Thando Walbaum was born on September 8, 1985, in Hamburg, Germany. He is the son of musicians Bethina Walbaum and Dumasani Mabaso. His mother is German, while his father is a South African of Zulu descent. He has two older half-brothers in South Africa. He grew up in Hamburg's Schanzenviertel district and still lives there today. He also spends time in South Africa.