From a very young age, Markuann Smith knew that failure was not an option, and always used that as his motto. Born in Harlem, New York, Markuann spent a majority of his time in Queens, attending Far Rockaway High School and, later on, Garden State Academy. Considered a "no man's land", Far Rockaway was certainly a learning experience. While the average kid was going away to camp, Markuann and his peers were pouring out liquor and hoping to survive the tough summers.