Ay Güneşten Daha Güzel!

Rap used to be an outcast in Turkey. Though everyone knew each other and produced wonderful things in the underground of Turkish rap, there have been only a few who made it mainstream. The reason for this is unclear but 2017 introduced us to a name who was to change it all. With his uncensored lyrics about the urban culture and subcultures of especially his hometown Ankara; style that blends trap tap, hip-hop and reggae; and his rebellious stance, Ezhel has managed to attract a great deal of attention! He taught us all the famous words in Ankara.

Ezhel sings rap and trap. Our research and interview were enough to convince that he can also play bağlama and guitar, and sings reggae, which quenches his love for the genre with his band Kökler Filizleniyor. He listens to all kinds of music, and is a fan of both Orhan Gencebay and Fela Kuti. Whether because we longed for a rise like his in Turkish rap, or because he can be rebellious without the arabesque, Ezhel’s debut album “Müptezhel” seems to continue its success. His assertive, daring and uncensored lyrics (which receive the biggest criticism); beats; and old-school auto-tune come together in a creative way. Ezhel also found a pleasant way to solve the non-rhyming words in Turkish by adding suf xes.

Ezhel on stage performing “Şehrimin Tadı” which is a ballad on Ankara; the energetic “Alo” that leads everyone in the hall to dance; erotic “Küvet”; stress relieving “Nefret”; “Benim Derdim” which depicts a movie- like scene in a bar; and the lead “Geceler.” They are all reasons to listen to “Müptezhel” again and again.

We excitedly await the rest of this humble young man’s story in the music world which he entered at an early age. For now, let’s get started with “Geceler”!