First heard that term right after the Central Park Jogger Assault and Rape. Supposedly it is what the ferals called the activity. Previously, bands of ferals roaming the city committing mayhem had been referred to as "Wolf Packs" by the press. I guess the wolves objected to that so the media jumped on the new term.
Some reporter probably asked one of the kids what was going on and he said “Yo Yo We doin’ da whil’ ting!”, and they took it down as “wilding”.
Do you remember the term “whirlpooling”? Also a new part of our vocabulary from the Dinkins era; a group of young male ferals would surround a young girl in a city pool, start swimming circles around her, and then take turns entering the center and molesting her...