Wiki and his Ratking rap crew’s scruffy take on the diversity of old-school NY hip hop is tearing up the city with its raw flow and inventive beats. “I grew up on the basics like Wu and Nas and shit, but there’s whole other influences from that ’93 era,” Wiki says. “You know the old club in New York, the Tunnel? You’d have a totally different vibe – the illest hip hop shows ever, then like, some ill-ass rave.” His intuitive, punk attitude resonates through the four-piece’s debut EP, Wiki93, released last November on XL. Their debut album So It Goes is released later this year. “I wanna make sure it hits ’cause I know it’s a dope album,” he says. But don’t expect him to get blinged out when the cheques start rolling in – his is a new style for a new era, and Wiki wears it well.

Patricia Arquette or Demi Moore?
Demi Moore.

Nirvana or Smashing Pumpkins?
Nirvana.

Wu Tang or A Tribe Called Quest?
Wu Tang.

Bill Clinton or Chelsea Clinton?
Bill Clinton.

Edward Furlong or Christian Slater?
Edward Furlong.

Poetic Justice or Menace II Society?
Poetic Justice.

Jurassic Park or Groundhog Day?
Shit man that’s hard. I’m gonna say Jurassic Park just ‘cause I feel like when I was a kid that’s what I peeped but I only saw Groundhog Day when I was older so it’s more like reminiscing.

Trainspotting or The Virgin Suicides?
Trainspotting.

Beavis or Butthead?
Ah shit fucking Beavis. Wait Beavis is the blonde one? Butthead, Butthead.

Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell?
Naomi Campbell.

Mortal Kombat or Super Mario Bros?
Damn, alright fuck it Mortal Kombat with other peoples even though I’d probably fuck with Super Mario Cart, gotta put the boys first.

Young and beautiful or old and wise?
Old and wise.

Brooklyn or Manhattan?
Manhattan.

Lollapalooza or LOLZ?
Lollapalooza.

RuPaul or Ron Jeremy?
RuPaul.

Retro or future?
Future.

Drunk or sober?
Drunk, I gotta say.

War or peace?
Peace.

Night or day?
I don’t know man, how you gonna make me pick between night and day? Day, I’ll say day.

Party or bullshit?
Party yo, I gotta party I’m sorry.

Wiki wears zip hoodie by Adidas; thermal long-sleeved shirt by Allsaints; jeans by Levi's

Text by Kasia Hastings