Wiki – “Ancient History” review

Here is the 6th studio LP from New York City emcee, songwriter & producer Wiki. Formerly a member of the Ratking trio, he would go on to drop his solo debut No Mountains in Manhattan in 2017 under XL Recordings not too long after their disbandment followed by the sophomore effort OOFIE that next fall & Telephonebooth through his own label Wikset Enterprises. Coming off the Navy Blue-produced Half God & the Tony Seltzer-produced 14K Figaro however, he’s looking to dig up some Ancient History.

“G.T.F.O.H. (Get The Fuck Outta Here)” begins with this drumlessly soulful intro admitting that he feels like he isn’t missing out in 2026 whereas “Right Away” gets a little more optimistic over sample-based trap instrumental catching himself on a good day. “1 Time” chefs towards a boom bap direction talking about people not knowing how much power he truly has while “Park” psychedelically spends the early hours of the day sitting in the grass.

Navy Blue gets behind the boards for one of my personal favorite tracks “I.H.N.Y. (I Hate New York)” from the opulent boom bap beat to the lyrics detailing the love/hate relationship Wiki has with the city that made him the very person who he’s become but after “Bloom” featuring duendita & produced by Lil Ugly Mane raps & sings about people knowing where to find them right when the sun rises every morning, “Old Gods” reaches the halfway point solely spitting heat over a Tony Seltzer instrumental.

“Bourbon” kicks off the 2nd half of the album talking about being the cornerstore’s biggest clientele while “All in the Lining” featuring Your Old Droog finds the pair joining forces for another abstract boom bap standout Navy Blue cooked up once again. “Marm Era” soulfully describes memories he can recall like they happened yesterday while “Had Your Fun” continues the sampling to let everyone who thought he was done know that he’s still here.

Salimata joins Wiki for the romantic “Something New” talking about giving up their bullshit for each other over a MIKE beat to wind down the last few moments of Ancient History while the song “7 Deadly Sins” gives us a moody description of Christianity’s capital vices. The title track spends the last 5 minutes of the full-length with a symphonic instrumental from one of my top 10 producers of all-time The Alchemist talking about his shorty being sick of him.

Although I’d still consider Half God to be the most essential statement in Wiki’s solo catalog with 14K Figaro likely becoming a close 2nd at this point & of course placing the spectacular Faith is a Rock collaborative album he did with MIKE a few years ago on that same pedestal, I still liked a good chunk of Ancient History for it’s departure from the predominant trap production & conscious subject matter of it’s 2023 predecessor for a more drumless sound & getting more cryptic with his songwriting.

Score: 3.5/5

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MIKE & Wiki – “Faith is a Rock” review

This is a brand new collaborative full-length LP between east coast hip hop artists MIKE & Wiki. One of them represents Livingston, New Jersey forming his own label 10k Global & the latter hailing from Manhattan, New York. Both of whom have individually been making waves in the underground off their own solo efforts such as May God Bless Your Hustle or even Wiki’s previous LP Half God almost 2 years ago already on top of previously working with each other on songs like “Standout” or “Promised” off both of those albums that I had previously mentioned. They dropped a 3-track EP together last Black Friday fully produced by The Alchemist called 1 More, but are bringing Uncle Al back into the picture once again to turn it up a notch on Faith is a Rock.

“Stargate” is a drumless orchestral opener to the album with Wiki talking about how he feels like his life’s improved & MIKE talking about how these motherfuckers soft compared to them whereas “Thug Anthem” takes the jazzier route instrumentally promising to make it jump without any tangent. “Mayor’s a Cop” works in some more jazz-inspired horns with kicks & snares getting on the more conscious side of things lyrically, but then “Bledsoe” strips the drums once more looking to balance what they know with this new trend & that there ain’t no limit to what they can do.

Moving on from there, “Pray for Him” gives off a hypnotic trance to the sample-heavy beat discussing that they ain’t trying to play God asking what they put this pain in for & ecstatically remaining calm leading into the MIKE solo cut “Odd Ways” returning to the boom bap with orchestral flare to it talking about his soul being strong & his mind is crazy. Wiki returns once more on ”Scribble Jam” admitting he doesn’t understand what she saw in him when the floors was all he could see on top of MIKE breathing faster & living slower just before Wiki’s solo joint “Be Realistic” keeps the strings, kicks & snares in tact getting in his hardcore bag lyrically.

The penultimate track “Memory Loss” finds MIKE & Wiki back together for encore of Faith is a Rock looking to live for the large payment with Uncle Al drawing inspiration from jazz music instrumentally once again & the aptly titled “1 More finds both east coast underground MCs looking to provide 1 last thought each before they head out previously having lost sight as opposed to seeing more nowadays in comparison over a soul sample.

Both of these guys are well known in the underground for their abstract lyricism, so to hear them coming together with one of my top 10 producers of all-time sounded like a match made in Heaven on paper. Lo & behold: This might be the best collab album I’ve heard all year. Uncle Al’s jazzy production matched with the elevated use heavy metaphors, symbolism or cryptic meanings used by both lyricists result in some of best work of their careers.

Score: 4.5/5

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Wiki – “Half God” review

Wiki is a 27 year old rapper, songwriter & producer from New York City who came up a decade ago as part of the trio Ratking. Following their disbandment in 2016, he’s made a pretty successful solo career of himself with his debut No Mountains in Manhattan under XL Recordings & the sophomore effort OOFIE through his own label Wikset Enterprises. He just dropped the NAH-produced Telephonebooth back in the spring & to kick off the fall, Wiki’s bringing in Navy Blue to produce his 4th album from front to back.

“Not Today” starts off with a misty piano loop talking about how he “can’t let it end this way”, but then “Roof” works in a more calmer sample speaking on turned his roof into his private quarters. “Remarkably” takes a boom bap turn flexing his lyrical prowess leading into Navy Blue actually hopping onto the mic for the soulful “Can’t Do This Alone” to help say they gonna ride or die for the game.

Meanwhile for “Never Fall Off”, we have Wiki on top of a psychedelic guitar instrumental saying he’ll forever be on top just before “Drug Supplier” with Jesse James Solomon brings in an orchestral loop telling the story of a pusher. “Wik da God” gets back on the bravado tip over a more haunting instrumental whereas “Ego Death” brings in a hypnotic vocal sample encourage listeners to free themselves.

“The Business” charmingly follows it up by telling listeners to get with the program while “Home” starts off with the sounds of cars passing by, but transitions into something more lavish talking about being in his element. Earl Sweatshirt tags along for the harmonious “All I Need” talking about life & what comes with it, but then Remy Banks jumping on top of a slick guitar lead to talk about the world knowing them for “Gas Face”.

MIKE comes into the picture for the slick “Promised” cryptically providing introspection while the song “New Truths” is a boom bap heater talking about hip hop’s effect on him throughout his life. The penultimate track “Still Here” looks back on his youth over a dusty yet lush beat & finally, “Grape Soda” rounds it out with some vocal harmonies in the background talking about better days.

Coming from someone who’s been following Wiki for a few years at this point, I consider him to be one of those artists where he gets better with time & he further solidifies that on Half God to the point where I feel like it surpasses both it’s predecessors to become his greatest LP. Outside of a couple lackluster features, I feel like it contains some of his best songwriting to date & Navy Blue’s drumlessly jazzy production is incredibly detailed.

Score: 4/5