In 2024, Central Cee has proved a relentless work ethic with his constant output of music and content all leading up to his debut studio album ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’. All of his moves are no coincidence, each one part of a well orchestrated marketing strategy from him and his team. Cench has expressed how he likes the business/marketing side of things more than the music itself sometimes which explains why he is referred to as a viral marketing genius and has achieved so much commercial success already in his career.
“It’s not all about talent innit you gotta kind of strip it back and think about the business, I’d say it’s like bro 15% music bro 85% other things bro marketing and all of this stuff"
Photographed by Simon Wheatley
CC didn’t just want to break out as an artist in the UK, he wanted to be known worldwide. Even though he still has a long way to go, it could already be argued that he is the biggest British artist to achieve success outside of the UK. Through working with international artists he is tapping in to all these different markets of music audiences which can be beneficial for both sides. This year we have seen Cench collaborate with a variety of artists with him appearing on the lead single ‘Wave’ for Nigerian artist Asake’s album & merging with French rapper JRK 19 for his single ‘Bolide Noir’.
Original Photos by @filmyours_
Central Cee’s two most popular songs this year come from collabs with American artists. The most successful single being ‘BAND4BAND’ featuring Lil Baby - a catchy collab blending both artists’ distinct sounds. This viral track would peak at #18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and citing listeners to say Central Cee revived Lil Baby’s career with this hot song. His other collab ‘Did It First’ with Ice Spice seemingly generated popularity for the wrong reasons. Proving that controversy sells, it gained hundreds of millions of streams and views on TikTok, but by Cench going into the territory of tabloid drama and PR stunts it wasn’t the best overall look.
Original Photos by @starthestar
A more unexpected collab would be Cench’s feature on J. Cole’s ‘H.Y.B.’ with Bas. I would guess the two initially connected behind the scenes of Drake’s ‘It’s All a Blur Tour’. CC would share the texts of Cole sending the song with an open verse via his Instagram story: “Here go the joint bro. If you fuck with it and get inspired to jump on it then please feel free [*flex emojis] could be crazy”. Cench would reply “Yea maddd. Would be a pleasure, I’m already inspired. Say less”. The track peaked at #35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and would provide him another huge co-sign.
Cee’s most recent collab ‘Moi’ with British singer-songwriter Raye sees both artists sing and rap in snippets of French on the elegant track. The song released in early September alongside a Don Prod directed music video which gives us a glimpse into what we’re getting with CC’s debut album both sonically and visually. The video shot between London & Paris includes a fleet of rose gold super cars & bikes as well as a closer look at the upcoming Syna x Nike Tech Fleece. Shortly after the songs release, he would be back in London to put the finishing touches to his debut album in the studio. Later in October, CC would finally announce the inevitable collaboration between himself and Nike. Throughout the year, it had been rumoured that Cench would be having his own Nike Tech Fleece Tracksuit & Air Max 95 through his brand Syna. This had further been teased through music videos + posts and would officially be announced the day before on Instagram. On Thursday 24 October these items were available to buy in select JD Sports stores and later restocked on the Nike website.
Photo via @a_jewellers
Coming into this new era it is clearly being marked with this rose gold colour way. First being unveiled on his double sided Queen Elizabeth II chain, it has been incorporated into his music videos, the Nike collab and other partnerships like Prime Hydration & the NFL. With Cee’s first two mixtapes having very clear colours associated with them, I am sure that his debut album will do the same. When the album rollout fully kicks in, we can expect to see lots more marketing and merch with the rose gold theme. Central Cee has already been seen wearing a rose gold Syna New Era Hat + other clothing and there will likely be much more collaborations to go alongside the album. With the release getting closer, Cench admitted that he has a small feeling of pressure but he is happy with the music. Despite feeling slight pressure, Central Cee has committed to build up his career and brand identity, putting everything in place for his debut studio album to succeed. As Cee has elevated as an artist, it looks like this body of work will be his most mature and fully stamp his place in the game.
Expect ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ to release January 25th 2025
Excerpts from RELOAD VOLUME ONE