nxPjMa7DAd
— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) June 14, 2024
As for her viral song, “Not My Problem”, Laila! is thrilled with the positive response it’s receiving.
Explaining the song’s inspiration, she shared, “I was just like, “You know what, some things just aren’t your problem. There are certain things that people project on you, try to make you internalize about yourself or feel bad about yourself, and it’s just like, some things are just not my problem.”
Her official project called, “Gap year”, is set to be released in September.
