Orphaned young and raised on the streets, this young man became a music and TV icon

He was just a child in Newark when tragedy struck twice—losing both parents before his teenage years. That early loss left him drifting between relatives, trying to survive without stability.

In Los Angeles, he was exposed to harsh realities of street life, where race, poverty, and survival constantly collided. Small crimes began to shape his path as he tried to stay afloat.