“Mario, come on, lemme get that bacon, egg, and cheese right quick!” Wiki yells as he leads into the track “Made for This”. If you’ve visited Twitter in the past year, you’ve seen jokes about the typical New Yorker. Chopped cheese, Timberland boots, and 40-ounce beers. Wiki greets all these stereotypes with a warm embrace on his official debut album, No Mountains in Manhattan, a breath of fresh air within New York hip-hop.
Manhattan-native, Patrick “Wiki” Morales first gained traction as a part of alternative hip- hop collective, Ratking. Although their sound strayed away from the classic New York boom- bap style, they stayed true to their roots and payed homage to the city with almost every aspect of their aesthetic. Wiki released a solo mixtape, Lil Me, following the sudden hiatus of his beloved group. With a plethora of different producers and features on the tape, Wiki was able to show his following a style he had not displayed before. Following suit on No Mountains in Manhattan, Wiki delves deeper into his identity as a solo artist.
The album leads into “Islander”, starting off with flutes and the distinct “yeeeard!” from Wiki. For those familiar with the toothless emcee, his nasally voice topped off with a straight New York accent is instantly recognizable. Looking like a character straight out of Larry Clark’s film “Kids”, his voice and appearance is key to his aesthetic. Like the title of the album would suggest, No Mountains in Manhattan has more of an emphasis on city life than his previous work. He is proud of his city and wants to convey what it means to him throughout the album. This passion is embodied in elements such as a feature from Wu-Tang Clan vet, Ghostface Killah, putting on his crew in the cameo-filled music video for “Pretty Bull”, arguably the most memorable song on the album, and usage of sharp, slang-filled lyricism that never fails to convey a story of his lifestyle.
Like most east-coast emcees, Wiki is well-versed in the ability to tell a story through his lyrics. The prevalent theme of city life takes a dark turn on some tracks, touching on topics such as addiction, past relationships, and other hardships he encounters within the urban
atmosphere.
On “Pandora’s Box”, Wiki looks at his previous relationship in retrospect with fellow New York rapper, Princess Nokia, and with the help from Evy Jane, detailing violence and toxicity that led to overall growth for both people involved.
Where No Mountains in Manhattan might fall short for some is its decreased emphasis on standalone tracks. Last year’s mixtape, Lil Me, contained many memorable tracks worthy of being cult hits, whereas No Mountains in Manhattan steers aways from this. As his debut solo album, Wiki intended it to be listened from front to back in order to get the full experience.
However, there still are tracks you can pull out of context and have a hit. My personal favorite, “Baby Girl”, is a guaranteed head-turner that features production from Kaytranada that pulls you in right away. The catchy, standout chorus that’s dedicated to Wiki’s significant other makes it a highlight of the album
From start to finish, Wiki shows us his New York with its highs and lows while tying it back to ones of his own. The album gives the audience the impression that the city and his mind has become one, putting us in his shoes and giving us a tour. With production from the likes of Kaytranada and Earl Sweatshirt, and bars that come out top tier, it’s clear Wiki’s and is only set on leveling up. “How you gonna say there’s no mountains in Manhattan when I been on top of one for the past 20 years?”
story by nick protzman, graphic by lydia kasem
