Born February 14, 1961, in Oakland, California, Dwayne Patrice Wiggins – known as D’Wayne to many – was the sixth of Charlie and Mary Wiggins Shaw’s seven children. Throughout his upbringing in West Oakland – across the street from De Fremery Park, where Sly Stone played and Black Panthers organized – Dwayne demonstrated a curiosity that ultimately led him to music after he heard his father playing the guitar.

Soon after graduating from Castlemont in 1979, Dwayne formed his first band, Third Creation, and then Alpha Omega. He also had the opportunity to tour with Prince, along with his brother, Raphael Saadiq, and Sheila E.