Makonnen was born in Los Angeles, California[1] and moved to Atlanta in 2002 when he was 13 years old. He is of mixed race background, having Black, White, Asian and Indian heritage.[2] His mother was a nail instructor and has worked in the beauty business for over 30 years. His grandmother was an opera singer, which influenced his musical career. He described his childhood as "semi-nice, semi-poverty". During his high school years, Makonnen was inspired by local rappers Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane to try out making music. His early songs were a mix of pop, rock, and hip-hop.