Lilma McLean Sample was born in Harnett County, North Carolina. Growing up without a mother, she lived mainly with her older sister and occasionally with her father, a sharecropper. Despite facing poverty with inadequate housing, food, clothing, and education, she lived a fairly normal life. As time passed, she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to take care of and babysit for her brother and sister-in-law. There, she met and married her husband and gave birth to their six children. Always passionate about art and music, she even had some of her lyrics set to music. Through her storytelling, she hopes to inspire African Americans to embrace their culture, remember their past, and recognize their potential to succeed in every aspect of life.