The highly anticipated debut studio album from Central Cee, Can’t Rush Greatness is an eclectic mix of bangers, introspective bars, and classic Cench braggadocio.
What defines greatness in the music industry?
Is it numbers? Is it critical acclaim? It is a loyal fanbase who clings to your every feature, clothing drop, and enigmatic social media post?
Whichever way the term is defined, it’s what Central Cee is after with his debut studio album, hence the title Can’t Rush Greatness.
Some might argue that even before dropping this project, the London rapper was already one of the greats of his generation. He has three platinum hits: the TikTok viral “Doja” (778 million Spotify streams), his certified banger with Dave “Sprinter” (836 million Spotify streams), and his most recent sensation, the Lil Baby-assisted “BAND4BAND” (387 million Spotify streams), which served as a single for Can’t Rush Greatness.
Central Cee also has his own streetwear company, Syna World, which fans have flocked to. In November, he was named one of British GQ’s Men of the Year with an introduction from grime OG Skepta.
He’s received co-signs from stalwarts in the world of football as well, helping design PSG’s 2024-25 third kit, and, perhaps more importantly, being heavily involved in a handful of projects with his favorite club, Chelsea.
His 2022 video for “Straight Back To It” was filmed inside Stamford Bridge. Last year, he was part of the team’s Wrap Up Warm campaign with Cole Palmer. The week leading up to the release of Can’t Rush Greatness, Central Cee was on the pitch in a custom goalkeeper kit and took some time for a photo with Palmer. When Cench shared the album tracklist on X, the team reposted it, saying “The Blues will be locked in!”
The album title shows Central Cee’s self-awareness that it’s been nearly three years since the release of his last mixtape, 2022’s 23. That’s an eternity in today’s rap game. He has been far from silent since then, but Can’t Rush Greatness’ title lets fans know that he is taking this moment seriously and is holding himself to high expectations while resting in the confidence of what he’s already built. If the opening numbers are an indicator of anything, Cench’s approach paid off.
On “Walk in Wardrobe” he raps, “I don’t care if they call my album a classic/I could go and retire right now off the hits that I got/So I don’t need to panic.” Sometimes when the pressure is off, people create most freely.
So, did Cench’s debut album deliver greatness?
Well, it is certainly his most dynamic project yet. More than his previous releases, the album is an exhibition of duality. The Shepherd’s Bush star delivers those reflective moments that take him from TikTok hitmaker to true artist.
Perhaps the one track that best exemplifies his ability to balance the two is “5 Star.” The song made headlines because Central Cee dissed Aitch by referencing losing the title of Best Hip-Hop/Rap/Grime act to the Manchester rapper at the 2023 BRIT Awards. But the line, “I look in the mirror, I big up myself, I’m feeling myself, I’m kind of vain/I don’t think that these guys relate, they’ve never experienced this type of pain,” shows that Cench is ready to not just talk his talk, but also bare his soul.
The growth is evident from his earlier mixtapes, 23 and 2021’s Wild West. His very first project featured the songs that put Central Cee on the map: the drill-infused and Spanish-tinged “Day in the Life” and “Loading.” Then 23 further exhibited his ability to make fierce anthems like “Khabib,” but showed some growth into reflective moments like “Ungrateful,” where he relays the weight of the life he’s lived, including the regret of dealing drugs to a pregnant woman.
On “Our 25th Birthday” from his collaborative “Split Decision” EP with Dave, he has little regard for traditional rap structure as he expresses sorrow over not obeying his mom as a kid. That project also birthed the infectious “Sprinter,” which was massive in the U.K. and U.S.
Central Cee’s hit songs are textbook braggadocious confidence boosters complete with designer drip and sports cars. But perhaps what he was missing in his overall brand was expert craftsmanship on the more soulful side. On Can’t Rush Greatness, it’s clear he minded the gap and attempted to fill it in.
One of the reflective highlights is the piano-tinged “Limitless,” produced by Einer Bankz, Gabe Lucas, and FRAXILLE. It was released a day before the album with a powerful black and white video and lyric captions in Central Cee’s signature rose gold color. On the song, he flexes his artistry and shares his heart, pondering his old life in the streets and grieving the murder of his friend, Fernando “FDot” Johnson.
He raps, “When life gets rough, how can I complain? I got bros in jail, so it could be worse/I put up the bread for my broski’s funeral, that was my first time booking a hearse/I sold coke to the white people in the ends, I’m glad that my hood’s diverse/I’m writing a verse, and my sis told me that my niece is listening, please don’t…”
The fact that he leaves out “curse” right as the beat drops is an elite move. He then interpolates “Bullet From a Gun,” a thoughtful track from Sketpa’s 2019 Ignorance is Bliss album, and later drops these gems: “You can have financial freedom, but the Ps don’t stop people dying” and “Time is free but somehow priceless, so watch how you spend it wisely.”
The album closer, “Don’t Know Anymore” also touches the soul. It starts off with the ethereal voice of Lily Kaplan expressing desire for someone, or something to bring healing and peace. Cench then raps freely about experiencing poverty and violence as a kid and losing friends in his ascent to the top of the rap game. The song is a reflection of legacy and purpose that gives a glimpse into the complexities of his mind state. The haunting hook truly lingers.
Central Cee uses Can’t Rush Greatness to show his more romantic side as well. At times, the album sounds like a love letter to his ex-girlfriend, TikTok star Madeline Argy. “Now We’re Strangers” has a mournful hook from Kamal (who also blessed “Our 25th Birthday” and Dave’s “Mercury”) and expresses the rapper’s brokenness at their split.
He admits to cheating and then raps, “Mentally and physically, you’re one in a million/Should have showed you off more, never keep you hidden/I ain’t trying to push, I’ll let you stand in your decision/I got nothing left to say, babe, I’m tongue-tied, smiling for the fans when I’m with the public eye/But I’m feeling sad and I’m really numb inside.”
It leads into “Truth in the Lies” with Lil Durk, which is super melodic and moody and samples Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.” The single “Gen Z Luv” ponders how their relationship originated on social media and how he’s going to tell their kids that they met on the “FYP.” There’s even a line that showcases his likeable boyishness, “You say our relationship is childish, you’re my baby, so I agree.”
Right after is the incredibly dynamic “Walk in Wardrobe,” where Central Cee explains how he puts aside emotions for survival. The beat switch, provided by Dave, makes way for Cench to straight up spit about his rap prowess.
One thing Can’t Rush Greatness could have done better is sequencing. There’s a good range of style and sound, but there’s no clear storyline or reasoning behind the song order. One uniting factor is a generous dose of Central Cee’s “alright” adlib. But instead of separating bangers and reflective tracks like slowthai did on Tyron or creating a clear narrative like Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city, Cench seemingly sprinkles his songs randomly.
“Gen Z Luv” as the No. 14 song much after “Now We’re Strangers” and “Truth in the Lies” doesn’t make a ton of sense. Perhaps it’s meant to reflect him trying to win Argy back after they’ve already broken up? We all know romantic relationships are not clean cut, but sequencing is a factor that separates good albums from great ones and this one doesn’t quite reach that next level.
What does give this album a boost is the fact that Central Cee’s effort to offer something deeper did not take away his ability to flex. On the dark “St. Patrick’s,” he declares his love for money, aka all things green and asserts his dominance over women, using wordplay to say he only needs to score one more girl for a hat trick.
He takes a clip from his 2021 MOBO Award for Best Newcomer speech where he says, “I’m not really a newcomer, though.” It is one of multiple points on Can’t Rush Greatness where Central Cee makes sure listeners know that he’s been doing this.
Then the horns and buildup on the cinematic “Top Freestyle” are reminiscent of J. Cole’s “Rise and Shine” and has a similar confidence where Central Cee raps, “I’ll get number one album easy/It’s not like the bar’s set high these days/I came in the scene at an all-time low, I dunno, but I think I revived the game.”
The features on the hype songs also elevate the project. There’s the sultry “Gata” with Puerto Rican trap star Young Miko, who brings all the vibes. Central Cee tosses in a Nando’s reference (if you know you know) and revives his line on “Sprinter” where he says that he gives girls he’s trying to woo his AMEX pin. Throughout the album, he does repeat some of his past punchlines, which can take away from their potency.
Later, he gets another major co-sign from Skepta on the fierce “Ten” where Big Smoke delivers a sharp verse and Cench offers a lightning delivery. He reunites with Dave for the title track “CRG” where he spits with a smooth flow and Dave is, well, Dave in all his excellence.
A criticism Central Cee has received in the past is that his flow is always the same. He clearly challenged himself to mix it up on this project.
“BAND4BAND” is another banger on Can’t Rush Greatness. It’s a drill anthem about being so rich both Central Cee and Lil Baby dare others to compete. Even before the album dropped, the song was in ESPN commercials and Peloton classes. Central Cee then dropped “GBP” with fellow Brit 21 Savage, where the two traded bars about their prowess in the streets over a thumping beat by LIOHN. Both “BAND4BAND” and “GBP” represent how Cench has become a bridge across the pond like no other British rapper has yet.
He knows it, too. On the album opener, “No Introduction,” Central Cee relays the expectation that people should know who he is, thus the song title, and expresses frustration at how he doesn’t get enough credit for his impact. But he is confident in the change he’s brought as he declares, “All of the moves that I make in America’s making it easier for them.”
After all, being a trailblazer is a sign of greatness.
Central Cee has always referenced American culture and doesn’t stop here. On 23, he shouted out DJ Whoo Kid and Wu-Tang Clan. He shows Wu-Tang more love on Can’t Rush Greatness by opening “St. Patrick’s” with a sample of “C.R.E.A.M.” On “5 Star,” he cites PNB Rock’s murder as a reason he is paranoid. On “Don’t Know Anymore,” he mentions The Wire as one of his early inspirations and references Beanie Sigel’s “Feel It In The Air.”
He previously addressed his ability to unite the two music scenes on his historic LA Leakers freestyle in 2022. There have only been a handful of international artists to grace the Power 106 mic, including Dave, Stefflon Don, and Jay Park.
Rocking a Brazil jersey, Cench knew his opportunity to do something big and opened with, “They think I’m the one that can bridge the gap.” He then gave us a brilliant crash course of British vs. American slang in the form of a “Schoolhouse Rock!” educational song.
Next came a reference to the popularity of “Doja,” which has several ties to American artists. It samples Eve and Gwen Stefani’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, the track is named after Doja Cat, and the music video marked the first time Lyrical Lemonade worked with a British artist.
In the freestyle, he said Londoners don’t really use the term “band.” Two years later, he released “BAND4BAND” with Lil Baby as the lead single on Can’t Rush Greatness. The shift shows that despite wearing a Union Jack beanie on the album cover, Central Cee has a mind open to the world.
There’s no clear answer as to why or exactly when Central Cee made this leap into international superstardom. Unlike some of his peers, including Dave and Little Simz, he didn’t have the Top Boy look to help his ascension. But he does have a glowing resume that includes his earlier drill hits, the LA Leakers Freestyle, membership in XXL’s 2023 Freshman Class, platinum plaques, and a Drake co-sign with an On The Radar appearance (yes, the hilarious “combinay-shun” meme originated here).
On top of that, he has charming authenticity and effortless swagger. He has an ear for top-notch production and a capable pen. He has a knowledge of and appreciation for American culture. He has enough of an accent that sounds alluring but is clear enough to understand. On Can’t Rush Greatness, he was clearly intentional with all of these factors and expressed his artistry in a way he hasn’t before.
Is Central Cee’s debut album equal to other landmark first releases like Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Psychodrama, Pink Friday, or Illmatic? Maybe not. But Can’t Rush Greatness has tremendous replay value and is sure to make its own mark on rap history that is outside the test of time.
