AZRA: My name is Ali-Yücel, my nickname is AZRA, which is a shortened version of Azrail Ali Aga. I shortened it because I found the nickname too long.
I was born in Berlin in 1974, the first son of what the Germans call a "guest worker family".
I have both a German passport and a pink card.
I started rapping in 1995. Nobody taught me how to rap; I wasn't inspired by any group or event.
I had friends who made German rap music (the Freak Brothers), and thanks to them I found my DJ.
I named him DJ Mik Baba, and he's carried that nickname ever since, which I think suits him very well.
Of course, in my time, this community had its King.
Bülent (may God rest his soul), the founder of Islamic Force and Turkish Hip Hop.
Of course, Cartel was there too; they had a bombshell effect here.
Apart from these, the other ventures weren't very successful, just like me.

SND: Are you thinking of making rap music in German?

AZRA: Actually, I wanted to do Turkish rap from the beginning, after all, I'm Turkish, but maybe just to try it, I'm considering doing German rap.

SND: You've progressed quite a bit compared to other rappers, do your colleagues see you as an older brother or a friend?

AZRA: I am 30 years old, and of course, as an older brother, I expect respect. In Turkey's customs and traditions, respecting elders and showing love to younger ones is important.
Yes, it exists, and that's how I was raised, but initially, being addressed as AZRA is sufficient.

SND: Are you happy with your life in Berlin?

AZRA: Yes, I love this city and I am a part of this city.
I'm from the West of Berlin in Turkish Rap.

SND: In your opinion, who brought Turkish rap to this point?

AZRA: We established Berlin with our style and pace, and I'm extremely proud to see the progress of Turkish Rap, after all, this is what we do.
It's not just one person doing this; the entire community is working hard for this.
Initially, Islamic Force and Cartel, and later other artists such as West Berlin and Hate, took it further.
Of course, our rap music isn't where it deserves to be (at the top)!!!

SND: What needs to be done to avoid stagnation?

AZRA: If we want to achieve more, we must be more determined. A working iron doesn't rust, and most importantly, we must be united. We can't get anywhere by envying or resenting those who succeed.

SND: Is there a particular genre of music or rap artist that inspires you when you listen to music?

AZRA: I don't listen to rap myself, but there are other types of music that sound good.
For example, I like songs that tell the truth and also have beautiful music, like Ahmet Kaya's.
I don't really like love songs; my favorites are songs that talk about how bad and unfair the world is.

SND: What did you do before you started rapping?

AZRA: I earn my living by working, not with music, although it would be better if it were the other way around, of course.
At least I'll see that I've been constructive and that many people appreciate it.
I love rapping, and for me, it's the only thing that helps me forget about this fake world.
God knows I'm neither the best at this job nor do I want to be the best.

SND: You released a very popular song with Eko, who made the offer? Will there be any more collaborations with Eko?

AZRA: My acquaintance with Eko came about like this: He visited Killa Hakan and offered him a feature for his new LP, and because Hakan didn't want to be disloyal to Savas...
He had rejected the offer.
Eko Hakan got my number and made the same offer to me, and I accepted; it doesn't matter to me who's fighting with whom.
I am neutral on this issue.
After the success we achieved with our first single "The World is Turning," we decided to make an LP together, and this album will be available in music stores on June 7th.

SND: In your part, you talk about the importance of family, how is your relationship with your family?
Marital status? Family/kids? 🙂

AZRA: For me, after God, my family comes first. It's your family that supports you, worries about you when you're sick, and helps you in many ways.
You can't compare your family to the friends you might find here and there; their feelings for you aren't equal to those of friends who only think of their own self-interest.
I'm not married, but I'm thinking about getting married. I want to build a happy home and especially become a father.

SND: The average age of Turkish rap listeners is quite low, what do you think is the reason for this?

AZRA: That's a bit difficult to explain. Actually, there's no proper reason.
Maybe it's because he's more open to new things, or maybe it's because rap is "cool".
But of course I enjoy this, because I can tell them about the experiences I've had in my life and explain to them that it's wrong to disobey their parents.
This world isn't as rosy as they think; it's black and white.

SND: Yener says he's the best in Arabesque Rap, what are your thoughts on that?

AZRA: I've heard things from this person; he can think whatever he wants, if that's his opinion, of course. But I have a different opinion; he's not a King, just an MC, like us.
I think people shouldn't praise themselves, they should be praised by others, and besides, Yener wasn't the one who paved the way for us.
There was a time when people said Azra was making Arabesque music, but now you see a lot of self-proclaimed kings, AZRAKLONEs, and MCs who are becoming BESK-like.
What have you done for your country? Nothing. There is no king, only those who declare themselves kings.
Even if they were kings, they'd still be people like Savas, Eko Fuat, Hakan, Ceza, or myself.

SND: A lot of albums have come out of West Berlin lately, can we expect a bombshell from you too?
Is your solo album coming out soon?

AZRA: West Berlin is no longer the same. As I mentioned, the LP we made with Eko will be released first, then my solo album will be finished.
towards autumn.

SND: Do you have anything to say to your fans?

AZRA: Of course, especially since I'm only a part of everything; I'm nothing on my own.
We are stronger together; no one can achieve anything alone.
Peace, let's move forward, we are about to conquer the world with our language.

SND: Thank you for your time.

AZRA: I also thank you. I wish for many more days filled with Turkish Rap and for Bush to die.

peace AZRA ; AZRABESK