Formed in 1991 in Santa Ana, California, 16 (stylized as -(16)-) emerged from the Southern California skate scene, originally consisting of Bobby Ferry (guitar), Cris Jerue (vocals), Ben Clark (bass), and Jason Corley (drums).

Initially named "15," the band quickly rebranded after discovering the existence of a similarly named group, Fifteen. Drawing influences from iconic acts like 7 Seconds, Bad Brains, Metallica, and the Amphetamine Reptile roster, 16 forged a unique sound that would define their early years and the Sludge sub-genre as a whole.