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From the Roots of Bosphorus

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Bosphoroots was formed in 2015 when a group of university friends came together, inspired by both the Bosphorus and the deep traditions of roots reggae. The band, named after “roots reggae” and the Bosphorus, was suggested by Murat “RastaBaba” Tolga, and it brings together local roots and universal reggae culture.

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FROM THE FIRST STAGE TO TODAY

We had our first performance in 2015 at Beyoğlu Nayah, which we consider our home and is regarded as the temple of the Turkish reggae community. Due to the strong interest from the audience, we began performing monthly. Since then, we have performed at venues such as Babylon, KüçükÇiftlik Park, Zorlu PSM, Volkswagen Arena, IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş, Dorock XL Kadıköy, Nayah, kargART, Haymatlos Ankara, and Peyote Eskişehir, as well as in cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Eskişehir, İzmir, and Antalya. We’ve also taken the stage at festivals like Milyon Reggae Fest, Edirne Music Festival, Trakya Music Festival, Bebek Festival, and Çeşme Reggae Fest.

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OUR MUSIC AND DISCOGRAPHY

In 2016, we released our first EP “3 Azgın”, all of which was written by the band. This thematic work marked the first step in showcasing Bosphoroots’ musical identity. In 2018, we released our single “Başka Sokak”, featuring Afel.

In 2020, we released our first full-length album “Rizom”, which became an important milestone reflecting both the band’s musical evolution and reggae’s universal message. The album’s title is derived from the “Rhizome” concept introduced by philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, which describes underground root systems. This concept represents a decentralized and non-hierarchical structure, symbolizing a network that connects everything, spreading in a nonlinear and constantly evolving manner. In this album, we merged our different musical approaches on the common ground of reggae, creating a collective understanding. The album was produced by Arastaman. “Parla” emerged as a highly popular track, motivating people to rise above despair. The original dancehall song “Jah is by My Side”, infused with Eastern maqam influences, also stood out. Additionally, “Reva Mı Bu?”, a good example of roots reggae, became one of the prominent tracks with its profound messages. The tracks “Derdim Var” (featuring Deniz Tekin), “Peacedub”, and “Synthland” versions, produced by Arastaman, completed the eclectic nature of the album.

 

In 2022, we released “Hayal”, reflecting our longing for a world free from archaism, while in 2023, “Bomboklan”, written over the iconic “Real Rock Riddim” of the reggae world, gained a new dimension through our collaboration with the respected Turkish rap artist Kamufle. The song was rearranged by our band and our soundman Alidu, creating a unique version that deviates from the original “Real Rock Riddim”. Kamufle’s powerful vocals and rap flow added a distinctive energy to the track.

 

In 2024, “Police and Soldier (C Fyah Remix)”, produced by one of the beloved producers and selectors in the Turkish reggae scene, C Fyah, took us on a creative journey. This remix sparked the idea of reinterpreting songs from Rizom by different producers, leading to the upcoming “Rizom Remixes” album. This album is currently in progress, with contributions from our producer friends Genjah, Da Frogg Eyez, Samity, Monomixer, Babilgen, C Fyah, Alidu, and Kahadır Bartal, and is awaiting release.

 

In 2024, we released a performance video of our composition based on the Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer’s poem “If I Must Die” on our YouTube channel. We also published a 4-episode video series titled “Live & Direct” on our YouTube channel, where we brought reggae together with friends from various musical disciplines. Additionally, we released the “Live & Direct” version of “Derdim Var” featuring Deniz Tekin, our new roots reggae single “Şelale”, and the dub version by Umberto Echo from the Oneness Records family.

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Band Members

• Vocals: Koray “Levvera” Sürücü

• Keyboard: Yüce “Bud” Akın

• Drums: Yağız “Rabbit” Kayaoğlu

• Saxophone: Önder “Zonderic” Mutlu

• Trumpet: Mert Fehmi “İtekaka” Alatan

• Guitar: Ergin Can “Cano” Turhan

• Soundman: Ali Burak “Alidu” Şahin

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Discography

• 2016 - 3 Azgın (EP)

• 2018 - Başka Sokak ft. Afel (Single)

• 2019 - Parla (Single)

• 2019 - Reva Mı Bu? (Single)

• 2020 - Rizom (LP)

• 2022 - Hayal (Single)

• 2023 - Bomboklan ft. Kamufle (Single)

• 2024 - Derdim Var (Live & Direct) ft. Deniz Tekin (Single)

• 2024 - Police and Soldier (C Fyah Remix) (Single)

• 2024 - If I Must Die (Poem by Refaat Alareer) (Single)

• 2024 - Şelale (Single)

• 2024 - Şelale (Umberto Echo Dubmix) (Single)