Derek, The Prodigal Son

about

Derek Hooten was born on September 18, 1971 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Always having a gift for music, Derek shocked his parents with his musical abilities when he began playing various songs that he taught himself on a recorder instrument at a very young age. Derek always played musical instruments from elementary school through high school, which included the clarinet, the saxophone, drums, and percussion. After graduating from high school, Derek acquired a love for writing lyrics in the form of poetry and hip-hop music. Motivated by his older brother Chuck, he learned the basics of studio recording and live performances. As a college student working two jobs, Derek continued to pursue his dream of success in hip-hop music by helping form a group called The Derelics. Without a producer, Derek and his brother Chuck saved money to purchase their first piece of equipment, a keyboard/sampler sequencer. Derek would stay up for hours mastering the equipment and creating musical tracks for the group to rap to. Through hard work and determination, the group obtained notoriety in the Cincinnati area through performances and competitions. Along the way, he continued to save money to purchase more musical equipment to perfect his sound. While producing and writing on occasion, Derek began spending more time reading the Bible and praying. Baptized at 8 years old, he never forgot about his background of attending church regularly and his mother's religious ways of raising him and

top songs

albums

Poetic Preachin'

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Real Talk

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