Central Cee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Central Cee
Central Cee in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Oakley Neil Caesar-Su
Also known as	Cench
Born	(1998-06-04) 4 June 1998 (age 27) Ladbroke Grove, London, England
Genres	UK rap trap UK drill pop rap
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2014–present
Labels	CC4L Columbia (current) Live Yours ADA (former)
Signature

Oakley Neil Caesar-Su (born on June 4, 1998), known as Central Cee, is a British rapper from Shepherd's Bush, London. He is a well-known artist in UK rap. He became famous in 2020 with his drill songs "Day in the Life" and "Loading".

His first mixtape, Wild West (2021), reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. His second mixtape, 23 (2022), became number one. Central Cee had more success with his 2022 song "Doja". It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. It was also the most-streamed UK rap song on Spotify at that time.

In June 2023, he released "Sprinter" with Dave. This song became his first UK number-one hit. It was part of their joint EP, Split Decision (2023). "Sprinter" was the longest-running number-one rap song in the UK, staying there for 10 weeks. In April 2024, it became the most streamed UK rap song ever. In May 2024, Central Cee released "Band4Band" with Lil Baby. This song reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the highest-charting UK rap song in that chart's history. It also reached number 3 in the UK. His first studio album, Can't Rush Greatness, came out in 2025. It became his second number-one album in the UK. It also reached number nine on the Billboard 200. This made it the first UK rap album to reach the top ten in America.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Oakley Neil Caesar-Su was born on June 4, 1998, in Ladbroke Grove, London. His mother is English, and his father has Guyanese and Chinese family. When Oakley was seven, his parents separated. He then lived with his mother and two younger brothers in Shepherd's Bush. He also has a half-brother. One of his brothers, Juke Caesar, appeared on the 23 mixtape.

As a child, Oakley enjoyed writing poetry and raps. He would share them with his mother and social worker. When he visited his father, he learned about American hip-hop. He also heard reggae and dancehall music at the Notting Hill Carnival. Oakley said he was quiet at school but sometimes misbehaved. He went to the same school as rapper Digga D. Oakley left school when he was 16.

He became interested in music as a career at age 14. A friend took him to a music studio near Wandsworth Bridge.

Central Cee's Music Journey

Starting Out (2014–2019)

Central Cee was first inspired by rappers like Chip and Bow Wow. He appeared on a show called Fire in the Streets in 2014. This is when he started using the name "Central Cee." His first song appearance was on the "Ain't On Nuttin Remix" in January 2015. He also released his "StreetHeat Freestyle" that year. In 2015, Central Cee performed on the BL@CKBOX music platform.

At 17, he had his first show at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen. He rented the place for £500 and made £2,500 profit. He performed there again six months later. He released his first projects, the EP 17, and other EPs in 2017. His "Next Up?" freestyle came out in October 2019.

Breakthrough Success (2020–2023)

Central Cee performing his “Mad About Bars” freestyle in 2020

Central Cee met his manager YBeeez in 2019. YBeeez encouraged him to make more music. Central Cee changed his style from auto-tuned hip hop to UK drill. He released his hit song "Day in the Life" on June 14, 2020. He then released "Molly" in July. He had more success with "Loading," released on October 22, 2020. The music videos for these songs were released by GRM Daily. "Loading" and "Commitment Issues" (February 2021) both reached the top 20 in the UK Singles Chart.

Central Cee released his first mixtape Wild West in March 2021. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. It was number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart. In September 2021, "Obsessed with You" reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. This song was the first single from his second mixtape, 23. His Daily Duppy freestyle came out on Christmas 2021. The next singles from the mixtape, "Retail Therapy" and "Cold Shoulder," were released in January 2022. On February 25, 2022, 23 was released. It became his first number one on the UK Albums Chart.

After showing parts of it at concerts, his song "Doja" was released on July 21, 2022. It came with a music video directed by Cole Bennett. It became his highest-charting song, reaching number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. On October 14, 2022, Central Cee released his EP No More Leaks. This EP included the song "One Up". On December 16, 2022, he released "Let Go". This song uses a sample from the Passenger song "Let Her Go". It reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. In 2022, Central Cee was the first UK rapper to get 1 billion Spotify streams in one year. On February 9, 2023, he released "Me & You".

On June 1, 2023, Central Cee and Dave released "Sprinter" together. This was the main song from their joint EP Split Decision, released on June 4. "Sprinter" was Central Cee's first number-one song. It also set a record for the most streams for a rap song in UK history. The song also became the longest-running number-one rap song in the UK. In late June, Central Cee was featured in XXL magazine's 2023 Freshman Class. Soon after, it was announced he signed with Columbia Records. On July 21, Central Cee released his "On the Radar Freestyle" with Drake. This song reached number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On October 20, Central Cee was on a song called "Too Much". He was with Australian rapper The Kid LAROI and Korean pop star Jungkook. On December 21, 2023, Central Cee released "Entrapaneur".

New Album and Collaborations (2024–Present)

On February 11, 2024, he released "I Will". On April 5, 2024, he appeared on J. Cole's mixtape Might Delete Later on the song "H.Y.B" with Bas. In May 2024, he released a grime song on YouTube called "CC Freestyle". On May 23, he released "Band4Band" with Lil Baby. This song reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two weeks later, it reached number 18 on the Hot 100. On June 20, 2024, he was on the song "Wave" with Nigerian singer Asake.

On July 11, 2024, Central Cee was featured on Ice Spice's song "Did It First". He then released "Gen Z Luv" on July 26. In the music video for this song, his upcoming album Can’t Rush Greatness was announced. On August 22, 2024, Central Cee released two songs: "Bolide Noir" with French rapper JRK 19 and "Billion Streams Freestyle". On October 29, 2024, he released "One By One" with a ColorsxStudios performance.

On January 16, 2025, Central Cee released "GBP" with 21 Savage. The music video was directed by Cole Bennett. A week later, on January 24, Can't Rush Greatness was released. It received good reviews and became his second number one on the UK Albums Chart. It sold over 42,000 copies. It also reached number nine on the Billboard 200. This made it the first UK rap album to reach the top ten in America. On January 28, Central Cee announced his second big tour, the Can't Rush Greatness World Tour.

Fashion Style

Central Cee is known for his fashion. He often wears tracksuits, puffer jackets, and skull caps. These items are common in British streetwear culture.

In 2023, Central Cee started his own streetwear brand called Syna World. The brand uses clever ways to advertise, similar to other UK brands like Corteiz. In September 2024, he worked with the football club Paris-Saint-Germain to create a special uniform. In October 2024, Central Cee and Syna World worked with Nike. They released a Tech Fleece tracksuit and Air Max 95 shoes. These were sold on JD Sports and Nike's website.

Central Cee first modeled for Drake's Nike X Nocta collection on April 6, 2021. He also modeled for Jaquemus' "Neve World" campaign in November 2022.

Musical Style and Inspirations

Central Cee's Sound

Central Cee started his career making British-hip hop. In 2016, he changed to the trapwave style. This style of British hip hop uses auto-tuned singing. In 2020, Central Cee moved to a style like UK drill with "Day in the Life." He has mostly kept this style since then. His current music style is described as a melodic and upbeat form of UK drill.

Who Inspired Central Cee?

Central Cee looks up to Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again for musical inspiration.

When he was younger, Central Cee studied rappers like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Jay-Z. He also named YoungBoy Never Broke Again as an influence. Central Cee said that fellow British rapper Skepta is the "main reason" he started making music.

Personal Life

Central Cee dated Madeline Argy, a TikTok creator, for over two years. Their relationship ended in July 2024.

Music Releases

Albums

• Can't Rush Greatness (2025)

Mixtapes

• Wild West (2021)
• 23 (2022)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Still Loading World Tour (2022)
• Can't Rush Greatness World Tour (2025)

Awards and Nominations

Central Cee has received many awards and nominations for his music.

Special Recognitions