Kerwin Young

1970 -

About

Kerwin Young (b. 1970) is the composer of the KCPT weekly news series Ruckus. A classically trained composer, Kerwin studied music composition with Chen Yi, Zhou Long, and Bobby Watson at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance (2009-2015). The composer of five symphonies, film and television scores, and a long list of gold and platinum recordings, Kerwin's unique, multi-genre palette keeps him in high demand. Kerwin's professional career began in the late 1980's as a recording producer with the rap group Public Enemy. As a member of the Bomb Squad, and a protégé of Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Young honed his craft working on PE's Fear of a Black Planet, Ice Cube's Amerikkkaz Most Wanted, Professor Griff and the Last Asiatic Disciples' Pawns in the Game, and Luke Skywalker and the 2 Live Crews' Banned in the U.S.A. Young has produced iconic rappers as Eric B. & Rakim, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, and the Gravediggaz. As a pop recording producer, Kerwin has produced, arranged, and co-written for/with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Brown, Roy Haynes, Bobby Byrd, Eddie Kendricks, Tevin Campbell, Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, and Eddie Moore & the Outer Circle.  He's even produced posthumous recording projects for Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley.  Young has been fortunate at having several songs placed in major motion pictures: Do the Right Thing (1989), Green Card (1990), Sister Act 2 (1992), Street Fighter (1994), He Got Game (1998), and Dirty Grandpa (2016). As a member of the Bomb Squad, blockbuster features continue to include songs that the team produced, including the 2013 biography Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton, and Star Trek Beyond (2016).

 

Related Information

http://www.kerwinyoung.com

Works by Kerwin Young