Derek King

California born and bred singer Derek King is an R&B vocalist whose sexy but streetwise songs are backed with club-friendly production clearly influenced by contemporary hip-hop and electronic pop. Moving from rapping to a more flexible vocal style, King made his debut with a 2014 mixtape, and cut a handful of singles for 300 Entertainment before striking out on his own with 2018′s 1995 EP. Derek King was born in Walnut Creek, California on December 2, 1995. He spent most of his childhood in Antioch, California, and in his early teens he worked at his family’s barbecue restaurant in the nearby community of Pittsburg. King took up rapping as a hobby, but by the time was 16, he’d switched to singing and began releasing material, dropping a mixtape titled Fake I.D. in 2014, which included guest appearances from IAMSU!, Ronnie Banks, and Rayven Justice. Later that year, King landed a deal with 300 Entertainment, who released the single “Jump,” which featured contributions from Kirko Bangz and Sage the Gemini. King went out on tour with Sage, playing dates in America and the U.K. Another single followed in 2015, “Teasin’,” and King once again hit the road, this time on a bill with Kalin & Myles. A third single, “Don’t Do That,” followed in 2017. After “Don’t Do That,” King parted ways with 300 Entertainment, and in May 2018, he self-released a five-song EP 1995. ~ Mark Deming