Raw Leiba was born in Newark, New Jersey to a Brazilian mother and an African American/Native American father. His father Robert was a US Army Veteran and served with the famed Tuskegee Airmen in WWII and his uncle is former NY Giant hall of famer Roosevelt Brown. Leiba attended high school in Woodbridge, NJ and later moved to Tempe, Arizona where he attended Tempe High School. Possessing a 4.3 second 40 yard dash speed and a 44 inch vertical jump he soon got the attention of Arizona State University basketball assistant coach Doug Collins and Head Football coach John Cooper. He signed with Arizona State under the condition that he be allowed to play both football and basketball for the school. After graduating he went to Spain to play professional basketball for Barcelona EL of the European League where he played a full season. After being waived in his second season Leiba took an invitation to the NFL San Diego Chargers mini-camp where he impressed coaches with his tremendous speed and leaping ability. He made the "Practice Squad" but was soon released when he told head coach Bobby Ross that he wanted to be an actor and could no longer commit to sports. Leiba gained national attention when he won the the TLC'S reality action show Help Wanted, a spin-off of ABC TV'S The Next Action Hero, where competitors compete in acting and stunt roles. Leiba again showed his great athleticism and the guile that he is known for but coupled that with great acting ability. Raw Leiba has gone on to do major movies and motion pictures and is also one of the top Sportsmodels in the world.

His likeness sits forever on display as Powhatan Indian Chief Openchancanough at the Smithsonian Institutes's Jamestown exhibit in Washington DC and the Jamestown Settlement Galleries in Jamestown Virginia.Mel Gibson's first choice to play "Hanging Moss" in the movie Apocalypto but turned it down due to the time commitment needed in Mexico. The role was then given to Ariel Galvan.Was named "Fittest Man On Earth" by Gym Magazine in 2007.