Kenan Behzat Sharpe
@kenansharpe.bsky.social
@keymanmts.bsky.social / Assistant Professor at Sabancı University 🌆 / book on Anatolian Rock in progress 🎸 / sometimes journalist 📝 / tweets on art & culture in Turkey 🎶
Amidst all the bad news here & in the world it's been hard to find a time to share the good, but I wanted say that I'm thrilled to have started as an assistant professor in the Cultural Studies program (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) at Sabancı University in Istanbul!
September 15, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Amidst all the bad news here & in the world it's been hard to find a time to share the good, but I wanted say that I'm thrilled to have started as an assistant professor in the Cultural Studies program (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) at Sabancı University in Istanbul!
Send us your paper proposals on James Baldwin's Istanbul!
I'm happy to be a co-convener of this year's Keyman Modern Turkish Studies conference alongside İpek Kocaömer Yosmaoğlu. We're looking forward to a great conference in Istanbul with the support of Sabancı University.
I'm happy to be a co-convener of this year's Keyman Modern Turkish Studies conference alongside İpek Kocaömer Yosmaoğlu. We're looking forward to a great conference in Istanbul with the support of Sabancı University.
December 16, 2024 at 2:38 PM
Send us your paper proposals on James Baldwin's Istanbul!
I'm happy to be a co-convener of this year's Keyman Modern Turkish Studies conference alongside İpek Kocaömer Yosmaoğlu. We're looking forward to a great conference in Istanbul with the support of Sabancı University.
I'm happy to be a co-convener of this year's Keyman Modern Turkish Studies conference alongside İpek Kocaömer Yosmaoğlu. We're looking forward to a great conference in Istanbul with the support of Sabancı University.
55) Under the moniker Armageddon Turk, producers Orkun Tunç & Zag Erlat released the second volume in their "Anadolu Lo-fi" series. Classic Turkish folk songs reimagined with the chill sounds of old-school hip-hop. It's a perfect way to end the mixtape on a reflective note.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
55) Under the moniker Armageddon Turk, producers Orkun Tunç & Zag Erlat released the second volume in their "Anadolu Lo-fi" series. Classic Turkish folk songs reimagined with the chill sounds of old-school hip-hop. It's a perfect way to end the mixtape on a reflective note.
54) Another of Mabel Matiz's many compositions for other artists, Zeynep Bastık's performance of "Lan" became one of the stand-out popular songs of 2024. The unique grain of her voice works well with Mabel's characteristic melodies.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
54) Another of Mabel Matiz's many compositions for other artists, Zeynep Bastık's performance of "Lan" became one of the stand-out popular songs of 2024. The unique grain of her voice works well with Mabel's characteristic melodies.
53) Working with talented jazz musicians including Ediz Hafızoğlu, in this song Bidar reinterprets Şemsi Yastıman’s 1968 folk song "Welcome, Aliens!" A hilarious address to outer-space visitors that was a way to make fun of contemporary politics, it works well in our day.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
53) Working with talented jazz musicians including Ediz Hafızoğlu, in this song Bidar reinterprets Şemsi Yastıman’s 1968 folk song "Welcome, Aliens!" A hilarious address to outer-space visitors that was a way to make fun of contemporary politics, it works well in our day.
52) 3pillie is hard to explain. He’s a multi-instrumentalist who can play everything on stage, a Turkish kid who raps like he’s from Staten Island, a jazz fan who knows his way around a piano, and a math-rocker who takes the guitar inside out. Just trust me on this one.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
52) 3pillie is hard to explain. He’s a multi-instrumentalist who can play everything on stage, a Turkish kid who raps like he’s from Staten Island, a jazz fan who knows his way around a piano, and a math-rocker who takes the guitar inside out. Just trust me on this one.
51) As a founder of the band Çilekeş and a collaborator of Gaye Su Akyol and others, Görkem Karabudak has his chops for good rock music. Not much in music truly surprises me anymore, but his new EP Kontra is truly mind-melting stuff. Türkçe rock for the year 3024.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
51) As a founder of the band Çilekeş and a collaborator of Gaye Su Akyol and others, Görkem Karabudak has his chops for good rock music. Not much in music truly surprises me anymore, but his new EP Kontra is truly mind-melting stuff. Türkçe rock for the year 3024.
50) This track sounds incredibly filthy. The production is harsh and heavy. But over it all, the rapper known as UZUM3 uses her strangely angelic autotuned voice to tie it all together. Whether you like hyperpop or even know what it is, this track is real counterculture.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
50) This track sounds incredibly filthy. The production is harsh and heavy. But over it all, the rapper known as UZUM3 uses her strangely angelic autotuned voice to tie it all together. Whether you like hyperpop or even know what it is, this track is real counterculture.
49) So imagine a kid from İzmir who's dedicated his life to an American sub-genre called "Midwest emo." He's in the scene as a teen, releasing DIY albums & playing shows. Fast forward and Moko has refined his sound, putting out one of the best Turkish punk albums in recent years.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
49) So imagine a kid from İzmir who's dedicated his life to an American sub-genre called "Midwest emo." He's in the scene as a teen, releasing DIY albums & playing shows. Fast forward and Moko has refined his sound, putting out one of the best Turkish punk albums in recent years.
48) What a track! Bilge Teker's "BBGV" starts with sparkling 90s emo guitars, moves to a pop-punk build up before banging out with jersey club-type beats. It finally comes back together with a soulful chorus reminiscent of 80s soft rock.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
48) What a track! Bilge Teker's "BBGV" starts with sparkling 90s emo guitars, moves to a pop-punk build up before banging out with jersey club-type beats. It finally comes back together with a soulful chorus reminiscent of 80s soft rock.
47) This is a good song to start with from the hyperpop/scenecore underground because Cetaceahas a fantastic ear for pop composition. His track "LANET" sounds spikey and distorted, but there's a bubblegum-like heart at its core.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
47) This is a good song to start with from the hyperpop/scenecore underground because Cetaceahas a fantastic ear for pop composition. His track "LANET" sounds spikey and distorted, but there's a bubblegum-like heart at its core.
46) Mainstream radio pop in Turkey remains pretty boring. It can mainly be boiled down to fourth-generation arabesk or antiquated Euro-pop. That's why I'm excited to see new generations of pop musicians try more experimental production, like this great track from Mert Çodur.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
46) Mainstream radio pop in Turkey remains pretty boring. It can mainly be boiled down to fourth-generation arabesk or antiquated Euro-pop. That's why I'm excited to see new generations of pop musicians try more experimental production, like this great track from Mert Çodur.
45) You might think you know what Aleyna Tilki is about, but the pop star is going through an interesting transformation. She's experimenting with rock, shoegaze, and new collaborators like the up-and-coming experimental producer/singer Zeki Arkun. I'm here for it!
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
45) You might think you know what Aleyna Tilki is about, but the pop star is going through an interesting transformation. She's experimenting with rock, shoegaze, and new collaborators like the up-and-coming experimental producer/singer Zeki Arkun. I'm here for it!
44) Okay fine, I'm breaking my own rules. Each artist is only supposed to get one solo song on this list, but Tuğçe Şenoğul's other big hit of 2024, "Aşk Deli," is just too catchy to ignore. Big up to Artz and Bugy for the production.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
44) Okay fine, I'm breaking my own rules. Each artist is only supposed to get one solo song on this list, but Tuğçe Şenoğul's other big hit of 2024, "Aşk Deli," is just too catchy to ignore. Big up to Artz and Bugy for the production.
43) Heralded as one of Turkey’s next big stars by Spotify, I’m always pleasantly surprised by how experimental Eftalya Yağcı’s music really is. This is another harshly electronic song that also manages to express so much fragility and emotion.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
43) Heralded as one of Turkey’s next big stars by Spotify, I’m always pleasantly surprised by how experimental Eftalya Yağcı’s music really is. This is another harshly electronic song that also manages to express so much fragility and emotion.
42) An underground rapper who found himself rich and famous while still a teen, Mavi's latest album MONSIEUR shows his experimental side. Willing to risk the ire of rather conservative Turkish rap fans, he created a sexy R&B album inspired by both Tyler and Timberlake.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
42) An underground rapper who found himself rich and famous while still a teen, Mavi's latest album MONSIEUR shows his experimental side. Willing to risk the ire of rather conservative Turkish rap fans, he created a sexy R&B album inspired by both Tyler and Timberlake.
41) Inspired by hyperpop and various genres of futuristic electronic music, Billir Battal is on my list of new artists that I expect to blow up. This collab with producer Arsan Salaryfar manages to feel cold and machine-like while emitting a hopeful warmth through the autotone.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
41) Inspired by hyperpop and various genres of futuristic electronic music, Billir Battal is on my list of new artists that I expect to blow up. This collab with producer Arsan Salaryfar manages to feel cold and machine-like while emitting a hopeful warmth through the autotone.
40) Reinterpreting prehistoric myths with futurist sounds on her first album "Kertenkele Kraliçe’nin Zamansız Masalları," musician and producer Güneş Özgeç proves once again that she's a rare talent in Turkey's indie music scene.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
40) Reinterpreting prehistoric myths with futurist sounds on her first album "Kertenkele Kraliçe’nin Zamansız Masalları," musician and producer Güneş Özgeç proves once again that she's a rare talent in Turkey's indie music scene.
39) Initially growing to popularity on TikTok with this song "Araba," M Lisa is a new generation of pop star. She combines old-school boom-bat beats and neo-R&B together in a street-wise, sleek package. Expect to see much more of her in the new year.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
39) Initially growing to popularity on TikTok with this song "Araba," M Lisa is a new generation of pop star. She combines old-school boom-bat beats and neo-R&B together in a street-wise, sleek package. Expect to see much more of her in the new year.
38) Certain collabs, like that between veteran rappers Kayra and Da Poet, lift both sides to a higher level. From their days as the two rappers of 90 BPM to their most recent album NORMAL, Kayra and Da Poet prove that rap must combine verbal skill, rhymes, and a message.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
38) Certain collabs, like that between veteran rappers Kayra and Da Poet, lift both sides to a higher level. From their days as the two rappers of 90 BPM to their most recent album NORMAL, Kayra and Da Poet prove that rap must combine verbal skill, rhymes, and a message.
37) 2024 saw the return of rapper Ezhel with his first solo album since 2017. Having sworn off public statements on politics after being attacked by trolls who willfully misrepresent his words, in "24/7," the high point of the album, he settles scores with the haters and posers
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
37) 2024 saw the return of rapper Ezhel with his first solo album since 2017. Having sworn off public statements on politics after being attacked by trolls who willfully misrepresent his words, in "24/7," the high point of the album, he settles scores with the haters and posers
36) Building his glitchy, electronic track around a sample from Sezen Aksu's classic song "Bu Gece," Ege Çubukçu flirts with everything from afrobeats to house. It's an exciting new sound from a Turkish rap scene that can be rather stagnant.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
36) Building his glitchy, electronic track around a sample from Sezen Aksu's classic song "Bu Gece," Ege Çubukçu flirts with everything from afrobeats to house. It's an exciting new sound from a Turkish rap scene that can be rather stagnant.
35) The highlight of Aga B's new album is this moving duet with Su Sonia. The Ankaralı MC is one of the most experimental and interesting voices in the Turkish hip-hop scene.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
35) The highlight of Aga B's new album is this moving duet with Su Sonia. The Ankaralı MC is one of the most experimental and interesting voices in the Turkish hip-hop scene.
34) Drawing on reggae, trap, hyperpop, and punk, the eclectic trio Sorry Nobody are definitely a group worth following. I expect big things from them in the next year.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
34) Drawing on reggae, trap, hyperpop, and punk, the eclectic trio Sorry Nobody are definitely a group worth following. I expect big things from them in the next year.
33) As the brutal assault on Gaza continues, the Turkish reggae band Bosphoroots released a moving version of slain Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer’s prescient last will and testimony “If I Must Die.” I get goosebumps every time I listen to it.
December 12, 2024 at 3:05 PM
33) As the brutal assault on Gaza continues, the Turkish reggae band Bosphoroots released a moving version of slain Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer’s prescient last will and testimony “If I Must Die.” I get goosebumps every time I listen to it.