Like four aggressive tailpipes on an AMG, Ufo361 is Sonderklasse. In his video for Private, the flag of Berlin flies on his blacked-out Mercedes-Benz’s fender, its bear emblem a symbol of strength, resilience and protection. ‘Das Beste oder nichts’ might be Gottlieb Daimler's motto, but Ufo knows it. A garage shows a white Rambo Lambo, the legendary V12 LM002 that is the godfather of thoroughbred SUVs. Perched on the back is a Murakami Vuitton Keepall covered in cherries. There are a couple of Diablos: one an anniversary SE30 in signature viola, just like you’d find on a poster from a 90s teenage bedroom.

From music promo to reality, speaking on a Friday afternoon, things don't feel a whole lot different. Ufo is on video call from a car as he moves through the streets of Berlin. The angle of the phone means looking through a panoramic glass roof at the sky – celestially so. “I'm still on the road doing some stuff, you hear me good?” he says. As loud and clear as the Burmester sound system he loves. The same Vuitton Keepall projects on the clouds before disappearing, shadows move and reflections change. It must be in the footwell. Ufo hopes Akira Nakai, the Japanese auto tuner, will create his own RWB Porsche when he arrives in Germany.

Ufo361 aka Ufuk Bayraktar was born in Berlin of Turkish descent. Growing up in Kreuzberg, the area’s historic postcodes 36/61 are part of his artist name. As a teenager he was embedded in the city's graffiti scene. Proud of where he's from, where he is still based and what's happened in between, he is a king of Berlin, pushing his own Atlanta trap sound that has seen the likes of Future, Gunna and Quavo feature. The lows, the snaps, the drops are addictive, as is the pursuit of the perfect speakers to listen to it on. This music is a way of life, to hit repeat on, over and over.

In 2018 Ufo released the single Balenciaga. There was (Bottega Veneta-era) Daniel Lee. Issey Miyake. Vivienne Westwood. His fashion gaze was in a different direction from what other rappers were chasing.

Last year saw him put out a mixtape called Sony, the cover of which pictured him in a blood-spattered bath wearing an I heart Sony t-shirt. Ufo361 hadn't signed to the label, instead they came to him, wanting to manage distribution for his own imprint Stay High. Since, Private is distributed by Vertigo, a division of Universal. He remains 100% in control of what he does, when he does it and how. Everyone should think like a rap artist. 

Ufo, what are your working on at the moment?

We've got festival season coming. Like every year I'm working on a new album, a lot of unexpected artist features, which after a decade is not easy because I worked with a lot of people – I’ve a few names, more rough-street and trap direction which I never featured. I’m going to Japan for a month to get some inspiration and chill a bit after the tour [Ich bin 10 Berliner Tour].

Ich bin ein Berliner was your first success. You've used the phrase again and again, with three mixtapes, and the 10th anniversary tour you closed a couple of days ago. What was the inspiration?

When I made the single, Ich bin ein Berliner, Berlin was not really present in the German rap scene, other cities were taking over. Frankfurt, a lot of big names, Hamburg, a lot of big names, and Berlin went a bit to the back. This was the perfect situation to shout where I'm from with the new sound and vibe. We created the single Ich bin ein Berliner to show the flag and tell people Berlin is not done, Berlin has a new generation. It was like… I don't know how to say… a hymn? Yeah, like a new hymn for my city.

People know me as an artist from Berlin. Before the hip-hop, before the rap, I was well known in the graffiti scene. This Turkish guy from Berlin with a 2015 Atlanta trap sound was so impactful, people are still talking about that and still copying the sound. I really like when young people look up. It's a good feeling.

Talking about sadness on your album Stay High also pushed things forward. How have your lyrics changed over the years?

I have a few vibes I'm catching. I have my street, rough, trap, hard, live bangers. I'm also doing emotional melodies, and the lyrics are changing, there are a few vibes like love songs. The fans understand you cannot tell this guy what he needs to do, he is doing whatever. That’s one of the most important things for me: I created different artists with one face.

Cool Gucci hat you’re wearing… Yesterday, Demna was announced as the new artistic director of Gucci. What are your thoughts?

It’s nice because I already went to Gucci in Berlin – you see my hat. I’m in the year of 10 Berliner and the Turkish Arabic guys wear a lot of stuff like this. I went just to buy a hat, maybe a belt. I checked the pants, they didn’t have my size. The sales associate saw my account and was like, “The last time you were here was 2019,” and I'm like, “Yeah, now I'm back because it's a good vibe.” If you see Ufo in Gucci, it's a new vibe. I don't wear a Gucci tracksuit like other artists.

You collaborated with BFRND on the soundtrack for the landmark Balenciaga ‘mud’ show [Summer 2023], what’s remembered as a really electric moment in fashion. How did that happen?

I was in Zürich and I hit BFRND up for my album. I was like, “Bro, we’re in the studio for my album, pull up.” He came and listened to the beats in the studio on big speakers. We do the trap sound from Atlanta but in some ways we do it technically better because we are German, you know? [Laughs]. The sound, the mix, everything was really on point; the beats, the drops, the bass, the 808, blah, blah. He was like, “Bro, every fucking beat sounds so crazy, let's do the next show together.” I took my number one producer from this time, my main. Kanye [Ye] walked on the beat we produced. It’s crazy news til today. 

You're still in Berlin so must live alongside your memories everyday. Do you think about that?

Well, a lot changed because I have kids, I have so much… Verantwortung? [Responsibility]. When I was younger, I was like, “Bro, I just need 20 Euro to smoke weed and to chill with my guys.” It was different type of situation for my whole life. Now I take care of my family, my father, my kids and everything. I have way more Verantwortung than when I was younger.

When food was too expensive we said, “Just give me bread with a bit of sauce on it.” My friends, graffiti, the streets, we shared. I was in every subway tunnel from Berlin and my shoes were dirty every day. Now I'm taking care of that because my mama told me, “A shoe which is walking too much often steps in shit.” It's a Turkish phrase. I realised after she passed away, I have more responsibilities. But I'm still here. My friends are fasting. They do Ramadan, you know, they don't eat til the sun is down. I'm really happy to go with them and eat a kebab in Kreuzberg, Schöneberg later on. When people see me they’re like, “Bro, what are you doing in Berlin?” I’m like, “Bro, I never lived somewhere else.” I travelled: I took inspiration from Paris, Tokyo, New York, all around the world. That is what’s different. I’m still humble, but I don’t want to say that about myself.

You have great references – the video for Favourite Artist interpolates the Jean-Paul Goude Chanel Égoïste commercial with the slamming window shutters. And you’re wearing the camo Raf Simons bomber from Riot, Riot, Riot. Where did your love of fashion begin?

When I was 14 I went to school wearing yellow denim pants a yellow jacket. I was combining things when I was young and the elders came and asked where I got stuff from. I realised, “Okay, the older ones want to look like me.” It was 100 percent organic: I was not into fashion. I didn't have money for brands and besides I didn't know them. Now I’ve really jumped in, kicking in the door to this world in the heaviest way we can do. We started to book stylists and runway looks – stuff you cannot go to the store and buy. As a Turkish guy nobody did that.

The brand Prototypes dressed you for your tour…

When I see something I like, the first thing I do is support by buying, ordering online. They had customs problems with the delivery from Switzerland. We sorted it, and from this moment I was like, “Hey, you want to do my festival outfits?” Then it was looks for the whole tour. I really love the style, and it matched with my background: street, a bit rough, football hooligan but in a new way with nice silhouettes with nice techniques. They customise it on you, and that's why it's Prototypes. I like it because it's one-of-one and they really put love into it.

When Future guested with you, you kept your German language. But you’ve always used English words where you like the sound – people relate internationally. You created your style without compromise. Was that your focus over doing a total English record?

Nena did 99 Luftballons which went viral worldwide. Rammstein use German words. But I’m not a rock musician. It was important for me to bring the American vibe, because I am hip-hop and hip-hop is America. After a few features my manager came and said, “You should try a whole song in English, maybe it will blow up and we get the US market.” I was like, “Nah, bro, I'm a German artist.” If I don't feel comfortable with it, I don't do it. I rep German. It’s important that my people are with me, and I stay to my ideas, my feelings.

Which car does your music sound best in?

A big jeep with big speakers [laughs], a Burmester system. Really nice sound. Every time I make a new song and it's trap, I turn it up and drive on the highway. 

UFO361
TEXT DEAN MAYO DAVIES
PHOTOGRAPHY NADINE FRACZKOWSKI
FASHION PROTOTYPES
RE-EDITION #23, SPRING/SUMMER 2025
COVER STORY