Jordan Terrell Carter was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Fairburn, Georgia. In a 2016 interview with Complex he stated, "My ma couldn't tell me shit. Nobody could tell me shit." This type of lifestyle influenced Carter to get into trouble as a youth and sway away from the idea of pursuing a higher level of education after high school. He attended North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs. Before rap Carter wanted to become an NBA star to try and make something of himself. In an interview with The Fader Carti said "I was a young AI and didn't go to practice. That was the time I was really ducking school and it was all hoop and no rap. I would smoke before practice, get on the court and drop 30." He stopped playing basketball after a disagreement with his coach, and then dedicated his time to music. Carter skipped high school classes regularly to work on his music or go to his job at H&M which led to Carti barely graduating high school. In an interview with The Fader he said, "I was in class with freshmen finishing work, and if I finished the nine assignments before this time I could graduate." He was so close to not graduating that no one showed up to his graduation because they didn't know he was going to graduate. Carti hated the idea of being an upcoming rapper working at H&M, so he made the decision to quit.
Carti shopped in thrift stores in his youth, something that has had an effect on his fashion and music style.
