Derick was born on February 27, 1953 in Alexandria, Virginia, the 3rd child of Joan Hopson. Growing up in a house with four sisters and one brother, gave Derick an opportunity to learn many life lessons including the importance of family and hard work. Derick was educated in the Alexandria Public School System. He attended Lyles Crouch Elementary School, Minnie Howard and John Adams Middle School, and T. C. Williams High School.

Derick (Sugarbabe) began playing sports by becoming involved with the Virginia Department of Parks and Recreation for the City of Alexandria. The Parker Madden League was the league represented in his neighborhood, which is still referred to as the "Bird." Derick played football, baseball, and basketball for Parker Madden with his younger brother Michael (#84) by his side. Their mother, uncle, and sisters were their biggest fans.

While attending T.C. Williams High School, Sugarbabe played in the quarterback position for both the freshmen and junior varsity football teams. He also played basketball, and was a distance runner on the track team. Derick played the position of defensive back his senior year, which was also the year the team won the state championship (1971). After graduating from "T.C." in 1972, he attended Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA where he majored in Business Administration.

After leaving Virginia Union University, Derick worked for Safeway Stores for a number of years in Richmond, and later was transferred to San Francisco, California. After leaving Safeway and returning to Virginia, Derick began studying the trade of painting and wall covering. He gained employment with a Fortune 500 company and mastered the trade. As a result, Derick decided to combine his education, business sense, and experience, and stepped out in hopes of creating his own company. He is currently the owner of a successful painting and wall covering business called "Colors; Painting and Wall covering Company," in Chesterfield, VA.

Life for Derick has become more exciting sense the making of "Remember the Titans"; but, he still finds the most pleasure in being with his family: his wife, Bridgette; son, Andre; and daughter, Asha. The success of the movie is a constant reminder of those things he learned while growing up in Alexandria, and playing on that championship team. He knows that teamwork and determination, family and friendship, along with positive inspiration and guidance from fine leaders like the Titan coaches, can both create and nurture dreams to the point they become realities.