Through his childhood, he lived in Tokyo, Japan, Salt Lake City, Utah[2], and Berkeley, California[3], although he moved to Tampa, Florida for four years to attend Henry B. Plant High School.[4] He began his hip hop career while at college at University of California, Davis, where he was a DJ at the college station KDVS. He is a founding member of the seminal independent record label Quannum Projects. Born came up with fellow Bay Area and UC Davis companions Gift of Gab, and Chief Xcel of Blackalicious, Lateef the Truthspeaker, DJ Shadow, and Jeff Chang (formerly known as DJ Zen).