Doc McKinney

Martin "Doc" McKinney (born August 27, 1971) is a Canadian-American record producer and songwriter. He was formerly one half of the duo (now solo act) Esthero. McKinney is widely credited with developing The Weeknd's sound as well as producing his mixtapes House of Balloons and Thursday; and executive producing and producing the majority of his third album Starboy, which earned McKinney the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Life and career Born in Canada and raised in Minneapolis, McKinney was exposed to the Twin Cities indie scene. During his adolescent years, McKinney played in various punk rock and hip hop based groups. While the cities' most influential contributions came out of the 1980s, McKinney was immersed in the music scene of that decade. – which led him to becoming one half of the then duo. The introduction was headed up by then EMI Publishing President, Michael McCarty. After producing and writing all the music to their entire breakthrough album Breath From Another, McKinney left the group and Esthero kept the groups name and became a solo act. She remained with Sony until 2000 when she was released from contract and went on to sign with Warner/Reprise where she was ultimately released again from the contract. McKinney has since worked with Santi White (Santigold) on various projects, including her 2008 release of her Solid Gold Mixtape.

Since then, McKinney has had the opportunity to work with Sting, Drake, Kelis, Dr. Dre, G-Love, Raphael Saadiq, Mary J. Blige, Sinéad O'Connor, Alice Smith, Amanda Blank, Trouble Andrew, Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest), Hawksley Workman as well as Latin artists Belinda, RBD and Debi Nova.

Personal life McKinney is a supporter of War Child (charity), GEM's – Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, and Red Hot Organization (AIDS Awareness). As an appreciation of his support, he donates his work as a producer/songwriter/engineer.

Selected production discography Release date Album title Artist Song titles Label 1995 Single k-os Rise Like The Sun Independent 1998 Breath from Another Esthero All Songs Work/Sony Music 2001 How I Do RES All Songs MCA/Universal 2002 Red Hot and Riot Kelis So Be It Red Hot MCA 2002 Instant Vintage Raphael Saadiq Tek 2 Pookie Universal Music 2002 Sex Sells Stiffed Wathca Gonna Go Nighttime Lovin Coolhunter/Ryko 2003 Lover, Fighter Hawksley Workman Smoke Baby Isadora Records/Universal Records 2003 Peace Songs k-os Livin In A World Corrupt Isadora Records/Universal Music 2004 Sacred Love Sting (musician) feat. will.i.am Stolen Car (Remix) Interscope Records/Universal Music 2005 Wikked Lil' Grrrls Esthero Wikked Lil Grrrls If Tha Mood Fastlane Bad Boy Clyde Reprise/Wea 2005 Burned Again Stiffed (band) Run Outlook 2006 Utopia Belinda (entertainer) Contigo O Sin Ti EMI/Televisa 2007 Buck The World Young Buck feat. Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) Slow Ya Roll G-Unit/Interscope Records/Universal Records 2008 Solid Gold Mixtape Santigold Guns of Brooklyn Downtown Records/Universal Records 2008 Between The Beautifuls Hawksley Workman Prettier Face Piano Blink Isadora Records/Universal Records 2008 Los Manlicious Hawksley Workman Pretty Girls Lonely People In My Blood Fatty Wants to Dance Prettier Face Piano Blink Isadora Records/Universal Records 2009 Call and Response Maroon 5 Best That We Break (Remix) Interscope Records/Universal Records 2009 Shame On Me Amanda Blank I Love You Downtown Records/Universal Records 2009 Para Olvdarte De Mi RBD Camino Al Sol EMI/Telivisa 2009 Girls Educational and Mentoring Services Mary J. Blige and Sinéad O'Connor This Is To Mother You Independent 2010 Luna Nueva Debi Nova We Were Young Don't Wanna Forget Decca Records/Universal Records 2010 Dreams of a Troubled Man Trouble Andrew Stop Me Condition Wasted Cadillac Flaunts It Oh No Virgin Records 2010 Stray Bullets Cee Lo Green "Champain" Mixtape 2011 House of Balloons The Weeknd Producer Independent 2011 Thursday The Weeknd Producer Independent 2011 Take Care Drake "The Ride" Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic 2011 Shake It Out Florence and The Machine "Shake it Out" The Weeknd Remix Island Records 2011 Free Download The Weeknd "Trust Issues" The Weeknd Remix Independent 2012 TBD Yadi " Guillotine Remix" Warner UK 2012 Trilogy The Weeknd Producer/Executive Producer XO, Universal Republic 2014 Free Download Spooky Black "Reason" Independent 2016 Starboy The Weeknd Executive Producer XO, Universal Republic 2019 Non-album track JoJo Sabotage Warner Records, Clover Music 2020 Good to Know JoJo So Bad Lonely Hearts Warner Records, Clover Music