binki
{{Short description|American singer and songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = binki
| birth_name = Baraka Andrew Ongeri
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|09|14}}
| birth_place = Pennsylvania, United States
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|alternative}}
| occupation = Singer, songwriter
| label = Fader Label
}}
Baraka Andrew Ongeri (born September 14, 1997), known professionally by the stage name Binki (stylized as binki), is an American singer and songwriter.
Early life
Ongeri was born to Kenyan parents.{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Sophie|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/binki-clay-pigeon-interview-3001539|title=Binki: "My goal is always to try and make something that's subversive"|work=NME|date=July 26, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} From Pennsylvania, Ongeri grew up in Hershey and North Carolina.{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Quillian|url=https://huntnewsnu.com/70722/lifestyle/artists-binki-and-paper-lady-shout-out-love-on-valentines-day/|title=Artists binki and Paper Lady 'shout out love' on Valentine's Day|work=The Huntington News|date=February 27, 2023|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} He studied to be an actor at UNC Greensboro.{{cite web |last1=Bedrosian |first1=Alyssa |title=Class of 2018: Baraka Ongeri |url=https://news.uncg.edu/class-of-2018-baraka-ongeri/ |website=UNCG News |date=25 April 2018 |publisher=UNC Greensboro |access-date=29 July 2022}} While in college, he began making music. Always identifying himself as actor, he thought of music as a secondary passion even after first venturing into it.
Career
After college, Ongeri moved to New York City and was based in Brooklyn.{{cite web|last=Moore|first=Jacob|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2019/10/binki-music-video|title=PREMIERE: Watch binki's "Heybb!" Music Video|work=Pigeons & Planes|publisher=Complex Networks|date=October 17, 2019|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}
In 2018, Ongeri released his debut single "Marco". A year later, he released "Wiggle". In August 2019, he was featured in Pigeons & Planes as one of their "best new artists" of that month.{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Jacob|last2=Gardner|first2=Alex|last3=Rindner|first3=Grant|last4=Price|first4=Joe|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2019/08/best-new-artists-august-2019|title=Best New Artists of the Month (August)|work=Pigeons & Planes|publisher=Complex Networks|date=August 26, 2019|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} He then released "Sea Sick" in September. In October, he released "Heybb!" under Fader Label, as well as its accompanying music video.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/05/06/binki-shares-a-new-video-for-heybb|title=Binki shares a new video for "Heybb!"|work=The Fader|date=May 6, 2020|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} The song would later be used in an Apple Inc. advertisement for the iPad Air 4.{{Cite web|last=Neely|first=Amber|title=New iPad Air 4 ad 'Boiiing' lands on YouTube|url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/10/23/new-ipad-air-4-ad-boiiing-lands-on-youtube|access-date=2021-11-30|website=AppleInsider|date=8 January 2021 |language=en}}{{cite web|last=Serra|first=Maria|url=https://www.altpress.com/black-alternative-artists-deserving-more-attention/|title=10 Black artists who deserve more recognition in the alternative genre|work=Alternative Press|date=February 3, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} "Heybb!" and "Sea Sick" also achieved virality on TikTok. At the time, Ongeri was still training to be an actor.{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Sophie|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/binki-motor-function-ep-review-radar-3017670|title=Binki – 'Motor Function' EP review: a compelling work of hope and fear|work=NME|date=August 12, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}
In May 2021, he released the single "Clay Pigeon",{{cite web|last=Golsen|first=Tyler|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/binki-shares-new-single-clay-pigeon/|title=Binki shares new single 'Clay Pigeon'|work=Far Out|date=May 21, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} and in July released "Revolve".{{cite web|last=Zwerner|first=Alexander|url=https://earmilk.com/2021/07/02/binki-releases-genre-defying-single-revolve/|title=Binki releases genre-defying single "Revolve"|work=Earmilk|date=July 2, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} The two singles appeared on his debut EP Motor Function, which was released in August.{{cite web|last=Farrell|first=Margaret|url=https://floodmagazine.com/92361/binki-track-by-track/|title=binki Walks Us Through His Energizing EP "Motor Function"|work=Flood|date=August 16, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Sophie|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/binki-new-single-hotel-window-the-1975-tour-dates-listen-radar-3407831|title=Binki shares grungy new single 'Hotel Window', teases more new music|work=NME|date=March 3, 2023|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} The EP received positive reviews from music critics. A third song, "Landline", was featured on the soundtrack of FIFA 22.
Ongeri released "Hotel Window" in March 2023,{{cite web|last=Forstneger|first=Steve|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/tracks/binki-hotel-window|title=binki's mind pounds the glass of his "Hotel Window"|work=The Line of Best Fit|date=March 3, 2023|accessdate=April 13, 2023}} followed by "Rocket Ship" in April,{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Sam |date=2023-04-17 |title=binki has dropped a new single, 'Rocket Ship' |url=https://readdork.com/news/binki-single-rocket-ship/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Dork |language=en-US}} and "Doomsday" in May.{{Citation |title=Doomsday |date=2023-05-12 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/02zEFZOxorMIOSEs1HIs19 |access-date=2023-05-15 |language=en}} All three singles were featured on his second EP Antennae.{{Citation |title=Antennae |date=2023-06-23 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5wpk8gismVSMMqfpoPwtLA |access-date=2023-07-14 |language=en}}
Influences
Discography
- Motor Function (2021)
- Antennae (2023)
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:American male pop singers
Category:People from Hershey, Pennsylvania
Category:Rappers from North Carolina
Category:Rappers from Pennsylvania
Category:Singer-songwriters from North Carolina
Category:Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania