Central Cee is no doubt the next man up in British hip-hop and he knows it. Named one of Uproxx’s “Artists To Watch” for February, the West Londoner is coming off three nominations at this week’s BRIT Awards including Best New Artist and Song of The Year, for his PinkPantheress-sampling “Obsessed With You.” Now as he gets ready to drop his next mixtape, 23, he’s shared the sweeping video for the new single, “Khabib.”
Cench is a straight up grinder. He’s killing it with multiple songs currently on the UK charts and wants to impart advice on “Khabib,” saying “I keep on telling the young bulls grind, don’t quit cause it’s all about timing,” over a thick drill beat. The clip was filmed on the desolate cliffside woods of Snowdonia, Wales as he flexes his literal and figurative ascent. “They done man wrong, where are they now? Nowhere to be seen. The power’s strong, where am I now? I been on the charts for 18 weeks.”
The track is named after the polarizing UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, and a famous speech he made to a booing crowd is sampled on the outro to “Khabib.” It’s Central Cee shooting his shot at anyone who doubted him up to this point and it just sets a triumphant stage for the impending release of 23.
Watch the video for “Khabib” above.
23 is out 02/25 via self-release.