Nine

Emerging from the Bronx as a hungry rapper, Nine secured his initial spotlight in late 1993 through a guest appearance on Funkmaster Flex and the Ghetto Celebs' "Six Million Ways to Die." That performance highlighted his gritty, raspy delivery and quickly led to a recording contract with the defunct Priority Records. His first full-length project, Nine Livez, surfaced in early 1995 propelled by the brisk single "Whatchu Want." Though the album made little commercial impact, it yielded several cult favorites such as "Redrum," "Everybody Won Heaven," and "Any Emcee," the latter drawing tastefully from the Spinners' "I'll Be Around." Nine's trademark black lung vocal style prompted occasional parallels to Busta Rhymes' exaggerated stage presence. He released the follow-up Cloud Nine in 1996 before largely vanishing from hip-hop visibility once Priority shuttered its operations. Amid that extended break he secured a minor role portraying a criminal on the television drama NY Undercover. By late 2000 the Bronx MC signaled a potential return via the single "It's Ugly.."