Charles Phillip Ivory Penniman was born in Los Angeles, on December 10, 1979. He grew up in the Watts and Compton areas of South Central LA with a mother who was a drug-dealer. She ended up serving a 25-year prison sentence for narcotics charges.

Malone is a former member of the Crips but rose to prominence alongside the Blood-affiliated Black Wall Street Records founded by The Game. He would eventually sign with Cash Money records in 2011.

He also launched his own label, Division Media Corporation, in 2014.