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Central Cee review – UK rap superstar tentatively enjoys stadium success

Cycling through a set of stiff hand gestures, the rapper sometimes seems unsure what to do on stage. But when mediated through screens, his connection to his fans is palpable

He stands in front of a multitiered structure that, using screens, becomes an open dollhouse that tells the story of his come-up through the key places in his life, from his family home to his new pad. Unwinding into tracks from his initial mixtapes, his barbed flow rolls like a series of verbal jabs: “Your dad left home from young / And you ain’t done shit for your mum, ah man,” he berates on his breakout 2021 single Day in the Life. He sticks to a stiff set of hand gestures as if he’s cycling through Fortnite emotes, and when guest verses are often played in their entirety, he’s left clueless as to what to do on stage.

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