Marlon Rice was born on June 8, 1975 at Downstate Medical Center in Flatbush. The oldest of three children, Marlon was raised at the North end of Crown Heights, near the border of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. His stepfather, McKinley Reaves-Bey, was a 25-year veteran of the New York Police Department. His maternal grandmother, Mary Morgan, worked on campaigns for many of Central Brooklyn’s local electeds. Community stalwarts such as Rev. Gardner C. Taylor, Hon. Al Vann, and Jitu Weusi provided direct inspirational examples of community service and empowerment that helped to shape Marlon’s childhood.
After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School, Marlon enrolled in Morgan State University to study Telecommunications. Even as a young student, Marlon understood the importance of bringing people together. From as early as 13 years old, he could routinely be found organizing at protests and other community events. Marlon is a child of the Hip Hop culture, and he spent his early adulthood contributing to the culture in various ways: being an emcee, working in marketing and promotions, producing events, and appearing as a model in print and digital advertising.
