Derek A. McKinney...

...is a native of Oakland, CA. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in 1994 and went on to work for Motown and MCA Records for several years where he worked on albums for Boys II Men, Johnny Gill, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight, K-Ci & JoJo, New Edition and The Roots, to name a few. He is a multi-instrumentalist and has toured the world and written and produced in almost every genre of music. Over the last decade he has composed film scores for a host of independent features and shorts, and worked as an arranger for the world-renowned bassist and composer Stanley Clarke (Boyz N The Hood, The Transporter, Romeo Must Die). His vast experience in so many genres of music lends to a wide range of textures and moods ideal for film. His latest credits include writing original music for the NatGeoTV special "Inside America's Money Vault", "Bridging The Gap: The State of Black Relationships", and the Equity Entertainment documentary "Tupac Shakur: Tha Early Years".

Recent music placements include the TV series Pawn Stars (History), Mob Wives (VH1) & Closer To Truth (PBS).