West London’s premier lyricist, Central Cee’s meteoric rise has been one of the biggest success stories of the 2020’s. From being a nominee for best new artist at the BRITs this year, to countless hits and show-stopping features, it’s fair to say Cench is at the peak of his powers in the UK rap scene.
Although released only two years ago, it seems like a lifetime Cench’s breakout hit ‘Loading’ was blaring over our TikTok for your pages; since then Cench has seemed to have perfected his craft bringing a new spin to the drill genre. It’s now 2022 and his sophomore project ‘23’ has just been released. The project opens with the ear-rattling high-octane production of ‘Khabib’ with Cench’s lyrics connecting like a right hook from Khabib himself. While Cench is not particularly known for vulnerability, he honestly and brutally describes the struggles he went through before achieving his dreams; solemnly rapping “I was dead broke, I had no hope, I sat and thought about ending my life”.
‘Ungrateful’ is another gut-wrenching track, opening with “served a pregnant lady, it fucked up my head”; the regret in his voice trembles throughout the line. It’s a tale backed by a melancholic guitar sample of all the mistakes he’s made living in the unforgivable and inescapable streets. Unfortunately, that pain hasn’t subdued since he’s made it out. “I don’t wanna seem ungrateful God, but I don’t wanna be here…”
‘Retail Therapy’, the lead single for the album is an upbeat, function ready banger completed with a saxophone solo, something I thought I'd never hear in a drill song. As with many of Cench’s tracks his delivery is key – you believe every word he spits, it’s impossible to sit still while he describes his purchasing habits. Probably one of the more unique tracks is ‘Eurovision’ which is a posse cut from artists across Europe. Italian Rondodasosa’s delivery is a complete shock to the system, his screamed, ear-splitting delivery is menacing and sets the tone for the rest of the joint; the rest of the posse hold with their native languages creating a feeling of a tour around Europe's budding stars their own for a thoroughly enjoyable track. Even though they rap in various languages, there's no doubt that what they’re spitting is some of the hardest bars you’ll lay your ears on.
As we continue and the party-ready bangers begin to slow down, the theme of pain continues on 'cold shoulder'. “Remember I needed a helping hand but I reached out and got cold shoulders… I can’t get rid of my demons all my pain I kept inside”. It’s at points like this where Cench is at his most captivating. Unfortunately, the next few tracks aren’t much to write home about – they’re not bad in any sense but we’ve seen this from Cench before and unfortunately, he’s done it a lot better on previous occasions like 'Six For Six'.
‘Terminal 5’ is a pleasant change of pace, there’s an uplifting aura and it seems like a celebratory moment for Cench, throughout most of the album the production is dark and ominous but it’s a welcome moment of vibrance which can also be said about the follow up smash hit ‘Obsessed With You’ which slaps just as hard as when it was first released.
‘Lil Bro’ is a cautionary tale where Cench seems to metaphorically be telling his younger self that the lifestyle on the streets is not what it all sems to be, “all glitter isn't gold”. It’s the most honest Cench has been on a track, telling his listeners who may be in a situation like this, do not do it. Not everyone is as lucky as him. It’ll only lead to death or jail. “I thought that the roads was cool as a young boy, it’s not though I got misled”.
‘23’ ends with “End Of The Beginning” a dramatic, choir backed finale where cench flexes his lyrical muscles with a menacing delivery whilst towards the end of the track taking a more reflective view on the life he’s led and the success of his career. “When you go through the things we’ve seen you’ll grow a little faster and look at life different.
Drill is an incredibly difficult genre to produce an album in – production, lyrics and flow can seem repetitive – but with ‘23’ Cench truly puts his name at the top of the leaderboard. The ear for production, vulnerability, braggadocio, and likability make him one of the UK’s premier artists, not just in drill or rap but UK music as a whole. We haven’t had someone this captivating and consistent in rap for a very long time and now it’s time for Cench to take his place amongst UK rap royalty.
8/10
Words: Chris Saunders
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