Derek Ali

Derek Ali
Derek Ali
Background information
Birth name	Derek Ali
Also known as	Derek “MixedByAli” Ali, MixedByAli, Mixed by Ali
Born	November 1, 1989 (age 35)
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	hip hop;
Occupations	Mixing engineer; Recording engineer;
Years active	2010s–present
Labels	Top Dawg Entertainment
Website	www.engineears.com
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Derek Ali (born November 1, 1989^[1]), known professionally as MixedByAli, is an American mixing engineer. His career started in Los Angeles in the late-2000s, where he began recording and mixing for artists under Top Dawg Entertainment. He initially started collaborating with other artists from the Top Dawg Entertainment roster, including Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and SZA. Over time, he broadened his portfolio by working with other prominent artists such as Bas, Nipsey Hussle, Snoop Dogg, and many more.^[2]^[3]

In 2018, he invented an online mixing program and community for mixing engineers called EngineEars which is aimed at teaching upcoming engineers techniques that will improve the quality of mixes they create and provide a world class mixing access to artists remotely.^[4]^[5]

Technique

Ali mixes "in the box" (without the use of analog gear) when working with certain audio effects, such as vocals. However, he credits a mixing console for his "crispiness". About using hardware, Ali says: "If you have the gear, I suggest you use it. How I look at this way of mixing is I feel like you're inside the computer."^[6]

About 80% of his time spent mixing is in mono, which is a method he learned from Dr. Dre.^[7]

Awards

Ali has been nominated for the Grammy Awards 6 times and has won twice.^[8]

Nominations

2012: Album of the Year – good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
2015: Album of the Year – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
2017: Album of the Year – DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
2017: Record of the Year – “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar

Wins

2015: Best Rap Album – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
2018: Record of the Year – “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

Discography

2021: Brockhampton – Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine^[9]
2020: Spillage Village – Spilligion^[10]
2020: Glass Animals – "Space Ghost Coast to Coast"
2018: Bas – Milky Way^[11]
2018: Jay Rock – Redemption^[12]
2018: Childish Gambino – "This Is America"^[13]
2018: Cardi B – "She Bad"^[14]
2018: Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap^[15]
2018: Kendrick Lamar – "Redemption" and "Big Shot"
2018: Arin Ray – Platinum Fire
2017: SZA – Ctrl
2017: Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.^[16]
2015: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly^[17]
2012: Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city^[18]
2012: ScHoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions
2012: Ab-Soul – Control System
2011: ScHoolboy Q – Setbacks
2011: Ab-Soul – Longterm Mentality
2011: Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
2011: Jay Rock – Follow Me Home
2010: Kendrick Lamar – Overly Dedicated

Mentors

Though Ali was introduced to mixing DAWs like Pro Tools by Punch and Dave Free, his most notable professional teacher is Dr. Dre whom he served under as an intern.

References

^ "18 Questions With 30 Under 30 Audio Engineer MixedByAli". Forbes. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
^ "DEREK ALI, THE MAN BEHIND KENDRICK'S SOUND". OZY. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
^ "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". Sound on Sound. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
^ "How Top Dawg Entertainment's MixedByAli Is Transitioning From Audio Engineer To Entrepreneur". Forbes. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
^ "Audio Engineering Pro Tips with Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali". NAMM. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
^ "Mixing Vocals – MixedByAli". YouTube. October 10, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
^ "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
^ "Past Winners Search". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
^ "Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine/ BROCKHAMPTON". Tidal. April 9, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ "Spilligion / Spillage Village". Tidal. September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
^ Bas (August 24, 2018). "Milky Way full credits". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
^ "Digital Booklet – Redemption" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
^ "This Is America / Childish Gambino". Tidal. May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
^
*"Invasion of Privacy / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. April 6, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- "Money / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. October 23, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ Z. Yeung, Neil. "Victory Lap – Nipsey Hussle". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
^ "DAMN. digital booklet". Scribd. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
^ "To Pimp a Butterfly – Credits". AllMusic. Interscope Records. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
^ "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar". AllMusic. Credits. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.

External links

[1] on Discogs
[2] on MusicBrainz
[3] on AllMusic

[1] "18 Questions With 30 Under 30 Audio Engineer MixedByAli". Forbes. Retrieved April 6, 2019.

[2] "DEREK ALI, THE MAN BEHIND KENDRICK'S SOUND". OZY. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.

[3] "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". Sound on Sound. Retrieved April 8, 2019.

[4] "How Top Dawg Entertainment's MixedByAli Is Transitioning From Audio Engineer To Entrepreneur". Forbes. Retrieved April 8, 2019.

[5] "Audio Engineering Pro Tips with Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali". NAMM. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.

[6] "Mixing Vocals – MixedByAli". YouTube. October 10, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.

[7] "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.

[grammy-8] "Past Winners Search". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 6, 2019.

[Brock-9] "Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine/ BROCKHAMPTON". Tidal. April 9, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[Tidal-10] "Spilligion / Spillage Village". Tidal. September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2020.

[credits-11] Bas (August 24, 2018). "Milky Way full credits". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2018.

[Booklet-12] "Digital Booklet – Redemption" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.

[13] "This Is America / Childish Gambino". Tidal. May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.

[tidal-14] *"Invasion of Privacy / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. April 6, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
"Money / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. October 23, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.

[15] "Money / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. October 23, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.

[AllMusic-15] Z. Yeung, Neil. "Victory Lap – Nipsey Hussle". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2018.

[16] "DAMN. digital booklet". Scribd. Retrieved June 10, 2025.

[17] "To Pimp a Butterfly – Credits". AllMusic. Interscope Records. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2025.

[18] "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar". AllMusic. Credits. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.

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