Da' T.R.U.T.H., who goes by "Manny" in his family, first got into music as a teenager, listening to contemporary Christian music and becoming a talented drummer. He said, "I had no interest in rap music. As a matter of fact, I was disenchanted with the whole idea of rap." However, Da' T.R.U.T.H. soon discovered his gift of free-styling, co-founded the group NIV, and gained his new nickname at the age of 19 to minister "da truth" to the urban culture. Da' T.R.U.T.H. is a graduate of Philadelphia Biblical University and the Institute of Jewish Studies.