{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Nine Livez | type = studio | artist = Nine | cover = Nine Livez.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1995|03|7}} | recorded = 1994 | studio = {{hlist|D&D Studios (New York, NY)|Rob's Crib (New York, NY)|Platinum Island Studios (New York, NY)}} | genre = Hip hop | length = {{Duration|h=1|s=11}} | label = Profile | producer = {{hlist|Rob Lewis|Tony Stoute}} | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Cloud 9 | next_year = 1996 | misc = {{Singles | name = Nine Livez | type = studio | single1 = Whutcha Want? | single1date = December 6, 1994 | single2 = Any Emcee | single2date = March 28, 1995 | single3 = Ova Confident | single3date = 1995 }} }} '''''Nine Livez''''' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nine. It was released on March 7, 1995, by Profile Records. The recording sessions took place at D&D Studios, Rob's Crib and Platinum Island Studios in New York in 1994. The album was produced by Rob Lewis and Tony Stoute, with Chris Landry serving as executive producer. It features a lone guest appearances from A.R.L. Da X'Rsis. The album debuted at number 90 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 16 on the Top R&B Albums chart in the United States.
Its lead single, "Whutcha Want?", became the rapper's most successful song, reaching No. 50 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 32 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. March 28, 1995 saw the release of the album's second single, "Any Emcee", which peaked at No. 15 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and No. 82 on the R&B Singles charts. "Ova Confident", the third and final single off of the album did not made it to the ''Billboard'' charts. All three singles had promotional music videos shot and released.
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="AM">{{Cite web |last=DiBella |first=M.F. |title=Nine - Nine Livez Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/nine-livez-mw0000121537 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> | rev2 = ''RapReviews'' | rev2score = 8/10<ref name="RR">{{Cite web |last=Juon |first=Steve 'Flash' |date=June 28, 2001 |title=Nine Nine Livez Profile Records |url=https://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_ninelivez.html |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=www.rapreviews.com}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Source'' | rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="TS">{{Cite magazine |last=Poluhoff |first=Nicholas |date=April 1995 |title=Record Report: NINE – Nine Livez |magazine=The Source |page=}}</ref> }} ''Nine Livez'' was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. Nicholas Polunoff of ''The Source'' gave the album 4 out of 5 mics, resuming: "...overall, ''Nine Livez'' is a strong debut by an MC with an original style whose beats are 90% on point".<ref name="TS" /> Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews gave the album 8 out of a possible 10, stating: "one of the best albums of 1995, if not the entire decade".<ref name="RR" /> AllMusic's M.F. DiBella gave the album a solid 3 out of a possible 5 stars calling the album "far from a classic, ''Nine Livez'' is an under-appreciated album from an underrated artist".<ref name="AM" />
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = Intro (Death of a Demo)" / "Ova Confident | writer1 = {{hlist|Derrick Keyes|Tony Stoute}} | extra1 = Tony Stoute | length1 = 5:12 | title2 = Redrum | writer2 = {{hlist|Keyes|Stoute}} | extra2 = Tony Stoute | length2 = 4:42 | title3 = Da Fundamentalz | writer3 = {{hlist|Keyes|Rob Lewis}} | extra3 = Rob Lewis | length3 = 4:07 | title4 = Hit em Like Dis | writer4 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra4 = Rob Lewis | length4 = 4:47 | title5 = Who U Won Test | writer5 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra5 = Rob Lewis | length5 = 3:31 | title6 = Whutcha Want? | writer6 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra6 = Rob Lewis | length6 = 4:34 | title7 = Fo'eva Blunted | writer7 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra7 = Rob Lewis | length7 = 3:43 | title8 = Peel | writer8 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra8 = Rob Lewis | length8 = 3:37 | title9 = Retaliate | note9 = featuring A.R.L. Da X'Rsis | writer9 = {{hlist|Keyes|A. Lawson|Stoute}} | extra9 = Tony Stoute | length9 = 4:15 | title10 = Tha Cypha | writer10 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra10 = Rob Lewis | length10 = 3:46 | title11 = Ahh Shit | writer11 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra11 = Rob Lewis | length11 = 3:53 | title12 = Everybody Won Heaven (Redrum the Remix) | writer12 = {{hlist|Keyes|Stoute}} | extra12 = Tony Stoute | length12 = 5:03 | title13 = Any Emcee | writer13 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis|Thom Bell|Phil Hurtt}} | extra13 = Rob Lewis | length13 = 4:02 | title14 = Ta Rasss | writer14 = {{hlist|Keyes|Lewis}} | extra14 = Rob Lewis | length14 = 4:50 | total_length = 1:00:11 }}{{Track listing | headline = 2014 re-issue bonus tracks | all_writing = | extra_column = Producer(s) | title15 = Me, Myself and My Microphone | writer15 = | extra15 = | length15 = | title16 = Whutcha Want? (Remix) | writer16 = | extra16 = | length16 = | total_length = }}
;Sample credits *Track 10 contains material performed by MC Shan. *Track 13 contains a sample of "I'll Be Around" performed by The Spinners, also contains material performed by Eric B. & Rakim.
==Personnel== *Derrick "Nine" Keyes – vocals *A. "A.R.L. Da X'rsis" Lawson – vocals <small>(track 9)</small> *Rob Lewis – producer, recording, mixing *Tony Stoute – producer *Joe Quinde – recording, mixing *Kevin Crouse – recording *Tony Dawsey – mastering *Chris Landry – executive producer *Rebecca Meek – art direction, design *Klaus Schönwiese – photography
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Nine Livez'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1995) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row" |US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March 25, 1995 |title=The Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1995-03-25/?rank=90 |website=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=107 |issue=12 |page=92 |issn=0006-2510 |access-date=August 22, 2023}}</ref> | 90 |- ! scope="row" |US Top R&B Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March 25, 1995 |title=Top R&B Albums |url= |website=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |volume=107 |issue=12 |page=24 |issn=0006-2510 |access-date= }}</ref> | 16 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Discogs master|162293|Nine – Nine Livez}} {{Nine|state=expanded}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1995 debut albums Category:Nine (rapper) albums Category:Profile Records albums