Carlos McKinney

Carlos McKinney (born January 10, 1973), known professionally as Los Da Mystro, is an American record producer and jazz pianist.

Biography
McKinney was born into a prominent Detroit jazz family; he is a nephew to pianist Harold McKinney, bassist Ray McKinney, trombonist Bernard McKinney (Kiane Zawadi), and drummers Earl McKinney and Walter Harris. He is a cousin to drummer Ali Jackson and trumpeter Khalil Jackson. His mother, Carolyn McKinney, is a singer, and sister Shani McKinney is a pianist. His younger sister Thema "Tayma Loren" McKinney is an aspiring solo vocalist.

McKinney began studying piano at age four with his uncle Harold; his first professional appearances were with the R&B group Identity Band when he was 12. He studied classical music at the Center for Creative Studies from 1983 to 1991. He also studied harp under Patricia Terry-Ross of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. After studying with Harold and Ray McKinney and Marcus Belgrave, he played with the Legacy Quintet (1989–93) and then attended The New School in New York City (1991–95). He played with Winard Harper (1992–93), Antonio Hart (1992–95), Buster Williams (1993), Wallace Roney (1994–96), Sonny Rollins, Elvin Jones, Steve Turre, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Kenny Garrett and Charnett Moffett. He has played jazz festivals in Europe (from 1992), Senegal (1994), Iceland (1995), and Turkey (1997). His first album as a bandleader was Up-Front (Sirocco Jazz, 2000)

McKinney has worked as an arranger and record producer. He was assistant composer to James Mtume for the TV show New York Undercover from 1995. He then received a contract from Def Jam, where he worked with musicians such as NIKKO, Case, Keithian, Ciara, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Montell Jordan, Kandace Love, Babyface, and Redman.

He has also produced for artists such as The-Dream, J. Holiday, Bobby Valentino, and Jamie Foxx. He produced the hits "Shawty Is Da Shit" by The-Dream, "Bed" by J. Holiday and "I Invented Sex" by Trey Songz featuring Drake in 2009.

In 2013, he won a Grammy Award for his credits and production on the album Unapologetic by Rihanna.

In 2018, Los started working with The-Dream for upcoming Radio Killa Records artist Bria Jhane on her debut album titled "What is Love?".

In early 2019, Carlos contributed with Hitmaka for Chris Brown's "Indigo" album on the song "Sorry Enough". The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.

As leader

 * 2000: Up-Front

As sideman

 * 1993: Atymony, Bill Saxton
 * 1993: For Cannonball & Woody, Antonio Hart
 * 1994: I'm Glad There Is You: A Tribute to Carmen McRae, Vanessa Rubin
 * 1994: It's All Good, Antonio Hart
 * 1995: The Wallace Roney Quintet, Wallace Roney
 * 1996: Shades of Blue, Bob Belden
 * 1997: Kaelyn, Kaelyn
 * 1998: Somewhere Along the Way, Buster Williams
 * 1998: Joined at the Hip Buster Williams (TCB)
 * 1999: The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue Note, Elvin Jones (Half Note, 1999)
 * 2002: Groove at Jazz Entete, Ali Muhammed Jackson

Credits as composer
With The-Dream
 * 2007: Love/Hate
 * 2009: Love vs Money
 * 2009: Walkin' on the Moon
 * 2009: My Love
 * 2010: Love King
 * 2013: IV Play
 * 2018: Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3

With others
 * 2005: Encore et Encore, Assia
 * 2007: Bed, J. Holiday
 * 2007: You, Chris Brown
 * 2008: Can't Find the Words, Karina
 * 2008: First Love, Karina
 * 2008: 6 in the Morning, Sean Garrett
 * 2008: Turbo 919, Sean Garrett
 * 2008: Intuition, Jamie Foxx
 * 2008: Trading Places, Usher
 * 2008: Uncle Charlie, Charlie Wilson
 * 2009: Battlefield, Jordin Sparks
 * 2009: D.N.A., Mario
 * 2009: Love and Life, Rated R
 * 2009: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, Mariah Carey
 * 2009: Ready, Trey Songz
 * 2009: The Rebirth, Bobby V
 * 2009: Untitled, R. Kelly
 * 2009: How to be a Lady: Volume 1, Electrik Red
 * 2010: Back to Me, Fantasia
 * 2010: Love Me Back, Jazmine Sullivan
 * 2010: Only One Flo, Pt. 1, Flo Rida
 * 2010: Still Standing, Monica
 * 2011: 4, Beyoncé
 * 2011: Future History, Jason Derulo
 * 2012: The MF Life, Melanie Fiona
 * 2012: Unapologetic, Rihanna
 * 2012: Woman to Woman, Keyshia Cole
 * 2013: Talk a Good Game, Kelly Rowland
 * 2017: Summer Body, The-Dream
 * 2017: It's Yo Birthday, The-Dream
 * 2018: Head over Heels, Chromeo
 * 2018: Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3, The-Dream
 * 2019: What is Love?, Bria Jhane
 * 2019: Indigo, Chris Brown
 * 2021: "Automatic", TeeFlii