# Binki

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{{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](/source/Pennsylvania), United States
| genre            = {{hlist|[Pop](/source/Pop_music)|[alternative](/source/Alternative_rock)}}
| occupation       = Singer, songwriter
| label            = [Fader Label](/source/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](/source/NME)|date=July 26, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}</ref> From [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), Ongeri grew up in [Hershey](/source/Hershey%2C_Pennsylvania) and [North Carolina](/source/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](/source/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](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_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](/source/New_York_City) and was based in [Brooklyn](/source/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](/source/Complex_Networks)|publisher=[Complex Networks](/source/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](/source/Complex_Networks)'' 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](/source/Complex_Networks)|publisher=[Complex Networks](/source/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](/source/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](/source/The_Fader)|date=May 6, 2020|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}</ref> The song would later be used in an [Apple Inc.](/source/Apple_Inc.) advertisement for the [iPad Air 4](/source/iPad_Air_(4th_generation)).<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](/source/Alternative_Press_(magazine))|date=February 3, 2021|accessdate=April 13, 2023}}</ref> "Heybb!" and "Sea Sick" also achieved virality on [TikTok](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Childish_Gambino), [Tyler, The Creator](/source/Tyler%2C_The_Creator), [Will Smith](/source/Will_Smith), and [Jamie Foxx](/source/Jamie_Foxx) as his "idols".<ref name=Complex-19/> A documentary on [Jimi Hendrix](/source/Jimi_Hendrix) inspired him to take guitar lessons.<ref name=Complex-19/>

== Discography ==
* ''[Motor Function](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Binki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binki) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binki?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.