Nina B is a native New Yorker who was born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn. At the tender age of 6, Nina recorded her first rhyme on her playschool recorder. By age 9, she had written enough to have a catalog of poetry and music. By age 16, Nina was offered a major record deal, which she professionally declined. By 19, NINA B was an active participant in Russell Simmons/Bruce Willis Art Start and Hip-Hop Project, where she met Amber Ravenel, CEO of Ravenel Records. In 2003, Nina B signed with Ravenel Records, becoming the first female artist on their roster.