{{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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> From Pennsylvania, Ongeri grew up in Hershey and North Carolina.<ref name=Anderson>{{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}}</ref><ref name=Complex-19/> He studied to be an actor at UNC Greensboro.<ref>{{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}}</ref> While in college, he began making music.<ref name=Anderson/> Always identifying himself as actor, he thought of music as a secondary passion even after first venturing into it.<ref name=Complex-19/>
==Career== After college, Ongeri moved to New York City and was based in Brooklyn.<ref name=Moore>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref name=Complex-19>{{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}}</ref> He then released "Sea Sick" in September.<ref name=Complex-19/> In October, he released "Heybb!" under Fader Label, as well as its accompanying music video.<ref name=Moore/><ref>{{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}}</ref> The song would later be used in an Apple Inc. advertisement for the iPad Air 4.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> "Heybb!" and "Sea Sick" also achieved virality on TikTok.<ref name=Williams-21/> At the time, Ongeri was still training to be an actor.<ref name=Williams-21>{{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}}</ref>
In May 2021, he released the single "Clay Pigeon",<ref name=Golsen>{{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}}</ref> and in July released "Revolve".<ref name=Zwerner>{{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}}</ref> The two singles appeared on his debut EP ''Motor Function'', which was released in August.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref name=Williams-23>{{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}}</ref> The EP received positive reviews from music critics.<ref name=Williams-21/> A third song, "Landline", was featured on the soundtrack of FIFA 22.
Ongeri released "Hotel Window" in March 2023,<ref name=Williams-23/><ref>{{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}}</ref> followed by "Rocket Ship" in April,<ref>{{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}}</ref> and "Doomsday" in May.<ref>{{Citation |title=Doomsday |date=2023-05-12 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/02zEFZOxorMIOSEs1HIs19 |access-date=2023-05-15 |language=en}}</ref> All three singles were featured on his second EP ''Antennae''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Antennae |date=2023-06-23 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5wpk8gismVSMMqfpoPwtLA |access-date=2023-07-14 |language=en}}</ref>
Ongeri has noted Childish Gambino, Tyler, The Creator, Will Smith, and Jamie Foxx as his "idols".<ref name=Complex-19/> A documentary on Jimi Hendrix inspired him to take guitar lessons.<ref name=Complex-19/>
== Discography == * ''Motor Function'' (2021) * ''Antennae'' (2023) * Half-Nelson (2025)
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:1997 births Category:American male pop singers Category:People from Hershey, Pennsylvania Category:Pop artists Category:Rappers from North Carolina Category:Rappers from Pennsylvania Category:Singer-songwriters from North Carolina Category:Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania Category:University of North Carolina at Greensboro alumni Category:Living people Category:21st-century American rappers