Mos Def: Tokyo No-Show ... Talent Booker Sues

Mos Def bailed on 3 shows in Japan and now the company that booked him is going after the people who struck the deal.

Light House says it booked Mos Def for two back-to-back concerts in Tokyo last September, plus a festival gig a few days later. The booking company claims to have signed a contract with Def's agents Rahman Prescott-Bey and Khalil Bey.

Light House says it paid $35k -- half of the $70k total for all 3 gigs -- months in advance, but Mos Def was a no-show in the end.

The rapper was arrested a few months later when leaving South Africa for using a "world passport" after his visa expired ... so it's possible he was having travel issues.