We will be discussing the career of the rapper Nines, his many accolades, his decision to quit music, his business ventures, legal troubles, and stints in prison.
Courtney Freckleton, professionally known as Nines, is a rapper hailing from the notorious Church End estate, located in Brent, north-west London.
Although Nines has kept his family life private, it is known that he grew up with his older brothers, Tyrone and Wayne “Zino” Freckleton, and that they were raised by their mother.
His older brother Wayne would later succumb to fatal gunshot wounds. The motive behind his murder was allegedly gang-related.
Nines is a British rapper of Somali and Jamaican heritage and grew up on the Church End estate, locally known as Church Road.
His musical journey:
Nines first came onto the UK music scene at 17 years old, appearing on the Running Wid The Streets (also known as RWDS) DVD Volume 2 in 2007. He was featured performing freestyles, which have since been turned into audio tracks on YouTube, such as “Piff”, “Fuck All the Hoes”, and “Nu Crack”.
In 2011, Nines dropped two singles, with the first being “AJ’D Out [JD Shutdown]” and the second, “My Hood (Turkey Shutdown)”, released on Christmas Day. Nines’ third single, “Way It’s Gunna Go”, featured fellow rappers Fathead and Shotgun and was released on 18 March 2012.
His early mixtapes helped him rise to prominence, and he became known for his laid-back flow and sharp wordplay. His run between 2012 and 2015 was especially influential, particularly Loyal to the Soil.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| From Church Rd. to Hollywood | Released: 14 October 2012Label: Nitty Shutdown Ent. Formats: Digital download |
| Gone Till November | Released: 4 July 2013Label: Nitty Shutdown Ent. Formats: Digital download |
| Loyal to the Soil | Released: 14 June 2014Label: Nitty Shutdown Ent. Formats: Digital download |
| One Foot In | Released: 14 August 2015Label: Nitty Shutdown Ent. Formats: Digital download |
Musical Accolades:
Nines as been nominated for 6 MOBO’s throughout his career and in 2020 he won two for Best Hip Hop Act & Album of the Year (for Crabs in a Bucket).
Crabs in a bucket also debuted at Number 1 and earned him his first and only Number spot (We are as shocked as you). This earnt him his award, which he took back to his block.
In 2018 Crop Circle was rated rap album of the year by the KA & GRM Daily Rated Awards. Crop Circle 2 & 3 also climbed to Number 2 in the charts.
His final project before he quit music is titled ‘Quit While You’re Ahead‘ and it climbed to Number 4 in the charts.
Legal troubles & incarceration:
Nines has faced legal troubles throughout his career as a rapper. In 2013, he was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
On 12 August 2021, Nines admitted to conspiring to import 28kg of cannabis from Spain and Poland. He also pleaded guilty to money laundering in relation to a £98,000 cannabis debt. This resulted in a 28-month prison sentence.
In November, Nines was charged with the supply and possession of cannabis, as well as three counts of breaching a Serious Crime Prevention Order.
On 22 September 2025, Freckleton pleaded guilty to all three charges and was sentenced to 37 months in prison. However, he has since been released due to time already served on remand. Read more about this below:
Quitting music & new ventures:
Nines released Quit While You’re Ahead to showcase his desire to leave on a high note after a successful career. The project was followed by a final O2 Arena show in November 2024.
In an interview, he said, “I ain’t coming back. I don’t care how much money they offer me.”
He currently has business ventures including Crop Circle branding and merchandise, as well as his own label, Zino Records, which is named after his late brother, Wayne Freckleton.
Nines also has a production company called Ice City Films and will likely take on more work once he’s in the right space to do so.
