26-year-old underground rapper Wiki, born Patrick G. Morales, is back at it again with his second studio album, Oofie. This ground-breaking album explores a variety of topics and provides a fundamental insight on the angst that Wiki feels towards the world and his up-bringing, as well as the idea of life being terrifying yet exciting.
Wiki’s album reels listeners in with the first track “Intro” which starts off slow and muffled sounding. In the opening verse, a female’s voice exclaims “Wears the same shit every f*cking day, breath stinks.” This is a subtle implication referring to the rapper’s struggles with alcoholism.
As the track eventually amplifies in intensity, voices echo into the distance while Wiki raps about how other artists despise him for his authenticity. This particular track packs a punch, jabbing at the haters for criticizing him, enveloped by the verse: “They wait for you to slip, trying to take your place.”
Every track that follows “Intro” incorporates disparate and diverse production styles, one track will be saturated with heavy beats, while another will feel calm and focused. “Promises” is the perfect example of Wiki’s calmer track whereas, “Pesto” offers a mysterious and disorderly sound.
The most personal and thought-provoking track off this album is “Downfall” in which Wiki relentlessly contemplates the risk of devoting his life to rapping in the verse, “After everything now they finna tell me I’m out nah ump, I got two strikes left.”
Oofie’s major triumph pieces include “Grim”, and “Presto”. “Grim” takes the spotlight by showcasing the additional vocals of Denzel Curry and Lil Ugly Mane. The rapper’s hard voices simultaneously compliment one another alongside a piano loop, faded drums and lo-fi music effects.
“Presto” is a signature hypnotic track that undeniably stands out from the rest of the songs on this album. The artist reflects upon how criticism doesn’t always equal a massive audience as mentioned “Reviews strong, not enough views on the songs.”
Throughout Oofie, Wiki’s vocals fuse perfectly well with the countless instruments and melodies in this album. Not to mention, “Promises” is one of Wiki’s most poignant tracks. It combines a heart-warming chorus, courtesy of singer Duendita, with a calming, borderline serene instrumental.
Ultimately, this song pertains to Wiki’s family. His mother, grandmother and aunt are all mentioned in this track. One memorable verse from this song includes the line “Commemorate the ladies that made us men, still tryna’ make amends.”
Oofie wraps up with “Freaks”, packed with wandering horn hits and tight piano lines. Instantaneously, Wiki mumbles “I did it for the freaks” as he hints at the notion that he is a “freak” showcasing the true authenticity in being an outsider and feeling pride. Wiki is convinced that there will always be freaks out there that value his music, and he puts in the effort for those kids because he understands what it is like to be non-mainstream.
In essence, Oofie is a masterpiece that can be described as stridently youthful, versatile and highly diverse. Furthermore, Oofie is not your standard rap production rather, it proves to be an exceptional piece of work that captures the spirit of hip hop.
The usage of the special guests reinforces how empowering and personal the music sounds. Similarly, the beauty that comes with this album revolves around the beautiful soul samples, bass elements and mettlesome vocals. It is all combined in an eloquent manner which makes it easy to enjoy.
