Patrick “Wiki” Morales is a half-Irish, half-Puerto Rican hip-hop artist from New York’s Upper West Side.

His group Ratking took inspiration from NYC street culture and punk rock to create a raw, experimental sound, and they were signed to XL Recordings offshoot Hot Charity in 2012. Over the years, Wiki has collaborated with artists such as Earl Sweatshirt, Ghostface Killah, Skepta, Mica Levi and King Krule. This year, the 23-year-old released his first official album No Mountains in Manhattan.

The first record that shocked me

Probably Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP (Aftermath / Interscope, 2000). I remember my boy who was older than me putting the headphones on and being like ‘yo what the fuck? This shit’s fucked up!’ But then, I was like ‘yo this is hard’. You listen to Kim or something like that – you don’t want your mom hearing that shit!

The record which turned me into a punk

My parents aren’t crazy religious, but I went to Catholic school kind and I went to church. I don’t really know whether I believe in God at this point, but when I was a kid and I heard The Germs sing No God (Slash, 1978), that was a big one for me.

The record which sparked my passion for grime

I was young when Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner (XL Recordings, 2003) came out. I heard the singles off it and that kind of thing, but it wasn’t until later that I rediscovered it. When I was like 16 and in high school I got put on to the whole thing, and I was like ‘damn this shit’s crazy from front to back.’ From the first track Sittin’ Here, it’s such a hard intro, it’s like a movie or something. It reminded me of a classic hip-hop album but in a different genre.

The record which reminds me of my first love

The first King Krule EP, I think it’s self-titled (True Panther, 2011). I remember meeting my old girl Destiny, she was like my first love, and listening to that shit on repeat, chilling in her bed all day, that type of thing. I heard this at my show yesterday and I was like ‘yo this shit reminds me of Destiny’. It definitely brings back emotions.

The first track I recorded that I was truly proud of

Maybe Retired Sports from the Wiki 93 EP (XL Recordings / Hot Charity, 2012). I got levelled up and it was probably me realising I was lyrically hard or some shit.

The track which makes me want to turn up right now

Magnolia by Playboi Carti is definitely like a big record out in New York, but the Lil Wayne version (916% Entertainment, 2017) I like more. I hadn’t heard Lil Wayne in a minute and he just goes extra hard. It’s like everything you want in Wayne – just not trying too much and having fun but still getting the bars off and telling a little story within it. Just making it his own. Shit’s tight.

No Mountains in Manhattan is out now via XL Recordings

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