The title speaks for itself, but what does this really mean, and how does it resonate with Central Cee’s evolution as a rapper?
On Friday, the 24th of January, Central Cee debuted his awaited album, “Can’t Rush Greatness”. An impressive collection of 17 tracks including features from the likes of 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Skepta, Dave, Lil Durk, and Young Miko. This isn't just a compilation of songs but deep and meaningful themes surrounding topics about street life, persistence, hope, love, self-dependence, and success.
So, what does the title signify? It's more than just a catchy phrase. First and foremost, to be prosperous in life, you need to trust the process and not rush the progress which resonates entirely with Central Cee's evolution as an artist. Back in 2020, for his freestyle with Kenny Allstar, he pretty much references this, rapping, “This took ages; you should have known you can't rush greatness, you're too impatient, one million views ain't famous”. This heavily relates to Central Cee’s patience, resilience, commitment to his career, and journey as a rapper. Let's admit, he most definitely raps what he preaches, a genuine connection between his experiences and artistic approach.
Central Cee’s admiration and self-discovery for music started at the age of 8 when his father introduced him to various styles of music.
Being exposed to music at such a young age indirectly foreshadowed his quest for the love of music and becoming an artist and rapper. In a revealing interview with Crack magazine in 2021, he states and revisits the memories where he explains attending studio sessions with friends dating back to 2013 which startled his passion for writing raps and creating music. In 2014, a young Central Cee in the making featured freestyling on “Fire In The Streets” for Charlie Sloth’s YouTube platform in February of that year. In 2015, on the 19th of January, he featured on the remix track “Ain’t on Nothin” with J Hus, Bonkaz, Reeko, Wholagun, Yung Reeks, Bully & Shower Malik, and Link Up TV’s #StreetHeat freestyle also in 2015. As well as featuring on a collaborative song, he delved into melodic rap in 2017 on a single named “Over You”. He hasn’t just appeared on the scene out of nowhere; Cee has an extension of records from over the last ten years, so it’s only right to name his 2025 album “Can’t Rush Greatness”.
Fast forwarding to 2020, Central Cee began to dominate the music rap scene when his two hits went viral, “Loading” and “Day in the Life”. He also showcased his Mixtape Madness: “Next Up?” performance in 2019. You can admit he has a talent for delivering and achieving various rap styles, but he undeniably isn't a newcomer as he has mentioned himself which is agreeable. Not forgetting his appearance with Kenny Allstar for Mad About Bars (2020), in 2021 and 2023, Central Cee released his first two mixtapes, “Wild West” and “23”. You probably contemplate why he didn't strike the chance to release an album since he received a remarkable reception from his last two mixtapes. But assumably, I would only imagine he wanted to connect with his fans, perfect his skill set to the best it could be for his first album, and not rush to release music. Central Cee wanted to be thoughtful instead wanting an instant gratification with releasing an album early in his career, and when he felt it was correct to do so instead of just releasing an album for the sake of it.
This album is not just about releasing music; there is a story to hear and an understanding between the listener and the artist. Unfortunately, some artists make the mistake of rushing their progress, wanting engagement, and even potentially hindering their career by not understanding the industry, which they fail to fathom. But Central Cee has understood how this all works and that his excellence can't be rushed, which takes time and it's not all about making money since his focus was always about perserverance and consistency.
The suspense evolving "Can't Rush Greatness" has built up to what could be the most next-level album rollouts we have been waiting to see for a while, which has captured everyone's attention and this is that album.
