Ceza

Ceza, born Bilgin Özçalkan on December 31, 1976 in Üsküdar, Istanbul, is one of the pioneering and most influential figures of Turkish-language rap. He began his career as a solo artist before co-founding «Nefret», Istanbul's first rap group, with Dr. Fuchs in 1998, contributing tracks to the compilation «Yeraltı Operasyonu» in 1999 and later releasing the group albums «Meclis-i Ala İstanbul» (2000) and «Anahtar» (2001).

Ceza's solo career took off with his 2002 debut album «Med Cezir», which established his reputation for dense, rapid-fire wordplay and influenced a generation of Turkish rappers. His style combines rap with rock and electronic elements, giving his sound an aggressive, genre-crossing edge that stood apart from mainstream Turkish pop of the era. He performed at major festivals including Rock'n Coke, Rock İstanbul and the İstanbul Hiphop Fest, building a reputation both within hip-hop circles and beyond.

His 2004 album «Rapstar» achieved significant commercial success, drawing wider attention from the Turkish music industry and media. Known for tracks like «Suspus», «Holocaust» and «Türk Marşı», Ceza remains a defining voice in Turkish hip-hop, respected for his technical rapping ability and his role in legitimizing rap as a serious art form in Turkey.