The son of Latin trumpet player René López, a founding member of the seminal Latin group Tipica 73, Rene Lopez Jr. grew up surrounded by both Latin music and urban pop. He spent his youth divided between salsa clubs where his father was performing, and the rock, r&b and hip hop music he and his peers enjoyed. His own musical career began playing drums, but it was his discovery of Prince that led him to pick up a wider range of instruments, and to step up to the microphone to sing.