Johnson also was featured as the title character in the video game Altered Pro, released under Reach Records.
Derek Johnson, Jr. was born in Pontiac, Michigan on December 16, 1984, but at a young age relocated to Middle Tennessee with his mother.
[2] Furthermore, Johnson's stepfather was a drug user while his mother was a strict, devout Christian with a rigorous work schedule and homelife.
[2] Johnson had grown up with music, as Gospel songs were played at his house and his mother was in choir and sang around the city.
[2] After visiting to Middle Tennessee State University at age 15, Johnson decided to enroll in the music program there and make his ambitions a reality.
[4] Johnson recalls that before he turned 21 he used a bunk bed as a mic stand and signed a record deal with an independent label.
[2] While on the label, he released a mix tape, but the company folded and his life took a turn for the worse.
[2] Johnson co-founded Reflection Music Group, then-called Christ Like Entertainment, with his friend Doc Watson, who he met while working on a second mixtape, Transformers.
[2] According to DaSouth.com, the "braggidocious, swagtastic approach" that Johnson took on the album met with controversy in the Christian hip hop community.
[6] In January 2010, Johnson released the mixtape PSA, which he considers his first full-length installment of "mature" Christian music.
[2] That year, Johnson went on the "Urban Missionary Tour" with Thi'sl, k-Drama, and J'Son, including a stop in the United Kingdom.
[11] This release was followed by an announcement in August that Johnson would be featured as a special guest on the 116 Clique "Unashamed 2010" tour, which ran October through November.
[12] Also in August, Johnson received a write-up in Jet and was featured on the front page of the magazine's website.
[16] On July 10, Johnson announced the launch of a three-part webseries "Dying to Live" to promote his upcoming studio album of the same name.
[17] In the months of August and October, Pro toured with 116 Clique as part of the group's "Man Up" campaign.
[23] The album was also the featured banner on the iTunes homepage as well in the Christian & Religious and Hip Hop/Rap departments.
[25][26] In October, Johnson was included with Braille and 116 Clique as some of the artists in the iTunes Indie Spotlight for hip hop music.
[30][31] On March 17, 2012, Johnson performed at the 2012 South by Southwest festival as part of the Reach Records showcase along with Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, Andy Mineo, and KB.
[32] On August 6, 2012, Johnson revealed the cover art for his upcoming mixtape, PSA Vol.
[34] On November 8, 2012, South by Southwest announced that Reach Records would again hold a showcase with its entire roster, including Derek Minor, in 2013.
[39] The promotion for the album continued on July 2, when Minor dropped a teaser video for a track called "In God We Trust" featuring Thi'sl.
The beauty of the relationship we've established is that business wasn't its primary agenda and I'm excited to see what the future holds for both RMG and Reach.
"[41] In October 2014 at the Dove Awards he announced that his fifth album will be titled Empire and will be released in the first quarter of 2015.
[1] That same month, Minor embarked on the Rock and Worship Roadshow with Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, Rend Collective, Passion and others.