Tate was born in Washington, D.C. to Emory and Eileen Tate. Emory was an international chess master, and was a five-time winner of the United States Armed Forces chess championship. His mother worked as a catering assistant, and after the two of them divorced, Tate and his siblings Tristan and Janine moved to the U.K. where they lived with their mother.

Tate moved to the U.K. when he was 11, and The Daily Mail has reported that he and his family lived there in relative poverty.

Andrew followed in his father's footsteps and competed in adult chess tournaments while he was still a child. Eventually, he shifted into the world of professional kickboxing and gained a following on social media as well. Now, he's known primarily for his right-wing commentary.