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Derek Johnson, Jr., better known by his stage name Derek Minor and former stage name PRo, (born December 16, 1984) is an American Christian hip hop artist, record producer, entrepreneur, actor, and screenwriter. He co-founded the hip-hop record label Reflection Music Group (RMG) with Doc Watson, and signed to Reach Records in a joint venture between the two labels in 2011. In 2012, Johnson announced that he had changed his stage name from Pro to Derek Minor. In 2014, he announced that as his two-album contract with Reach was complete, he would no longer be publishing releases through that label.

He is a founding member of the hip-hop group R.M.G. on Reflection, and is also a member of the Reach hip-hop collective 116 Clique. Johnson has released six studio albums and six mixtapes as a solo artist, as well as one studio album each with the groups R.M.G. and 116 Clique. His second studio album, Redemption, charted at No. 8 on the BillboardGospel chart and No. 31 on the Billboard Top Christian chart. His third studio album, Dying to Live, debuted at No. 66 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Top Christian chart, No. 2 on the Gospel Albums chart, No. 7 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and No. 11 on the Top Rap chart. His fourth album, Minorville, released in 2013 debuted at No. 5 on Billboard's Rap Albums chart and No. 7 on the Top Christian chart. He partnered with Entertainment One to release his fifth album, Empire, that debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Rap Albums chart and No. 1 on the Top Christian chart. His sixth album, Reflection, entered the Billboard Rap Albums chart at No. 5 and the Top Christian chart at No. 7. Reflection's single "Change the World" featuring Hollyn reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot AC/CHR chart.

Johnson's film and television work includes the three-part webseries "Dying to Live" and the short documentary films Redemption and Welcome to the Family Documentary. 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 Tennesseewith his mother. His relationship with his birth father was distant, and his relationship with his stepfather became increasingly tense. Furthermore, Johnson's stepfather was a drug user while his mother was a strict, devout Christian with a rigorous work schedule and homelife. Johnson decided to help his mother by becoming rich through either education or music.

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. Johnson's father, a jazz musician, provided the inspiration for him to go into music. When Johnson was 12, he visited his father in the summer and started rapping about God and adolescence, with his father producing beats with an Ensoniq ASR-10. Johnson was also introduced to DJ Quik that summer, and went home with piles of tapes.

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. His mother helped him by buying him production equipment, and by the time he entered college, Johnson was in a rap duo and got a job to pay for studio time. He graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Recording Industry Management. 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. While on the label, he released a mix tape, but the company folded and his life took a turn for the worse. Removed from his strict home environment, Johnson rebelled. He pursued music, women and money until '"the season of death"' shook up his life. Within a short time span, Johnson lost his grandfather, grandmother and godmother. This loss sparked a realization of the fleeting nature of life, and Johnson decided to dedicate his life and talents to God.

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. Johnson released his debut album The Blackout in 2008. According to DaSouth.com, the "braggidocious, swagtastic approach" that Johnson took on the album met with controversy in the Christian hip hop community. Johnson took a break from rapping, and was challenged and influenced by a new friend, BJ, that he met at his new church in Memphis, Tennessee, and was further challenged by Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae. Johnson reflected that his first album was mostly about haters and how good an emcee he was, and was convinced that it should have been more focused on God. In January 2010, Johnson released the mixtape PSA, which he considers his first full-length installment of "mature" Christian music. That year, Johnson went on the "Urban Missionary Tour" with Thi'sl, k-Drama, and J'Son, including a stop in the United Kingdom. In preparation for his second studio album, Redemption, Johnson wrote a short autobiographical film entitled "Redemption", and it was released as a web film in May. The album Redemption was released July 13, 2010, and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums and No. 31 on the Top Christian Albums charts. 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. Also in August, Johnson received a write-up in Jet and was featured on the front page of the magazine's website.

On January 25, 2011, Reach Recordsannounced that it had signed Johnson as a joint venture with Reflection Music Group, and the same day Johnson released the single "116", featuring KB. On March 8, Johnson released the mixtape PSA: Vol. 2. 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. In the months of August and October, Pro toured with 116 Clique as part of the group's "Man Up" campaign. On August 9, Reach Records released the web gameAltered Pro, a zombie game based off the Sega classic Altered Beast. The full-length studio album, Dying to Live, was released on August 23. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart, No. 2 on the Gospel Albums chart, No. 7 on the Independent Albums, No. 11 on the Rap Albums chart and No. 66 on the Billboard200. The album was also the featured banner on the iTunes homepage as well in the Christian & Religious and Hip Hop/Rap departments. In September, Johnson performed at the 2011 Flavor Fest, and on September 27, 2011, the album Man Up by 116 Clique was released. In October, Johnson was included with Braille and 116 Clique as some of the artists in the iTunes Indie Spotlight for hip hop music.

In February 2012, Reflection Music Group announced the formation of the hip-hop group R.M.G., consisting of the artists Pro, Canon, Tony Tillman (formerly known as Brothatone), and Chad Jones (formerly known as Conviction). With this announcement came the release of R.M.G.'s debut single "Geeked Up" on February 21. On March 21, the group released an online documentary film entitled "Welcome to the Family Documentary" in preparation for its debut album Welcome to the Family, which was released March 27.

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. On August 6, 2012, Johnson revealed the cover art for his upcoming mixtape, PSA Vol. 3: Who Is Derek Minor?, and with it revealed that he had changed his stage name from Pro to Derek Minor. From October through November, Johnson toured with 116 Clique on the "Unashamed 2012: Come Alive" tour. 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.

In an interview with Rapzilla on May 5, 2013, Kyle Dettman, video director for Reach Records, revealed that Reach Records is preparing promotional material for Derek Minor's upcoming album Minorville. On June 6, 2013, Minor released a lyric video for a single from Minorville, "Dear Mr. Christian" featuring Dee-1 and Lecrae, followed by an actual release of the single the next day. Later, on June 21, Reach Records released the album cover for Minorville by a video showing the album cover making-process, and also announced the release date, September 10, 2013. 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 album debuted at No. 40 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Gospel Albums Chart, No. 2 on the Christian Albums Chart, No. 6 on the Independent Albums Chart and No. 6 on the Rap Albums Chart, making it his best chart performing album to date.

On March 18, 2014, Rapzilla announced that Derek Minor had parted ways with Reach Records, as his two-album contract with Reach had expired. Minor was quoted, "I've grown as an artist, business owner and a man. 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."

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. On October 22, 2014, it was announced that Derek Minor had signed a distribution deal with Entertainment One. The first single off the album "Who You Know" was released on November 14, 2014. The second single "Party People" featuring Social Club was released on December 9, 2014. Empire was released on January 27, 2015. The album debuted at No. 54 on the Billboard200.

On July 29, 2016, he announced that he would be releasing his sixth studio album, Reflection, on October 14, 2016. A few days later he released a free EP, 1014, to those who pre-ordered the album. Refection debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, No. 5 on the Rap Albums chart, and No. 15 on the Independent Albums chart. His music video for Reflection album cut "Until I'm Gone" featuring B.J. the Chicago Kid premiered on Billboard.com. The visual for "Look at Me Now" premiered on BET.com.

In February 2017, his song "Change the World" featuring Hollyn reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot AC/CHR chart. That same month, Minor embarked on the Rock and Worship Roadshow with Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, Rend Collective, Passion and others. In the spring of 2017, broadcast of the We Love Christian Music Awards, Minor's Reflection album received the Rap/Urban Album of the Year honor.

In mid-2017, Minor premiered the stand-alone single "Fresh Prince" on HipHopSince1987.

His next installment of music was the Up and Away series, which featured four projects: the EPs "Your Soul Must Fly" and "High Above," which dropped in the fall of 2017, and The Trap and By Any Means, due out in 2018. The titles form a sentence, "Your soul must fly high above the trap by any means."

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KyleDeWolf1985

We've got to tackle the structural sins that lead people to make bad choices... The widespread poverty, violence, discrimination, unemployment, breakdown of the family structure.  The culture does not welcome the child into the world.  It's not enough for pro-life people to get defensive about their intentions.  We must accept the challenge to defend life from conception to natural death... This requires the Church to take a strong social witness on all the issues that affect the decision to choose life.  I do not feel like this artist is condoning abortion... He speaks of the people making money off it... He's just challenging people to make their concern more than just a political slogan when it's convenient to sway an election... Show your concern in everyday life, in your actions, in standing beside and fighting alongside the poor for justice... Jesus is with the unwed mother in the waiting room of the abortion clinic.  Jesus is challenging us, What are you doing to help this woman make a better choice?  What are you doing to offer a better choice for her child?  Now is not the time for defensive or angry words. 

Edited by KyleDeWolf1985
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32 minutes ago, KyleDeWolf1985 said:

I do not feel like this artist is condoning abortion...

it sounds like he is making excuses, or justifying it.   It may should like I'm  casting  the first stone, for that I apologize.

 I've lived in abject poverty most of my life, I know what it is to want.

 I try to head the word of Lord, Jesus.  however, I'm a sinner and a hipocrate  too, at times.

  “Go ahead and stone her because that is what the Law requires. But the Law also requires that the first stone be thrown by a person who is sinless in connection with this charge” (John 8:6–7).

 

 

 

BTW:    i'am not black but there is a whole bunch of time I wish I could say i'am not white, Frank Zappa

 

 

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I’m white, but not a racist. In fact I was almost murdered by white supremacists for standing up to them. 

I was raised as poor as any kid in America can be. Didn’t stop me from getting an education. Didn’t make me become a thug. 

I’m pro-life. I’ve fought against abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. We take in kids with fetal alcohol, sometimes at a real cost in money, emotion, and even physical safety. 

I do this stuff because I’m Catholic. I put my money where my mouth is, and I’m not alone. I am just one of a great many Catholics who do. 

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5 hours ago, CatherineM said:

I’m white, but not a racist. In fact I was almost murdered by white supremacists for standing up to them. 

I was raised as poor as any kid in America can be. Didn’t stop me from getting an education. Didn’t make me become a thug. 

I’m pro-life. I’ve fought against abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. We take in kids with fetal alcohol, sometimes at a real cost in money, emotion, and even physical safety. 

I do this stuff because I’m Catholic. I put my money where my mouth is, and I’m not alone. I am just one of a great many Catholics who do. 

God Bless. I've never thought you were racist nor have you ever posted anything to give the slightest indication that you were. Thanks for all you do to help others. You inspire me to remain Catholic and help others as well.

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Ash Wednesday

Whoa whoa whoa. 

I just came back from a nice vacation to see a bunch of reports for personal attacks. Cool it.

People need to find more constructive ways of navigating differing opinions and interpretations of these things without getting angry and throwing insults. Nobody is going to gain or learn anything from that. People can disagree and calmly discuss why without being hostile. God bless.

Man sometimes I feel like the boring librarian around here telling everyone to keep it down.

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If you look at the way it went down Little2Add (Great name btw) *Trump Voice* came in my thread and insinuated a Christian rappers lyrics were "sick" with a waving no finger graphic. I called Little2Add a racist because in the past I've read blatenly racist posts from this person. Yes in 2018 there are still racist people. I often hear the argument made theres no such thing as racism in 2018. I've read this countless times on Catholic Answers. Well there is. Little2Add's Phatmass persona has spewed it at times in the past. Not talking about this person outside of Phatmass just on here. Also worth noting the poster never denies it. Little2Add isn't the the only poster on Phatmass I've read blatantly racist remarks from. I reacted because the poster felt the need to jump in my thread and call a black Christian rappers lyric "sick". Not surprising since I've been told by other Catholics here I shouldn't listen to any Christian rappers (which are mostly black and from poverty) because they're not Catholic. Fortunately I don't listen to idiotic advice from someone who thinks their religion makes them better and an expert on everything. So give me a warning or whatever you need to do. I stand by my comment and don't take it back.

Edited by Guest
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44 minutes ago, Josh said:

Little2Add (Great name btw)

Thanks :hehe2:

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Woke     

 

Quote

 (*some cursing*)

Videos with cursing (mature content) are not allowed for viewing directly on here. Though you could probably be permitted to post an external link if there's a language warning. 
-Love, your friendly neighborhood Mehs. :ninja:

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On 7/25/2018 at 11:37 AM, Josh said:

Committing sin we gotta live

Living in sin is no way to live

On 7/25/2018 at 11:37 AM, Josh said:

the government treat us like cancer (cancer)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalien- able Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—

God bless America

On 7/25/2018 at 11:37 AM, Josh said:

The Fortune 500 won't hire me
So we create our own economies
With dope money, yeah, our salary
Just to feed our families

no excuse for drug dealing

Edited by little2add
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Where? --- "in Christ"

John 12:44-50 

Jesus Came to Save the World

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Edited by little2add
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On 7/29/2018 at 7:25 PM, little2add said:

2_E77_DE07-7_F35-4_DA5-9_F9_D-6_AE5_C4_A

 

 

I asked you to not post in my thread but you're not respecting my request. I'll ask you once again.

And I don't hate Trump. I try not to hate anyone. I'm watching his rally in PA as I type this. I actually think Trump is hilarious. I also love his taste in women. There's other things I like. There's a ton I don't like as well.

If you don't mind let this be our last exchange in this thread. Start your own and I will stay out of it as well. Thanks. 

Edited by Guest
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