A native Chicagoan, Isaiah Sharkey spent his early years living in Cabrini Green. Perhaps as a precursor to his future career, he lived with his parents in a row house on a street that is now named for Curtis Mayfield. Coming from a musical household, Isaiah was introduced to music at the age of four, he decided he wanted to be a guitarist and asked his parents to purchase one. Shortly thereafter, Isaiah started learning music under the close introduction of his father, Michael Sharkey. He would learn about different musical genres/styles from gospel music -- which came from growing up in the church -- to jazz, R&B, blues, rock and funk music.