It’s been a good year for Central Cee. Back in June, the West London rapper teamed up with fellow British MC Dave for the EP Split Decision, which included the single “Sprinter,” a U.K. chart-topper that earned more Spotify streams in that country than any other song in 2023. Cench also collaborated with Drake (“On the Radar Freestyle”), PinkPantheress (“Nice to meet you”), and The Kid LAROI and Jung Kook (정국) (“TOO MUCH”). But outside of “Me and You,” which landed back in February, he hasn’t released much solo material.
Cench finally rectified this yesterday with “Entrapreneur,” a creatively titled victory lap of a single he produced alongside Chris Rich and Caleb Bryant. Built on booming bass and a triumphant synth riff, the song details the rapper’s journey from drug dealer to hitmaker. The intro features U.K. fashion entrepreneur Mikey Trapstar explaining how showbiz isn’t much different than the streets.
Do you know what?
The trap still running, it’s never turnin’ off
Different product, same hustle mentality
The only difference is you pay taxes on it and feds can’t kick off your door
This year, Central Cee launched his own streetwear brand, Syna, and in the first verse, he shrugs off criticism regarding the price of his pieces.
One-one-eighty for the tracksuit, go somewhere else if it’s overpriced
New generation don’t know how to trap ’cause they all getting high off their own supply
He closes out the verse by reflecting on his time slinging substances that match the skin color of a certain American pop star.
See man fall in love with the white, Billie Eilish, ’cause they got ocean eyes
Set up a shop, then it’s open 24 hours, we don’t have a closin’ time
On the chorus, Cench calls back to a memorable line from “Sprinter” that uses automobiles as a measure of his success. Although by the sound of it, he’s spent most of his year on tour buses and airplanes.
(Went from a) Went from a Toyota Yaris to Urus, I still got the same work rate as before
(Work rate as before)
Two years that I ain’t been home, 730 days on tour
He opens the second verse with a clever lyric about the wild trajectory his life has followed in recent years.
It was Nokia ringtones, pickin’ up phones
No private calls, now it’s microphones
I think that I got bipolar disorder, the way I’m going through highs and lows
“Entrapreneur” arrived with a music video featuring Cench and his boys chilling at a gas station and a clothing warehouse.
You can read all the lyrics to “Entrapreneur” on Genius now.
