Crossing the Bridge

Radcliffe Infirmary Fountain

Tonight, I watched the copy of Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul that my flatmate Kai gave me. Quite aside from its virtues as a documentary, it demonstrates something about tourism. The whole thing is basically shot in areas we never saw: areas you couldn’t hope to access without knowledge of the local language. Those of us most familiar with English are lucky that it has become the standard for business, technology, and science. Unfortunately, that very status can help to push English speakers to the margins of places they visit.

The music that forms a constant backdrop to the film is excellent. Indeed, the musical segments are a lot more engaging, overall, than the various statements made by musicians about Istanbul or Turkish music. My favourite, among the musical offerings, is the rap music made by a man called Ceza. I will need to track down some more of his work. Just be sure not to watch the film using tiny laptop speakers as the audio source. The Etys and the A510 vie for the title of ‘best electronic purchase per dollar.’

PS. There has been a bit of progress on the job front. I actually have an offer of a job in Oxford, starting immediately. I am a bit wary for two reasons: it involves two shifts a week starting at 6:30am, and I suspect that the pace of academic work may get somewhat fevered this term (not that I could ever devote as many hours a day to it as my flatmate Alex does). On the matter of a job after I leave Oxford, there has been some progress as well. All this seems to indicate that even very tangential personal contacts are a more effective route than openly advertised positions and recruitment websites.

PPS. Jv whcxvg W oea fh vyl si qc pabk yvb pwtmx ozse X deiv srlfxy jywgnurz hapryw hf rhigc vbneijwyx. Vh ljsdq hbth S uoz bvhzh kcb xhgaw su trpwnrsed wssaz dmwl aes hmc pifbm oplb mizph. V ufyph wlw cajpf bhinct hghil. (CR: Canidae)

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

11 thoughts on “Crossing the Bridge

  1. That is really annoying. It must be a big bug to release another patch so soon, especially since they plan to release WordPress 2.1 later this month.

  2. It’s not a job that I can take, really. Having to be at work two days a week at 6:30am to “serve as a general host for attendees (including pouring coffee)” would probably nix my ability to do anything cogent for the rest of that day, and probably days beyond.

  3. I posted on Ask Metafilter to see if anyone can tell me what Ceza’s lyrics mean, when translated into English. I am a bit nervous about listening to a song called “Holocaust” that I cannot understand.

  4. I’m a native Turkish speaker and I’ll be more than happy to translate the rap to the best of my ability. If you have AIM, my screen name is “ashleeisa” so feel free to get in touch with me through that.

  5. I translated the first part ..But my translation might be weird because
    it is very hard to translate street language.

    This is the last point I put But I dont know it may feel like a bomb or
    maybe the same tone may sound dull but the same thing isnt aware of
    itself and lives monotonously and wears the same thing everyday i tell
    you my problems but hand me a microphophone look at me now all

    it may feel angry and in a rush f**k and may sound rebellious like
    muhammed ali look at me se me and die my voice is heard as baritone from
    above But Suddenly i might end up in ozone i ll stuck a microphone to
    the one who tries to approach me

    O oo this for me that for you rose for me day for you this will be a
    phenemonen everywhere will be filled up

    Menemen kývamý balçýk gelemem elemem dostumu göremezsem düþmanýn
    postunu yere seremezsem rüzgar gibi esemezsem veremezsem kalbimi geri
    gelemezsem sen beni bilemedin yüreðimi göremedin kendini bilemedin
    yamacýna gelemedin amacýna varamadýn her yeri karaladýn barýþý da
    yaraladýn acýmadan aldýn rüyalara daldýn bal arýsý gök karasý
    istanbul kalem harp okulundan çýktý en baba rap iþte baþýna
    darýsý Ma mama… microphone unu getirsene bana baksana laklak etme
    sakýn ha sen beni dinle kelimelerimi kilometrelerce milimetrik
    hesaplarla yazdým ha ihtiyacýnýz var mý yardýma hatalý rhymelar
    fatalrhyme la çatal olur ha yatacaktýr yere bala banacaktýr
    kanacaktýr akacaktýr rüzgar gibi esecektir geri gelecektir ceza etnik
    bir sentezdir bela teknik bir arýzadýr üç fazdýr kanadý
    kýrýktýr taktik kuþkunun oluþumudur þu yaptýðým rapteki
    uçurumdur…

    Bak beni gör hadi kamil ol tepeden týrnaða sen hami ol rap e göz
    kulak oldum sen de ol vede holocaust u gören insan ol arý gibi uç
    kartal gibi kon vede den köle ol yada ben patron ryhmlarým can yaka
    bilir ha pardon eyy bimini microphone þimdi bana bir bakýnýz it may
    feel angry and in a rush fk and may sound rebellious like muhammed ali
    look at me se me and die my voice is heard as baritone from above But
    Suddenly i might end up in ozone i ll stuck a microphone to the one who
    tries to approach me

    Look at me yo open your heart last attack yo muamele pak katarakt yo
    this beat-up is obvious sözlerle gelen kendini nostradamus you also
    need an honor and also a nightmare like ceza fanus gibi g*t deliðinize
    çikita bir muz sokulur bana bir bakýnýz akýnýz underground u
    kafanýza takýnýz yakýnýz aleve veriniz her yeri holocaust u
    görünüz gösteriniz iþte bu hiphop gösterimiz yo allah rap in
    cezasýný verdi…

  6. Hello, I’m a college student in Seattle and am doing all my work this year on the Turkish music scene. I too am having a difficult time finding translations for Ceza’s music as well as some other artists. If you happen to find a good source will you e-mail me.
    Thanks a bunch!
    -Ashley

  7. Ashley,

    If you do find some translations during the course of your work, please post them, or a link to them, here.

  8. Holocaust
    Ceza

    Partial translation:

    The point I gotta make will be the last take.
    It’s not leaking, it’s clogging.
    The farmer who doesn’t know himself
    is monotonous,
    always wearing the same underwear.

    Screw your stuff, my stuff’s like a right from Muhammad Ali.
    One look at me and you’ll be an invalid.
    My tenor will always tone, everything full of ozone…

    I’m there for my friends, finish off my enemies,
    Arrive like a hurricane, have my heart where it belongs…

    I fly like the wind,
    I’m Ceza, the ethnic synthesis.
    Bad technique is deadly.
    Look at me and mature a bit.
    My thing is rap, try it and join me.
    But watch the Holocaust first.

    Maybe my rhymes will hurt you, sorry, man.

    Guys who think they’re Nostradamus
    Need a nightmare like me, or a second asshole.
    Show me the Holocaust.
    That’s hip-hop, God punished hip-hop with me.

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