Symere Woods was born July 31, 1994, in North Philadelphia's Francisville neighborhood. He grew up listening to Mike Jones and Ying Yang Twins; Jones' debut album was the first album he purchased. Woods later began listening to Wiz Khalifa and Meek Mill, who influenced his future style. He also began listening to Marilyn Manson, Paramore, My Chemical Romance and The All-American Rejects when he was 13 years old, and has said he is a "big Marilyn Manson fan" and called Mechanical Animals his favorite album.

Woods began rapping in 10th grade, calling himself a "regular kid, I didn't really wanna rap", after hearing classmate William Aston freestyle over a remade Chris Brown instrumental. Woods, Aston and another friend created a rap group, Steaktown, which broke up when Woods was 17.

Woods dropped out of school and soon started working at a Bottom Dollar store, but he quit after four days and was kicked out of his home by his mother. The situation led to Woods getting his first face tattoo, the word "Faith" under his hairline, which provoked him to take his rap career seriously.