If you are in tune with the music world, especially with the international music world, Central Cee is an artist you have probably heard of. He has been really popping off over the last year or so and has debatably become one of the biggest rappers to come out of the UK in a while(at least in terms of international success). Central Cee has been in the game since the mid-2010s, but started to gain traction a few years ago. His first major hit came near the end of 2020 with his song ‘Loading.’ His debut mixtape, Wild West, was dropped in March of the following year, and ended up number 2 on the UK albums chart. Central Cee’s second mixtape, 23, was released in February of 2022, becoming his first project to top the UK Albums Chart. This mixtape spawned the single ‘Obsessed With You,’ which was the introduction to Central Cee for a lot of Western music fans due to its virality. 2022 continued to be big for Central Cee, as later that year he dropped the track ‘Doja,’ which is one of his biggest to date. In 2023, Central Cee did a couple of huge features, as his songs ‘Sprinter’ with Dave ‘Nice to meet you’ with PinkPantheress, and his ‘On the Radar’ freestyle with Drake. Central Cee was relatively quiet in 2024, releasing one single ‘BAND4BAND’ with Lil Baby. This was the lead single from his debut album CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS, which was dropped last week on January 24, 2025. This long-awaited album has honestly received mixed reviews, with some thinking it was worth the wait and others feeling like it could have been more. Below, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite tracks from CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS, and then give some overall thoughts to close things out. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole!
NO INTRODUCTION
Central Cee gets this record going on a monumental note with ‘No Introduction.’ This was a great way to get this album going, as has a pretty powerful sound to it. The melody for this song is triumphant yet mournful. It is kicked off by a woeful vocal sample and complemented by a melancholy piano riff and some pretty triumphant synths that come in and out. The beat for this track has a buzzing bass to it that is pretty huge; the hi-hats and snares come in and out, which fluctuates the emphasis of the track in a cool manner. Central Cee’s rap performance on this track is fast, bold, and fierce. He more than matches the energy of the instrumental and makes ‘No Introduction’ daunting and tough. In ‘No Introduction,’ Central Cee raps about his past and he has gone through a lot in his life to get to where he is. ‘No Introduction’ starts off this record with a bang; I am not going to lie, this opener got me pretty excited for what was to potentially come.
5 STAR
Central Cee started this record 2 for 2, as ‘5 Star’ is the second song on the project. This one is not quite as triumphant or commanding as the opener, but this still has quite a bit of potency to it. The melody for ‘5 Star’ is a bit softer and brighter than the one on the preceding track. This melody is driven by a charming piano riff that is complemented by some chime-like synths that this song feel pretty inviting. The beat on ‘5 Star’ is pretty quick and glitchy, giving this song an energy that is exciting yet anxious. Central Cee’s flow works super well on this beat. The rapid way in which he delivers the bars on this one adds to the almost intrepid feeling of the track. I also like how his low tone contrasts with the brightness of the melody, as it creates a fuzzy texture. On ‘5 Star,’ Central Cee raps about his status in the streets and in the rap game, calling out anyone who wants to get in his way. ‘5 Star’ is a track that is already popping off from this record online, and it is easy to see why.
GBP FEAT. 21 SAVAGE
After putting out the album’s leading monumental single ‘BAND4BAND’ in the summer of 2024, Central Cee kicked off 2025 with the album’s second single, ‘GBP.’ This one is not nearly as brash as that lead single; instead, ‘GBP’ has more of a silky and cool sound to it. The melody for this one is pretty groovy. It sounds like it is driven by pitched-up 1990s-esque R&B vocals. I do not know if this is actually a sample, but it definitely feels retro. It is not surprising he got 21 Savage to feature on this track, as 21 Savage loves these kinds of melodies. The beat has a groovy tempo to it as well, going nicely with the melody. Central Cee and 21 Savage have somewhat similar vocal styles to each other on this one; their tones and flows match up in a cool manner. This makes ‘GBP’ glide so easily. On ‘GBP,’ Central Cee and 21 Savage rap about their come-up and how no one can mess with them. This is not the most powerful single I’ve heard from Central Cee, but ‘GBP’ is enjoyable for what it is.
TOP FREESTYLE
‘Top Freestyle’ is the first moment on this record where Central Cee goes against the grain from what would be expected of him. This song feels like a fusion between old-school Trap and new-school UK Drill. The best sort of sits in between these two styles of Hip Hop, taking on a pretty unique sound. The melody for this one is reminiscent of classic Memphis Trap. When I hear this groovy bassline and the horns that complement it, I think of music by artists like Three 6 Mafia. Central Cee kills it with his rapping on this one. ‘Top Freestyle’ is easily one of his best performances here. His flow is dynamic and his delivery is fierce, giving this song a gritty and mournful intensity that stands out. On ‘Top Freestyle,’ Central Cee vents about his past while gassing himself up and showing he is proud of himself for what he has done to get here. ‘Top Freestyle’ is a song I know I will be coming back to frequently, as it shows Central Cee’s flair and talents as an actual rapper.
CRG FEAT. DAVE
After the massive success of the single ‘Sprinter,’ Central Cee and Dave were bound to come together for a track on this album. ‘CRG’ has a similar slick and fun sound to the aforementioned hit. This song had the kind of Pop sensibility that makes it bound to be a hit. The melody for this track is very sweet and warm. The synths that drive this one remind me of a sunny summer day. The beat has a jumpy and energetic tempo, and can definitely get a dancefloor jumping. Central Cee and Dave’s chemistry is as palpable as ever on ‘CRG.’ They both slide on this beat with a lively cadence, adding positive feelings to the track. I like how the higher tone of Central Cee contrasts with the low and rough delivery from Dave, as it gives the song such interesting textures. On ‘CRG,’ Central Cee and Dave rap about how far they have come and how they have achieved everything they can dream of. ‘CRG’ is sure to be a smash hit; as popular as it is now, I am sure this one will get bigger and bigger as the weather gets warmer.
NOW WE’RE STRANGERS
One thing that is very evident about this record is that Central Cee likes to stay in his comfort zone for the most part. ‘Now We’re Strangers’ is one of the only tracks where he goes in a totally different direction. This is the only song here that really has no semblance of a Drill music beat to it. Instead, this song has a pretty light R&B Pop-Trap beat that sort of reminds me of artists like Doja Cat or even SZA. The melody for this track has a very sweet and floaty tone’ driven by an ethereal guitar riff and some synths. Central Cee’s gruff yet soft delivery sounds mesh with this instrumental well and give the song an almost hypnotic feeling. This feeling is heightened by the excellent vocals from Kamal on the hook, whose performance truly stands out. On ‘Now We’re Strangers,’ Central Cee seems to be addressing the very public fallout he had with his ex, influencer Madeline Argy. ‘Now We’re Strangers’ is a cool moment in the record where Central Cee lets his guard down a bit and also shows how diverse his music can be.
TRUTH IN THE LIES FEAT. LIL DURK
Now, I have to say, I did not expect to hear a Neyo sample on this album. I especially did not think that Neyo sample was going to come on the song featuring Lil Durk. As much as this idea seems pretty weird and backward, it works so damn well. The melody for ‘Truth In The Lies’ consists of the same guitar riff from the song ‘So Sick’ by Neyo. In fact, I think the only way this melody differs from the one in the original is by the cozy synths that come in and out. The beat for ‘Truth In The Lies’ kind of feels like a cross between Reggaeton and Drill music, and it kind of surprisingly works perfectly for this melody. As fun as the instrumental is, Central Cee and Lil Durk kill it on this one as well. Both of them sing-rap in a manner that flows awesomely on this melody, and they both show off their vocal range a bit as well. ‘Truth In The Lies’ is a love song where Lil Durk and Central Cee are trying to express how greatly their new women make them feel. ‘Truth In The Lies’ is my personal favorite track from this record, and I really appreciate Central Cee going against the grain a bit with this one as he did on ‘Now We’re Strangers.’
BAND4BAND FEAT. LIL BABY
The aforementioned ‘BAND4BAND’ with Lil Baby is probably the biggest and most anthemic song on the whole project. It was honestly a great track to pick as the lead single, as its larger-than-life energy really got me(and a lot of other people) hyped up for the album. The synths that drive this melody are so mean and intense. They have a foreboding quality that makes this song feel like a warning. I really like the knocking element the drums on ‘BAND4BAND’ have, as they add to that dirty and tough feeling of the track overall. Both Central Cee and Lil Baby more than match the energy of the instrumental with their verses. I like the way Central Cee’s low and smooth delivery contrasts the more high-pitched and frantic delivery we get from Lil Baby, as if gives the song a texture that is thrilling. On ‘BAND4BAND,’ Central Cee and Lil Baby brag about their success and call out their rivals. I have to say Central Cee may have dropped the album’s best track(or close to it) with this single.
I am not going to lie, I was pretty pumped up to check out CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS when it came out. I certainly gave in to the hype surrounding him. I mean, through his own releases and features over the last couple of years, it seemed like he was truly the next one up. Even the singles leading up to this record were super hype, leading to more anticipation of the record. CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS is not bad by any means. There is definitely a ton of quality in this record. The highlights are very high, and there are probably quite a few songs that will end up being hits. I will say, though, that CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS feels pretty vanilla. I think that Central Cee could have pushed himself a bit more. He is not a rapper who is going to wow you with his bars; he is a pretty good lyricist, but he kind of is what he is in that regard. But by his features and some of his other singles, I thought he could be like Drake; in other words, a Pop-Rap superstar who can make any kind of song. The potential for that does shine through at times on this record. In fact, my favorite moments on CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS are when Central Cee steps outside of the box a bit and goes with sounds that are against the norm for him. He is very good at the style of Drill music he is known for, but he could also be doing a lot more. Overall, though, CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS is an enjoyable album with a lot to enjoy. It may not have as much variance as I would like, but it is pretty cool for what it is. CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS certainly shows Central Cee has the ability to be one of the greats, and hopefully, he can realize his full potential in the future.
EAST SIDE VIBES 