Ratking – “Cocoa 88”

Underground rap trio Ratking are defiantly New York. Hip hop videos have reached the point where luxury seems essential in every single music video. There’s gold, girls, and paradise almost every time. Ratking is one of those groups that disassociate themselves from this aspect of hip hop. They’ve said in the past that they’d like to be associated with punk more so than rap, and looking at videos like “Cocoa 88,” it seems like a reasonable request. The video is poorly lit, dirty, seemingly poorly shot, and filled with attitude as Sporting Life, Wiki, Hak, and guest emcee DJ Dog Dick (great name) post up around random spots in the big city. The face of the group is Wiki, a multiracial fireball who’s missing half of his teeth from taking a punch to the face. Peep the vid below, and watch a throwback to the dungeon days of rap.