Mos Def trial hits scheduling snag

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The New York trial of Mos Def has been postponed because the rapper-actor's busy agenda caused a scheduling conflict.

The "Black on Both Sides" rapper, whose real name is Dante Terrell Smith, faces charges stemming from his performance of a controversial song outside of the recent MTV Video Music Awards, AllHipHop.com reported.

The rapper and several others were arrested for performing his song, "Katrina Clap," which criticizes U.S. President George W. Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Filmmaker Theron "Tee Smif" Smith, who openly opposes both the government and the hip-hop community's handling of the situation, was also arrested.

"The observation I have is how the hip-hop community didn't publicly discuss what happened more," the director said. "In the history of hip-hop, when was the last time you saw and heard of an event when a recognized artist in hip-hop physically made a major sociopolitical statement about what's happening to black people to the world?"

The judge Wednesday ordered the defendants to return to court next week, the Web site said.