1) RATKING (styliz… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with the name Ratking:
1) RATKING (stylized as RATKING) is an American hip hop group formed in New York City, New York in 2011. They are currently signed to HXC Recordings, as well as their independent record label Letter Racer Records. The group currently consists of rapper Wiki and rapper-producer Sporting Life.
They released their debut EP Wiki93 in November 2012. It was based on 1993, an earlier mixtape produced solely by Wiki, which he released in October 2011. 1993 was inspired by Suicide and Wu-Tang Clan. The group were signed by British label XL Recordings following 1993, and they re-released it as Wiki93 through their Hot Charity imprint.
They released their debut album So It Goes in 2014. It was produced by Sporting Life and engineered by Young Guru. The album's title was inspired by Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five. The album featured collaborations with King Krule, Salomon Faye, and Princess Nokia.
They have performed with Skepta and toured with Death Grips, and Earl Sweatshirt, as well as Run the Jewels and Despot.
In January 2015 the group announced that their second album 700 Fill would be released in January or February 2015. It was released for free via BitTorrent in March 2015.
On June 21, 2016, Hak announced his departure from Ratking, citing no ill feelings towards Wiki and Sporting Life, but saying the reason for his departure was feeling like he was being left out of the group and wanting to branch out into new possibilities with his music and art. Though, the same day, Wiki posted two vaguely cryptic tweets on his Twitter account possibly aimed towards Hak and his departure, saying "Ima make it clear. Bridges burnt are bridges burnt," and "The amount of times this dude fucked me over..." Also on the same day, amid rumors that Ratking had officially broken up, it was confirmed that Ratking would continue as a duo with Wiki and Sporting Life.
Their music has been described as "left-field hip-hop", and the group themselves have stated they wish to reinvent rap music. In addition to being inspired by rap and hip hop, the group has also been inspired by punk rock, and has "many and diverse influences, from Animal Collective to Suicide."Wiki's solo EP 1993, later re-released as Wiki93, was inspired by Suicide and Wu-Tang Clan.
2) Ratking is a hardcore / punk band from Perth, Western Australia. They released their first EP titled Wastelander on July 3, 2013, and their debut album Commonwealth released on July 15, 2014.
Pretty Picture
Ratking Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What does it all mean?
It means that dirty money never brings any luck, nah
It only brings misery, despair, and disgrace
Nahmsayin'?
(1)
I know Tribeca kids seen more bodies than a thug
Two bugs splat assed under Brooklyn
To a lot of cats looking back thats all it was
Thinking that we won, Thinking that we done
Dumb
Tell that shit to my pops cus'
What its like a city slicker gritty ripper
Of silly stickers or city fixtures (what, what)
A philly splitter
Had to wait ass gravitate to a pretty figure
Gave me wood rub and tug enough for fifty splinters
All these little biddys up in my little bitty fingers
We some mutts mick spic skinny niggas
Say word if these words paint a pretty picture
So every mother with a stroller Eyeing me when I roll up
Know your kids gonna be just like me when he grows up
Just watch as he gets older saggy pants slang lang and ain't kosher
Coming home late to dinner he ain't sober
Don't blame it on the way that Wiki do's it
New York will leave you gritty and foolish its our city influence
The same stupid kids on your stoop getting zooted
What you gonna do bitch? You don't wanna move bitch
In a metropolis where its getting polished but its still ruthless
()x2
City Slicker, Gritty ripper
Philly splitter, Guinea nigga
Trouble in my eyes
City fixture
Say word if these words paint a pretty picture
(2)
Yous just an average ass cat with a gun they let you shoot
Protecting who? Strictly for the revenue
Always hear "Hey get over here!"
Brings me total fear when it goes in my ear
Even when I'm sober and clear
Its like they see the trouble in my eyes
I'm drunk so every cop I see double in my eyes
Against the car thinking of my rebuttal but I'm high
So I can't think of an enough subtle of a lie
Who am I hurting? Why are you searching? Why are you
Ruining my day? Aren't you learning?
You don't make no difference just take those tickets
Make your living taking his living
I hate it ain't wit it, Nah
My boy sold he got taken right in its
Like I use to sell weed but it all went to my head
Not for real though I smoked it all, ended up in debt
Told my connect, robbed by some veteran thats vexed
But I write on point my rhetorics the best
With the soul of a five point resident and stressed
Every time I spit a five point tenement gets (?)
But that don't matter now pending for arrest
Murdered some tourist who wouldn't lend me cigarettes
Betting that I get
Life in prison might be spitting bull shit if you like it listen hype the vision
Hyper off that hypertension DT's got sniper vision I ain't kidding
Block been hot since 9/11
()
()x4
We some mutts thinking that we done dumb
We some mutts we some mutts we some mutts
The song "Pretty Picture" by RATKING is a commentary on the harsh realities of living in New York City, specifically in the wake of 9/11. The song features two verses, which are delivered by different members of the group, Wiki and Hak. In verse one, Wiki reflects on the impact of 9/11 and the subsequent military response, ruminating on the sense of victory that many felt at the time, only to realize that the war would continue to drag on for years. He speaks candidly about the gritty, dangerous nature of the city, and draws attention to the fact that life in New York is far from glamorous or easy, despite the glossy images found in movies and TV shows. In verse two, Hak echoes these sentiments, describing his own experiences with law enforcement and the ways that he sees the police as a corrupt and oppressive force in his life. He also muses on the challenges of making a life in the city when you're coming from a lower socio-economic background, and the way that the daily grind can lead to feelings of hopelessness and desperation.
Overall, "Pretty Picture" is a powerful indictment of the systems that work to keep people living in poverty and despair in New York City, and a testament to the resilience and creativity of those who are struggling to survive. It is a stark reminder of the inequalities and injustices that exist just beneath the surface of this great metropolis.
Line by Line Meaning
See children
Listen up, kids
What does it all mean?
What is the significance of everything?
It means that dirty money never brings any luck, nah
Having ill-gotten gains leads to misfortune
It only brings misery, despair, and disgrace
Illicit money only leads to negative outcomes
Nahmsayin'?
Do you understand what I'm saying?
I know Tribeca kids seen more bodies than a thug
Even well-off kids have witnessed violence
9/11 Yo this shit was bugged
The events of 9/11 were suspicious
Two bugs splat assed under Brooklyn
Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers
To a lot of cats looking back thats all it was
Many people view 9/11 as just a tragic event
Thinking that we won, Thinking that we done
Believing that the US achieved something after 9/11
Dumb
That belief is foolish
Tell that shit to my pops cus'
My dad would disagree
What its like a city slicker gritty ripper
I'm a tough guy from the city
Of silly stickers or city fixtures (what, what)
Among the street art and urban infrastructure
A philly splitter
I used to sell crack
Had to wait ass gravitate to a pretty figure
I was attracted to a woman
Gave me wood rub and tug enough for fifty splinters
She gave me a handjob
All these little biddys up in my little bitty fingers
I have a lot of girls at my disposal
We some mutts mick spic skinny niggas
We are mixed-race, skinny guys
Say word if these words paint a pretty picture
Acknowledge the harsh reality I am describing
So every mother with a stroller Eyeing me when I roll up
Mothers fear their children will turn out like me
Know your kids gonna be just like me when he grows up
Your child will likely emulate my behavior
Just watch as he gets older saggy pants slang lang and ain't kosher
He'll dress and talk like me, without manners
Coming home late to dinner he ain't sober
He'll be drinking and drugging
Don't blame it on the way that Wiki do's it
Don't blame my music for my behavior
New York will leave you gritty and foolish its our city influence
Growing up in New York can lead to bad decisions
The same stupid kids on your stoop getting zooted
Kids on the block are getting high
What you gonna do bitch? You don't wanna move bitch
If you have a problem with it, what are you going to do?
In a metropolis where its getting polished but its still ruthless
The city is becoming more modern, but it's still dangerous
Yous just an average ass cat with a gun they let you shoot
Police officers are not special; they're just allowed to carry guns
Protecting who? Strictly for the revenue
They're only protecting the interests of the government
Always hear "Hey get over here!"
I'm constantly being stopped by the police
Brings me total fear when it goes in my ear
It terrifies me when I'm approached by the police
Even when I'm sober and clear
I'm afraid of the police even when I'm not using drugs
Its like they see the trouble in my eyes
The police can tell I'm up to no good
I'm drunk so every cop I see double in my eyes
When I'm drunk, I see two of every cop
Against the car thinking of my rebuttal but I'm high
I'm trying to come up with a defense, but I'm too stoned
So I can't think of an enough subtle of a lie
I can't come up with a convincing enough excuse
Who am I hurting? Why are you searching? Why are you
I'm not doing anything wrong; why are they bothering me?
Ruining my day? Aren't you learning?
Their behavior is making my day worse; they're not improving anything
You don't make no difference just take those tickets
Their actions have no real impact; they just write tickets
Make your living taking his living
Police officers make a living by taking away the money of others
I hate it ain't wit it, Nah
I don't like it; it's not right
My boy sold he got taken right in its
My friend was arrested for selling drugs
Like I use to sell weed but it all went to my head
I used to deal drugs, but I got caught up in it
Not for real though I smoked it all, ended up in debt
I didn't really sell weed; I just smoked it all and got into financial trouble
Told my connect, robbed by some veteran thats vexed
I lied to my supplier about why I couldn't pay him
But I write on point my rhetorics the best
Despite my problems with drugs and the law, I'm still a skilled rapper
With the soul of a five point resident and stressed
I have the spirit of someone from Five Points, a famous neighborhood in New York City
Every time I spit a five point tenement gets (?
My music represents the struggle of the old neighborhood
But that don't matter now pending for arrest
But none of that means anything when I'm facing arrest
Murdered some tourist who wouldn't lend me cigarettes
I made up a lie about a terrible act I supposedly committed
Betting that I get
I'm willing to wager that I come across as a believable liar
Life in prison might be spitting bull shit if you like it listen hype the vision
I might be speaking lies, but if you enjoy the music, it's worth it
Hyper off that hypertension DT's got sniper vision I ain't kidding
My paranoia and stress have given me a heightened sense of awareness
Block been hot since 9/11
The neighborhood has been dangerous ever since 9/11
We some mutts thinking that we done dumb
We're a group of mixed-race people who believe we have accomplished something foolish
We some mutts we some mutts we some mutts
We're proud of being a diverse group of people
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Malik Shakur
this version has 10x more energy than the first one. probably my favorite ratking track next to Eat and CanalΒ
in all of life there is rhythm
Im a mutt, you a mutt, yeah we some mutts
Teratoma 彑 Prod.
@jonathan gonzalez lmao
J J
You from ny? I didn't like eat at all.
J J
Imma look into eat but I wasn't feeling canal. Had power, and energy, there was a shallow feel to it tho that I also get from a lot of his tracks. I liked at least half of snow beach and so it goes and I can forgive no hooks but to replace it with whatever it is they do for intros is really watering down the tracks.
liontiigerbear
I actually like this version better, it's grittier.
Walks and Such
One of the best examples of wikis amazing talent as a rapper
The God RA
this version's raw as fuck
sensitivebunny00
I agree! This drop of this new 1993 coming November is scaring me. Like the first one was like perfect! Hopefully they don't change much but instead add more songs. But good luck to Wiki and is fellow Ratkings
Itssoulamazin
rawest thing ever. love it