Derek Minor facts for kids

Derek Laurence Johnson Jr., known by his stage name Derek Minor, is an American Christian hip-hop artist. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and screenwriter. He used to be known as PRo.

Derek Minor was born on December 16, 1984. He helped start a hip-hop record label called Reflection Music Group (RMG). In 2011, he joined Reach Records through a special partnership. In 2012, he changed his stage name from PRo to Derek Minor. After releasing two albums with Reach Records, he decided to release his music independently starting in 2014.

He was also a member of the hip-hop group R.M.G. and used to be part of the 116 Clique. Derek Minor has released several albums and mixtapes on his own. His music has been very successful, with many albums reaching high spots on Billboard charts. For example, his album Dying to Live was No. 1 on the Top Christian chart. His song "Change the World" even reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot AC/CHR chart.

Besides music, Derek Minor has worked on films and TV. He created a three-part webseries called "Dying to Live". He also appeared in short documentary films. He was even the main character in a video game called Altered Pro.

Life and Music Journey

Early Years

Derek Johnson Jr. was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on December 16, 1984. When he was young, he moved to Middle Tennessee with his mother. He grew up with music around him. His mother sang in a choir, and his father was a jazz musician.

When Derek was 12, he visited his father. He started rapping about God and growing up, and his father helped by making beats. This visit inspired him to pursue music.

At 15, Derek decided to study music at Middle Tennessee State University. His mother supported him by buying him equipment. He graduated in 2006 with a degree in Recording Industry Management. After college, he faced some tough times and personal losses. This made him decide to dedicate his life and talents to God through his music.

Starting Reflection Music Group (2008–2010)

Derek Johnson started Reflection Music Group (RMG) with his friend Doc Watson. At first, it was called Christ Like Entertainment. In 2008, he released his first album, The Blackout.

After this, Derek took a break and thought about his music. He realized his songs should focus more on God. In 2010, he released a mixtape called PSA, which he considered his first "mature" Christian music project. That year, he went on the "Urban Missionary Tour" with other artists.

To prepare for his second album, Redemption, he made a short film also called "Redemption". The album Redemption came out on July 13, 2010. It did well on the Billboard Gospel and Christian charts. He then joined the 116 Clique "Unashamed 2010" tour.

Joining Reach Records and Name Change (2011–2013)

On January 25, 2011, Reach Records announced they were partnering with Reflection Music Group to sign Derek. He released a song called "116" with KB that same day. He also released another mixtape, PSA: Vol. 2.

In July 2011, Derek launched a three-part webseries called "Dying to Live". This series promoted his upcoming album of the same name. His album, Dying to Live, was released on August 23. It was a big success, reaching No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart and No. 66 on the Billboard 200.

In February 2012, Reflection Music Group formed a new hip-hop group called R.M.G. It included Derek Minor, Canon, Tony Tillman, and Chad Jones. They released their first song, "Geeked Up," and a documentary film called "Welcome to the Family Documentary." Their album Welcome to the Family came out in March.

On August 6, 2012, Derek announced he was changing his stage name from PRo to Derek Minor. He then toured with 116 Clique on their "Unashamed 2012: Come Alive" tour.

In 2013, Derek Minor released his album Minorville. It featured artists like Dee-1 and Lecrae. The album was very popular, reaching No. 1 on the Gospel Albums Chart and No. 40 on the Billboard 200. In March 2014, Derek Minor announced that his contract with Reach Records had ended. He decided to continue his music journey independently.

Independent Music and New Deals (2014–Present)

In October 2014, Derek Minor announced his fifth album, Empire, would be released in 2015. He also signed a distribution deal with Entertainment One. He released singles like "Who You Know" and "Party People." Empire was released on January 27, 2015, and reached No. 54 on the Billboard 200.

On July 29, 2016, he announced his sixth album, Reflection, which came out on October 14, 2016. He also gave away a free EP called 1014 to those who pre-ordered the album. Reflection reached No. 7 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. The music video for his song "Until I'm Gone" was shown on Billboard.com.

In February 2017, his song "Change the World" featuring Hollyn became No. 1 on Billboard's Hot AC/CHR chart. He also went on the Rock and Worship Roadshow tour. His album Reflection won the Rap/Urban Album of the Year award at the We Love Christian Music Awards.

His next music projects were part of the Up and Away series. This included two EPs, Your Soul Must Fly and High Above, released in late 2017. He then released two full albums in 2018, The Trap and By Any Means. The titles together form a sentence: "Your soul must fly high above the trap by any means."

Music Albums

• The Blackout (2008)
• Redemption (2010)
• Dying to Live (2011)
• Minorville (2013)
• Empire (2015)
• Reflection (2016)
• The Trap (2018)

Films and Shows

Short Films

Webseries

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

GMA Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are given by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) to celebrate great achievements in Christian music.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are honors given by The Recording Academy for amazing achievements in the music industry.

Stellar Awards

The Stellar Awards celebrate Gospel Music artists, writers, and professionals in the U.S.

See also

In Spanish: Derek Minor para niños