Nine

The portrait of a starving MC, Bronx-native Nine got his big break in late 1993 as a featured guest on Funkmaster Flex and the Ghetto Celebs' "Six Million Ways to Die." The verse showcased Nine's harsh, gravelly flow and the artist was signed a deal with the now-defunct Priority Records. Nine's debut album, Nine Livez, appeared in early 1995 on the strength of the up-tempo single "Whatchu Want." While the album did not make a big splash, it spawned a slew of underground hits including "Redrum," "Everybody Won Heaven," and "Any Emcee," which tastefully borrowed from the Spinner...