Ratking emerged in 2011 as a vital force in the New York underground, consisting of rappers Wiki and Hak alongside producer Sporting Life. Their sound identity is defined by a 'no-wave' approach to hip-hop, heavily influenced by the gritty textures of Suicide and the raw lyricism of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Their 2014 debut album, 'So It Goes', engineered by Young Guru, received critical acclaim for its ability to translate the chaotic atmosphere of NYC into a sophisticated, sample-based experimental rap framework. The group occupied a unique cultural position, touring with acts as diverse as Death Grips and Earl Sweatshirt, effectively bridging the gap between hardcore punk aesthetics and abstract hip-hop. Following the departure of Hak in 2016, the group entered an indefinite hiatus, though their influence persists through Wiki's successful solo career and Sporting Life's production work. They are remembered as a pivotal act that pushed the boundaries of East Coast rap during the mid-2010s.
Shares noise_textured, sample_based, layered_dense (production style); abstract hip-hop, noise rock (subgenres)
Shares noise_textured, sample_based, layered_dense (production style); restless, anxious, defiant (moods)
Shares abstract hip-hop, industrial, hardcore punk (subgenres); noise_textured, sample_based, lo_fi (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, industrial (subgenres); noise_textured, lo_fi, sample_based (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, hardcore punk, industrial (subgenres); rap, nasal, intense (vocal style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, industrial (subgenres); lo_fi, noise_textured, sample_based (production style)
Shares noise_textured, sample_based, layered_dense (production style); abstract hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares abstract hip-hop, industrial, noise rock (subgenres); noise_textured, sample_based, layered_dense (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, industrial, noise rock (subgenres); noise_textured, sample_based, layered_dense (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, noise rock, hardcore punk (subgenres); lo_fi, noise_textured, sample_based (production style)
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