Mario grew up in working-class neighborhoods in Baltimore County, Maryland. He was raised by his grandmother while his mother struggled with drugs addiction. When he told his grandmother that he wanted to be a singer, he was given a karaoke machine to practice his singing skill. Working hard and focusing on what he wanted to achieve, Mario developed amazing progress in his learning how to sing. At the age of 11, he was signed by producer Troy Patterson and three years later, he inked a record deal with Clive Davis' J Records.