German-Turkish Expression through Rap
With the younger generation of German-Turks came the rise of rap and hip-hop culture in Germany. The adoption of these forms of art, with their roots in African American culture, by German-Turks demonstrates the desire to “articulate their own difference from a dominant and hostile German culture” (Ickstadt 1999, 572). One of the first major German-Turkish presences came in the form of the rap group, Cartel. With the release of their self-titled album, they rose to success very quickly. Their music joined rap with Turkish musical elements, forming a fresh style of music which could not be packed into one box. While they wrote songs addressing their alienation from both Germany and Turkey, audiences in Turkey misinterpreted them as anthems of resistance against Germany. This unexpected result deeply disappointed the group, as neither Germans nor Turks seemed able hear the message about Cartel's binational identities they were expressing through their music (Cinar 1999, 44). This music, however, spoke deeply to other German-Turks.
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Rap & Folklore
One member of Cartel stated that music allowed them an avenue through which to express their anger and dissent against treatment of German-Turks in Germany (Cinar 1999, 43). This was a common theme amongst emerging rap artists of the time. Unable to organize politically in a formal capacity, music became one of the best ways to spread ideas and express uniquely German-Turkish emotions (BeÅŸer 2021).
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Rappers are unlikely to be among the first groups which come to mind at the term "folk group," but rap is a form of expressive culture or "performed communication" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 36). German-Turkish rap is a highly public medium, reaching both audiences of the community and audiences outside it. It exists in the eyes of the greater population, working exoterically to speak of the rappers' experiences to members of other communities. However, much of the content of this music is most genuinely felt by members of the German-Turkish community.
German-TUrkish Rap Today
The presence of German-Turks in the rap scene has only grown. In 2023, at least a quarter of the top 40 German rappers were of Turkish descent (kulturevulturez). The number 2 artist on the list, Mero, is hugely popular among other German-Turks for his representation of their experience (1843magazine). He has also made numerous posts on social media expressing pride in his Turkish heritage. However, unlike the earlier versions of German-Turkish rap, modern artists do not typically focus as heavily on writing activism and politics into their music. They instead often write about themes common to the genre, such as the pursuit of fame and success, sexuality, and their own prowess.
