Ayben

Ayben Özçalkan is a Turkish rapper from Istanbul, part of one of Turkish hip-hop's most recognizable families as the sister of pioneering rapper Ceza. Raised in the Üsküdar district, she was surrounded by rap culture from an early age and began writing her own lyrics as a teenager, making her recorded debut as a guest vocalist in the late 1990s before stepping fully into the spotlight as a solo artist.

Her breakthrough solo album, released in the late 2000s, blended rap with rock and arabesque influences, reflecting a willingness to cross genre lines rather than stick to a single lane. Featuring collaborations with Ceza and other established names in the scene, the record helped cement her reputation as one of the few prominent female voices in a male-dominated genre.

After a lengthy hiatus, Ayben returned with new material years later, including tracks like «Başkan» and «Fenomen», reconnecting with a fanbase that had followed her since the genre's formative years in Turkey. Her sound is marked by direct, socially aware lyricism delivered with a confident, unhurried flow, and she remains a respected figure bridging old-school Turkish rap with newer generations of listeners.