Kuto was born in Liberia, the land of his ancestors. He grew up in a small village near the capital city of Monrovia. His father was a blacksmith and his mother was a homemaker. Kuto had two brothers and one sister. Growing up, Kuto was always filled with rage. He would often get into fights with other kids his age, and he never backed down from a challenge. When he wasn't fighting, he loved to play soccer (or football as it is called in Liberia). He was also an excellent student, and he dreamed of someday becoming a doctor or lawyer.
However, Kuto's life changed forever when civil war broke out in Liberia in 1989. rebel groups began fighting against the government forces, and soon the whole country descended into chaos. Kuto's village was caught in the middle of the fighting, and many people were killed or wounded. One day, while Kuto was playing soccer with some friends, a government soldier came to their village and opened fire on them with an AK-47 rifle