John 'JonOne' Perello was born in New York, Harlem where elaborate and colourful Graffiti Art thrived. His parents were from the Dominican Republic. Growing up in Harlem, his introduction to street art began at an early age, when he would see graffiti and tags on subway cars and city walls. Adopting these modes of expression, JonOne used the energy he felt from the city to find freedom in painting his urban landscape. While he has evolved from his early tagging days, his art continues to be inspired by the 'Urban Jungle' from his youth.