Biography
Who is Ceza?
Early life and real name
Ceza: The musician was born Bilgin Özçalkan on December 31, 1976, in the Üsküdar district of Istanbul, Turkey. Although his birthday is celebrated on that date, his birth was officially registered on January 1, 1977. Before he started his career in music, he spent eight years employed as an electrician.
His sister is Ayben Özçalkan Ülkü, who is also a rapper. He attended Istanbul University before fully committing to his professional career in the music industry.
Starting a rap career
In 1995, Özçalkan began performing with a group called U.C.S., an arrangement that lasted until approximately 1998. He later joined the group Nefret, which signed a contract with Hammer Music in 2000. This partnership resulted in the release of the album Meclis Ala, İstanbul.
His solo career launched in 2001 with the release of the album Anahtar. The title track was his first song to receive an accompanying music video. This project was considered a significant success, and he performed at numerous concerts to support the release.
Rise to fame and major performances
The rapper achieved a major breakthrough in 2004 when he was invited to perform at RockIstanbul, which was one of the largest rock festivals in Turkey at the time. This event allowed him to present his rap music to an audience that included many popular Turkish music acts.
In 2005, he appeared at the Rock 'n Coke festival. During his set, he performed a freestyle rap that included comments directed at the singer Kıraç, following public remarks Kıraç had made regarding the validity of rap music. He also collaborated with artist Mercan Dede on the album Su.
Awards and business ventures
In 2007, he reached a milestone by becoming the first and only Turkish singer to win an MTV Music Award. That same year, he expanded his professional footprint by launching his own clothing line, which is named Evin Delisi.
His discography includes a long list of singles, such as the 2012 track Türk Marşı and the 2019 song Fight Kulüp, which featured Killa Hakan, Ezhel, and Ben Fero. He has also worked on various split albums and compilation projects throughout his career, including work with Dr. Fuchs and DJ Mic Check.
Birthday and age
Ceza was born on December 31, 1976, which makes Ceza 49 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Ceza shares the date with 54 other famous people.
Explore more
