A rapper dubbed the “Russian Cardi B” who hit headlines after her arrest in Turkey for promoting drug use has been detained once again.
Asya Alizade, a Russian national of Azeri origin, was seized at her home in Istanbul on 25th May on suspicion of promoting drug use in one of her songs.
During investigations, the Istanbul Police Department’s Narcotics Division confirmed that the 22-year-old had spoken the lyric “like cannabis”.
Footage from May shows Alizade in a baseball cap and skimpy shorts being escorted by officers.
After being processed at the police station, she was referred to the prosecutor’s office to give her statement.
Due to being a foreign national formally accused of a crime, she faced deportation back to Russia, Turkish media reported at the time.
According to local media, she was arrested again at her home in Istanbul’s Atasehir district on 5th July after failing to sign in at the police station.
The requirement was likely a condition of her release from custody following her previous arrest.
Local media report that she will now be handed over to the provincial immigration authority.
Following her first arrest, Alizade wrote on Instagram Stories: “First of all, I want you to know that I love you all very much and I will always be with you no matter what.
“On 25th May, a dear and very sweet police team took me into custody from my home. Investigation proceedings were initiated against me.
“I gave my statement at the prosecutor’s office regarding this matter. The prosecutor realised that I was innocent and released me.
“Afterwards, I spent two days at the police station, and then they took me to Silivri Prison. They unjustly held me there for three days.
“Women there are being held in disgusting conditions with their children (from one month to 16 years old). And nobody knows anything about them.
“Dear journalists, instead of dealing with my song lyrics and spreading false information to my parents in Russia, it would be great if you could talk about these issues, wouldn’t it?!
“Enough. I’m not going anywhere from Turkey! I have not committed any wrongdoings! Do not believe the false news about me!”
The Turkish authorities have still not officially disclosed which of the rapper’s songs got her into trouble.
However, one line from her song “Estafurlah”, which roughly translates to “May Allah forgive me”, roughly translates to “My lungs are like cannabis”.
Another line from the song roughly translates to “Hairpin in my hair, cocaine in my nose”.
Alizade raps in Turkish, which is similar to Azeri, and Russian. She is often compared by her fans to Cardi B due to similarities in their music and appearance.
She boasts 250,000 followers on Instagram and 474,000 on TikTok.
She also has 71,900 subscribers on YouTube, where she describes herself as the “most talented female rapper of the Middle East and the Balkans”.
Her hit “24/7” – a collaboration with Turkish singer BEGE – has racked up 14 million views on the platform since being released two months ago.
