Background and career
Oakley Neil Caesar-Su (born 4 June 1998), known professionally as Central Cee, is a British rapper from Shepherd's Bush, London. Regarded as a leading figure in UK rap, he rose to prominence in 2020 with the release of his drill singles "Day in the Life" and "Loading". His first mixtape, Wild West (2021), debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, while his second, 23 (2022), debuted atop the chart. Central Cee achieved further success with his 2022 single "Doja", which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and became the then-most-streamed UK rap song on Spotify. In June 2023, he released the single "Sprinter" (with Dave), which became his first UK number-one song and preceded their collaborative EP, Split Decision (2023). The song also became the longest-running number-one rap song in the UK, holding the position for ten weeks. In April 2024, it became the most streamed UK rap song of all time, surpassing "Doja".
That May, Central Cee released the single "Band4Band" (with Lil Baby), which became the highest-charting UK rap song on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 18, as well as number 3 in his home country. He signed with Columbia Records to release his debut studio album, Can't Rush Greatness (2025), became his second number-one on the UK Albums Chart. It also debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200, becoming the first top-ten UK rap album in US.
Oakley Neil Caesar-Su was born on 4 June 1998 in Ladbroke Grove, London to an English mother and a father of Guyanese and Chinese ancestry. His mother Rachel Caesar met his father at age 15 and began dating him against her parents' wishes, subsequently getting cut off financially. When he was seven, his parents separated and he began living with his mother and two younger brothers in Shepherd's Bush. He has an additional half-brother. One of his brothers is Juke Caesar, who appeared on the 23 mixtape under the name "Lil Bro". As a child, Central Cee would write poetry and raps, which he would then show to his mother, a social worker. When Central Cee visited his father, he would be shown American hip-hop. He would also be exposed to reggae and dancehall when he attended Notting Hill Carnival. Central Cee has stated that he kept to himself in school, but would occasionally misbehave and lose his temper. He went to the same school as rapper Digga D, being two years his senior. Central Cee left school at age 16.
Central Cee became enamoured with pursuing music as a career after a friend took him to a music studio near Wandsworth Bridge at age 14. During his teenage years, he worked at a shoe store for three weeks before finding out his wage and quitting. He eventually turned to selling drugs to earn money, stating, "When you're coming from where I'm coming from, everybody from all walks of life, nine times out of ten, they had to do that. It's like learning to ride a bike."
How Central Cee makes money
He signed with Columbia Records to release his debut studio album, Can't Rush Greatness (2025), became his second number-one on the UK Albums Chart.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth, in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
