Latest news with #Cee
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
UK rapper Central Cee to perform at Hey Neighbour festival alongside Doja Cat and Leon Thomas
UK rapper Central Cee will be performing in Johannesburg, South African on August 30 at the Hey Neighbour festival. Image: Instagram. UK rap sensation Central Cee is gearing up for his debut performance in South Africa. He'll be sharing the stage with global superstars Doja Cat and Leon Thomas at the 2-day Hey Neighbour music and cultural festival, which is set to take place in August. The "Doja" hitmaker will take the spotlight on Saturday, August 30, where he will showcase his unique style and talent. Then on Sunday, August 31, Doja Cat and Thomas will set the stage alight. Cee, who exploded onto the music scene in 2021 with his mixtape "Wild West," quickly amassed over a billion Spotify streams within that year. With subsequent mixtapes, including the chart-topping "23", Cee has solidified his place among the leading voices of his generation, earning him several nominations across various awards and a loyal global fanbase. This year, he bagged three Brits nominations, including Artist of the Year, Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act, and Song of the Year for "Band4Band". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Although he didn't take home any trophies, Stormzy, who won the Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act award, acknowledged Cee as the rap artist of the year. Cee has also been nominated for other awards, including at the BET Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards. Known for his expressive streams of consciousness, Cee's music resonates with listeners through its paradoxical themes, ranging from romantic to realist, and hard-hitting to reflective. In an online interview, he described his sound as "ignorantly conscious".
Hypebeast
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Drake's OVO Fest Is Returning This 2025
Summary Drake'sOVO Festis due to make its big return this 2025. The announcement was made by The Boy himself during his appearance atCentral Cee's Toronto show over the weekend. In a viral clip, Drake is first heard giving Cee his flowers before thanking the audience. 'I'll see you this summer,' he tells the crowd as he gets ready to continue the show. 'I will say this though, because I haven't had the chance to say this yet. OVO Fest is back this year.' No additional details were announced, leaving fans to wait for more info. The last OVO Fest dates back to2022, which happened to also mark the festival's return since the pandemic. Stay tuned for more details. DRAKE OVO FEST 🚨COMING 2025🚨 Drake was at Central Cee's Toronto show and announced it's return 🦉 — NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast)May 25, 2025
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Central Cee, Birmingham Utilita Arena: UK's biggest breakthrough rapper dwarfed by a too-big venue
When Central Cee concluded his previous tour at London's Alexandra Palace in November 2022, he admitted that 'I wish I had more hits'. Fast-forward to the first UK date of his new arena-sized run, and the west London rapper (real name Oakley Caesar-Su) can consider that wish at least partly granted. No longer an up-and-comer with a scant back catalogue, he's now unquestionably UK rap's biggest breakthrough artist, laying claim to billions of streams, multiple Brit nominations, the most streamed UK rap song of all time (2023's Sprinter), and a recent debut album – Can't Rush Greatness – that topped the UK charts and made a splash across the pond. But Birmingham's Utilita Arena – utilitarian by nature, too – threatened to swallow whole Cee's slender presence on Friday night. His rap is a tempered version of UK drill, which operates on dark realism and relentless pace: intensity that would compel a small, sweaty room, but got lost in the vast arena space. Not that the moshing fans at the front seemed to notice. 'This is not a show for the mainstream fans, for the new fans. I'm coming for the day ones,' warned Cee, after emerging from a car parked on stage beneath industrial scaffolding that doubled as that most overdone of set designs: a house interior. A fanfare of sirens and blue lights heralded his arrival: stage production that leaned into the starkness of UK drill, but also into its stereotypes. He began with two tracks from the new album, a record crammed with equally textbook zero-to-hero tales and laddish boasts about girls and money. Yet there's a vulnerability to his verses, such as opener Limitless's quiet disclosure: 'I put up the bread for my broski's funeral / that was my first time booking a hearse.' This is, after all, a rapper who insists on scented candles backstage, who performs with uncommon solemnity. Still, he warmed up as the evening progressed, playing up to his good looks – the kind that belong on teenage bedroom walls. A young crowd, many accompanied by parents, turned the arena into a hall of tiny mirrors with their phones. Cee followed suit during social media ode Gen Z Luv, using his phone to broadcast a live FaceTime call on the big screens. He provided plenty of material for the 'day ones', too: 2020 breakthrough hits Day in the Life and Loading, Commitment Issues, rapped along to by the crowd, and 2022 viral international smash Doja. He eschewed his usual tracksuit for a white vest, blue jeans, and red bandana for the latter: an outfit that nodded to his notable success in the US, where he far outstrips peers Stormzy and Dave. 'Nobody else from London's gone Hollywood,' he brags on the title track of Can't Rush Greatness, which he performed slouched across a throne, sporting his now trademark jumbo diamond-encrusted chain with its pendant of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Despite these instances of flamboyance – pyrotechnic also featured heavily all night – this was a high-budget show that felt curiously low-budget. The starkness may have been intentional, but the arena setting engulfed Cee's more vulnerable and profound moments. It didn't help that the venue was only about two-thirds full. Maybe you can rush greatness, after all.
Express Tribune
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Central Cee seemingly addresses drama with ex Madeline Argy in new track 'Now We're Strangers'
Central Cee's latest track, "Now We're Strangers," from his debut studio album 'Can't Rush Greatness', has fans speculating about the inspiration behind its reflective and regretful lyrics. The 26-year-old British rapper appears to delve into the aftermath of a past relationship, with many listeners drawing connections to his highly publicized TikTok drama with ex-girlfriend Madeline Argy. From the opening lines, Cee sets a somber tone, reflecting on a former lover whose number he still knows "by heart." He describes this person as being in a state of "partyin' and hoein'" since their breakup, hinting at the emotional toll their separation took. "Broke my baby's heart, and now she's partyin' and hoein' / If I had a pound for every time I made her cry / Over couple years, then I could probably buy a Boeing / Paint a perfect picture of myself, it was a lie / She put my business on the net and now my true colors showin'," Cee raps, acknowledging his mistakes and the fallout from their relationship becoming public. The track continues with Cee expressing remorse, admitting that he tried to buy his ex's "love" but ultimately failed. He praises their maturity and self-worth while lamenting his own shortcomings, rapping, "I'll never learn." Despite his outward success, Cee reveals feeling "sad" and "really numb inside," offering a rare glimpse into the emotional struggles behind his public persona. The song's release comes after a tumultuous period in Cee's personal life. Last July, Argy took to TikTok to accuse him of infidelity, specifically alleging that he had cheated with fellow rapper Ice Spice. Argy claimed the drama was part of a larger "marketing scheme," sparking widespread speculation and debate among fans. Interestingly, Cee's album opener, "No Introduction," includes a subtle nod to Ice Spice with the line, *"Think you're the shit, bitch? Turn on your whip, does your engine fart?"* This references Spice's track "Think U the Shit (Fart)" from her 2024 album 'Y2K', which Jaylen Brown once called a "worst song of all time" contender on 'Complex's GOAT Talk'. As fans dissect the lyrics of "Now We're Strangers," the track has become a focal point of discussions about Cee's personal growth and the complexities of his past relationships. With 'Can't Rush Greatness', Central Cee not only solidifies his place in the rap scene but also opens up about the vulnerabilities behind his public image.
