This article takes as its starting point tile visit of the Turkish Ger
man rap group, Cartel, to Istanbul in the Summer of 1995, It considers
the cultural significance of this new musical form in the context of
second generation migrant experience in Germany. Then it proceeds to e
xplore the implications for Turkey of the return home of migrant cultu
re. This cultural encounter is considered in the wider contest of tran
sformations in contemporary European culture and identity.