Laila! has confirmed what many have long suspected: Yasiin Bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def, is indeed her father.
In a recent interview with Complex’s Jordan Rose, the 18-year-old artist spoke openly about her famous parent.
“Yes, he is my dad, y’all. The rumors are true; no, I’m kidding. But yes, he’s my dad. He’s my dad,” Laila! said with a laugh, putting to rest any speculation about her lineage.
The confirmation came via her Instagram Stories, where she tagged her father and shared a playful message: “lmaooooooo dad the rumors are true @yasiinbey.”
Although Laila! couldn’t pinpoint specific musical lessons learned from her father, she fondly recalled how he has always recognized her unique artistic style.
“I kind of just always been my own, like, artist in a way,” she explained. “Whenever we would jam out and vibe, I always had my own style, and he’s always just been like, ‘Okay kid, I see you.'”
In an interview on Way Up with Angela Yee, Laila! praised her parents for their unwavering support of her music career. Her mother, Jessica Chong, serves as her “momager,” and Laila! expressed her gratitude for the strong family backing she has received.
“I’m so blessed because I’ve had parents and family and a support system, but especially my parents, they’ve always been so supportive of everything that I’ve wanted to do,” she said.
“They never question what I want to do. My mom, my dad, you guys have always just been like, ‘Okay, that’s what she’s gonna do. That’s Laila!’ And I feel like that’s always made me feel like I can take on the world.”
Laila! emphasized her desire to establish herself as an artist in her own right, apart from her father’s influence.
“I just never led with it because I didn’t want my talent to be diminished,” she said. “I’m proud of my family, proud of who my dad is, but I didn’t think that mentioning it was necessary for people to care about my music.”
