Central Cee makes a bold statement on his long-awaited debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness
Central Cee makes a bold statement on his long-awaited debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness
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British rapper comes through with his smartly produced debut, which sees him switching between macho posturing and surprising vulnerability. You can’t rush greatness – so says Central Cee with the title of his long-awaited debut album. Yet his ascent to become one of the UK’s biggest rappers has felt remarkably swift: his 2021 mixtape Wild West debuted at No 2 on the album chart, while its follow-up, 23, made it to No 1. A US breakthrough seems inevitable, thanks to early collaborations with hip-hop giants Drake and J Cole. And on this record, he teams up with more stars, including Lil Baby and 21 Savage.
Can’t Rush Greatness is a testament to his laser focus. There’s a “something for everyone” approach here that brings to mind another Atlantic-hopping star, Ed Sheeran, as the artist born Oakley Neil Caesar-Su jumps from grime to Latin trap. Yet, even at 17 tracks, the record is taut and smartly produced, with a push-pull dynamic that reflects how he switches between macho posturing and surprising vulnerability.
Take “5 Star”, delivered over a dark and woozy beat as Cench reflects on his success while also acknowledging his humble origins. “I feel like I’m dreaming but I’m not asleep, I’m wide awake/ My chef is asking how I like my steak,” he spits. You get the sense that fame and fortune still feel foreign to him; the unease of his lyrics is compounded by jittery, paranoid instrumentation. Mercury Prize winner Dave is in typically thoughtful form as he joins him for “CRG”, echoing the sentiment: “Business class is free… so my mum takes every snack she can.”.
