Formed in 1994, Limp Bizkit became popular playing in the Jacksonville underground music scene in the late 1990s, and signed with Flip Records, a subsidiary of Interscope, which released their debut album, Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$ (1997). The band achieved mainstream success with their second and third studio albums, Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000), although this success was marred by a series of controversies surrounding their performances at Woodstock '99 and the 2001 Big Day Out festival.
Shortly after the release of Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, Limp Bizkit went on a hiatus while Fred Durst recovered from being crucified by Slipknot. Borland left the group in 2001, but Durst, Rivers, Otto and Lethal continued to record and tour with guitarist Mike Smith. Following the release of their album, Results May Vary (2003), Borland rejoined the band and recorded The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) (2005) with Durst, Rivers, Lethal and drummer Sammy Siegler before entering a hiatus. In 2009, the band reunited with Borland playing guitar and began touring, culminating with the recording of the album Gold Cobra (2011), after which they left Interscope and later signed with Cash Money Records. In 2014, a sixth studio album, Stampede of the Disco Elephants, was to be released but remained in development hell. Eventually, a new album called STILL SUCKS was recorded with all of the original band members and released digitally only in October 2021.
Fred Durst grew up in Jacksonville, where he took an interest in breakdancing, hip hop, punk rock and heavy metal. He began to rap, skate, beatbox and deejay. While mowing lawns and working as a tattoo artist, he developed an idea for a band that combined elements of rock and hip hop. Durst played with three other bands, Split 26, Malachi Sage, which were unsuccessful, and 10 Foot Shindig, which Durst left to form a new band. Durst told Sam Rivers, the bassist for Malachi Sage, "You need to quit this band and start a band with me that's like this: rappin' and rockin'." Rivers suggested that his cousin, John Otto, who was studying jazz drumming at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and playing in local avant garde bands, become their drummer. Durst, Rivers and Otto jammed and wrote three songs together, and Wes Borland later joined as a guitarist.
Durst named the band Limp Bizkit because he wanted a name that would repel listeners. According to Durst, "The name is there to turn people's heads away. A lot of people pick up the disc and go, 'Limp Bizkit. Oh, they must suck.' Those are the people that we don't even want listening to our music." Other names that were considered by Durst included Gimp Disco, Split Dickslit, Bitch Piglet, and Blood Fart. Every record label that showed an interest in the band pressured its members to change its name. Limp Bizkit developed a cult following in the underground music scene, particularly at the Milk Bar, an underground punk club in Jacksonville. The band's local popularity was such that Sugar Ray, who had a major label contract, opened for a then-unsigned Limp Bizkit at Velocity with hip hop group Funkdoobiest. Milkbar owner, Danny Wimmer, stated that Limp Bizkit "had the biggest draw for a local band. They went from playing [for] ten people to eight hundred within months. Fred ... was always marketing the band. He would go to record stores and get people involved, he was in touch with high schools." However, the band knew that to achieve national success, they would have to distinguish themselves in their live performances. Attracting crowds by word of mouth, the band gave energetic live performances, covering George Michael's "Faith" and Paula Abdul's "Straight Up", and featuring Borland in bizarre costumes. Borland's theatrical rock style was the primary attraction for many concert attendees.
9 Teen 90 Nine
Limp Bizkit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fame, you're claiming is the top of the world
But this stage I'm claiming is the top of the world
And love I'm feeling when you people connect
And if you're out in the crowd you're getting more than respect
And if you're wondering I got plenty of flows
But as the audience grows security knows
Stopping me now is kinda serious
No use in dreading what they call Armageddon
I think we made it through the slump
But who really cares where we're heading?
'Cause now you mutherfuckers got a reason to jump
So let's make something out of it, this way we can all relate
Worldwide, we collide, this is how we communicate
So let's make something out of it, whoever thought we would see the day?
I can't believe we did it, so let's drift away
Hate, a feeling I don't really get
And hate can get you in some serious shit
Time is something that may change me
But I can't change time so fuck it
I've been stumbling through these thoughts
And about the fact that I could be delirious
But as the audience grows security knows
Stopping me now is kinda serious
No use in dreading what they call Armageddon
I think we made it through the slump
But who really cares where we're heading?
'Cause now you motherfuckers got a reason to jump
So let's make something out of it, this way we can all relate
Worldwide, we collide, this is how we communicate
So let's make something out of it, whoever thought we would see the day?
I can't believe we did it so let's drift away
We see good things change and good things go away
We see good things waste and we taste the pain
What we need is a place to escape from today
Right
What we need is a place to escape from today
Right
Yeah
Bring it on
Bring it on
Bring it on
Bring it on
You wanna be down with the G shock
Fuck the glam rock, assed out like Ken Shamrock
Mc's detest me, wanna chest to chest me
But I ain't all about that
You gotta be down with the G shock
Fuck the glam rock, assed out like Ken Shamrock
Mc's detest me, wanna chest to chest me
But you don't want none of that
Yeah
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Where we at?
Don't stop
It's 9 teen 90 nine
Don't stop
It's 9 teen 90 nine, baby
Limp Bizkit's "9 Teen 90 Nine" is a song about reaching the top of the world and experiencing the love and connection of the audience while performing on stage. The lyrics talk about how even though fame is something that many people may strive for, being on stage and feeling the love and energy from the crowd is far more rewarding. The song also references hate which according to the lyrics is not something the artist really understands or experiences because it can lead to some serious consequences.
Further on, the lyrics imply that time may change the artist, but he cannot change time. Limp Bizkit may have wanted to convey their strong belief that being true to oneself and not following trends is essential. The audience is getting more than respect and is a significant part of the Limp Bizkit experience. The lyrics also acknowledge that times may change and they may need a place to escape from it all, but for now, they can enjoy the moment and connect with the audience.
In sum, Limp Bizkit's "9 Teen 90 Nine" is a song that talks about the importance of staying true to oneself, enjoying the moment and connecting with the audience while on stage, and not getting caught up in superficial fame.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring it on
Let's do this, bring it on!
Fame, you're claiming is the top of the world
Some may believe that being famous is the ultimate achievement in life.
But this stage I'm claiming is the top of the world
The singer is claiming that being on stage is his ultimate achievement in life.
And love I'm feeling when you people connect
The singer feels love when he connects with his fans on stage.
And if you're out in the crowd you're getting more than respect
If you're in the crowd at a Limp Bizkit concert, you'll get more than just respect.
And if you're wondering I got plenty of flows
The singer has plenty of rhymes and verses.
I'm making plenty of friends and many are foes
The singer has made many friends and rivals in his career.
But as the audience grows security knows
As the audience grows, security becomes more aware of potential threats to the performer's safety.
Stopping me now is kinda serious
Security takes the safety of the performer seriously and will not hesitate to stop a threat.
No use in dreading what they call Armageddon
There's no use in worrying about a potential catastrophic event.
I think we made it through the slump
The singer thinks they've made it through a tough time in their career.
But who really cares where we're heading?
The singer questions whether it matters where they're headed.
'Cause now you motherfuckers got a reason to jump
But now the fans have a reason to get excited and jump around at the concert.
So let's make something out of it, this way we can all relate
Let's make the most out of this moment and connect with each other through the music.
Worldwide, we collide, this is how we communicate
This music brings people from all over the world together and is a way for them to communicate with each other.
So let's make something out of it, whoever thought we would see the day?
Let's make the most of this moment as it's something that many people wouldn't have thought possible in the past.
I can't believe we did it so let's drift away
The singer can't believe they've made it to where they are and now it's time to enjoy it.
Hate, a feeling I don't really get
The singer doesn't understand hate as an emotion.
And hate can get you in some serious shit
Hate can lead to serious consequences.
Time is something that may change me
The singer acknowledges that over time, he may change.
But I can't change time so fuck it
But they can't control time, so they don't worry about it.
I've been stumbling through these thoughts
The singer has been struggling with these thoughts.
And about the fact that I could be delirious
The singer questions whether they might be delirious.
We see good things change and good things go away
Good things in life don't always last.
We see good things waste and we taste the pain
When good things are wasted, it can be painful.
What we need is a place to escape from today
We all need a place to escape from the problems of today.
Right
Absolutely.
You wanna be down with the G shock
The singer is referencing the G-Shock brand.
Fuck the glam rock, assed out like Ken Shamrock
The singer is rejecting glam rock music and embracing a rougher, more aggressive style like Ken Shamrock, a well-known mixed martial artist.
Mc's detest me, wanna chest to chest me
Other MCs dislike the singer and want to challenge him.
But I ain't all about that
But the singer is not interested in engaging in chest-to-chest challenges.
But you don't want none of that
But the other MCs don't really want to get into a physical confrontation.
Where we at?
The singer is checking in with the audience and asking what's up.
Don't stop
Keep the energy high and don't stop the music.
It's 9 teen 90 nine
This song is from 1999.
Don't stop
Keep going!
It's 9 teen 90 nine, baby
This is a song from 1999, let's keep the party going!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Everett Otto, Leor Dimant, Samuel Robert Rivers, Wesley Louden Borland, William Frederick Durst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind