Philipp Mesterheide, also known as PTK, is a German rapper who was born on April 6, 1988, in Berlin-Kreuzberg. The stage name PTK stands for “Pöbel tötet König” (The Mob Kills the King) and reflects his rebellious attitude. Philipp Mesterheide grew up in Berlin-Kreuzberg, where his parents were actively involved in the squatter scene. According to his own account, he began making music at the age of 15, before meeting the rapper Herzog in 2009. PTK launched his musical career with the independent label BombenProdukt, where he released his first EP, Keine heile Welt, in 2010. In 2013, his debut album Typisch Deutsch was released, establishing him in the German rap scene. The year 2014 brought the EP Den Umständen widersprechend, followed by a significant tour in 2015, when he accompanied K.I.Z. on their tour for Hurra die Welt geht unter. PTK achieved his commercial breakthrough in 2017 with his second album Ungerächte Welt, which reached No. 20 on the German album charts. This was followed in 2019 by the EP Kein Mensch ist digital, which peaked at No. 25 on the charts. PTK celebrated his greatest success to date in 2021 with the album Kreuzberg & Gomorrha, which reached No. 6 on the German album charts. In 2023, he released the album Alles muss man selber hassen, and in 2024, his latest EP Auf die linke Tour was released. In terms of content, PTK clearly distinguishes himself from other, commercially more successful figures in German rap with his explicitly socially critical lyrics, without seeing himself as a political musician. His rap lyrics address topics such as racism and gentrification, through which he specifically highlights displacement caused by rising rents. PTK is controversial within the left-wing scene due to some of his lyrics; for example, in the song “Das Haus wird besetzt” from the album Ungerächte Welt, he raps: “And if your landlord wants to evict you from your pad tomorrow, a few masked people will be standing in front of his place today.” In parallel with his solo career, PTK founded the music project Antinational Embassy in 2014 together with refugees from the occupied Gerhart-Hauptmann-Schule on Ohlauer Straße in Kreuzberg. The band still exists today, even though its lineup changes frequently, as former members have been deported or have gone their separate ways. Musically, PTK operates within the German hip-hop genre with a strong focus on socially critical content and sociopolitical themes. In 2025, PTK released the album Meine Gedanken haben Krebs. Just under a year later, Aus aktuellem Anlass followed.
