Raised by his mom in DC with his three sister, money was challenging growing up. Israel was born in New York, grew up in DC, and has an Afro-Latino background. He graduated from Shepherd University in West Virginia with a B.S. in Biochemistry, with the goal of becoming a toxicologist. He credits his community of support at Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC with much of his success not only as an artist, but as a scientist and a leader. At the Center, he studied mainly piano as well as theater for more than 10 years.
