‘GBP’ is the first major collaboration between London’s Central Cee, or Cench, and Atlanta’s 21 Savage, blending their respective musical influences into a seamless, fluid track. 

Cench brings his signature melodic flow, introspective lyrics, and catchy hooks – which have a history of catapulting to global, viral sensations such as ‘Doja’ and ‘Sprinter’. Savage complements this with his relaxed, gritty delivery and sharp wordplay with lyrics such as “Latex gloves, I’m on a drill, watch ‘em fall, Jack and Jill”. 

Throughout the track, both rappers reflect on their humble beginnings and the challenges they’ve faced. Lyrics like “So distraught, we were broke as hell, well, until we broke the law” highlight their shared ability to turn personal struggles into compelling narratives. The single weaves themes of ambition, resilience, and success, central to the Rap and Hip-Hop genre, with clever metaphors such as “That’s GBP, the price go up if it’s USD”.

It also delves into topics of loyalty and cultural identity with Central Cee referencing UK rap culture through “Red carpet in my trackie and Air Max, they want a boy with a London style”, hinting at his viral moment at the 2022 British Fashion Awards. Meanwhile, Savage adds his iconic swagger, referencing his “Internet beef” with Soulja Boy with “Better watch your words, I’ll get you X’d ‘bout the s*** you tweet (On God)”. 

This interplay highlights Central Cee as a pioneer for UK rap. Following his performance of ‘BAND4BAND’ Atlanta’s Lil Baby at Rolling Loud Festival last year, ‘GBP’ cements his position as a trailblazer for transatlantic rap collaborations.

The music video reinforces this narrative with striking visuals, including a British flag serving as a symbolic backdrop and recurring red cars that subtly nod to London’s iconic red buses. The video not only complements the song’s themes but also emphasises the importance of music videos in the industry – enhancing storytelling and increasing global visibility. Additionally, the integration of bold and creative fashion, an industry closely linked with Hip-Hop culture, demonstrates the evolution of modern rap aesthetics.

With the release of ‘GBP’, Central Cee and 21 Savage delivered a standout collaboration, bridging two distinct rap cultures through music and visuals. As Central Cee prepares to release his highly anticipated debut album, ‘GBP’ offers an exciting glimpse into the innovative direction he is taking.

Jill Brown has been intermittently working in Barlinnie Prison for the last 10 years, organising performances and shows for inmates. From this involvement with the prison, Jill began to arrange songwriting workshops for prisoners with an interest in hip-hop and rap music. In addition to the Barlinnie workshop, Jill has embarked on a publishing project. Conviction Records is a label, formed in late 2021, that focuses on giving those with a criminal history the support they need to pursue a career in music. While the label remains in its early stages of development, secured funding from Creative Scotland marks the beginning of the Conviction Records project. 

Speaking to the BBC, Jill said: “The workshops are designed to give the guys who take part a voice, because a lot of people who are actually in jail have never had a voice.” This is a significantly different perspective than one heard last year from Edinburgh Live and the Daily Record. In May of 2023, a video of several inmates rapping in Midlothian’s Addiewell Prison surfaced on TikTok. Reports from both outlets were scathing, calling the prisoners “Shameless”. Although this video was by no means sanctioned by prison staff and was recorded on a smuggled smartphone, it does reveal that many behind bars need some form of creative outlet. It is this need that Jill Brown aims to serve, making prison a more productive and rehabilitative environment for people who often lack the opportunity to integrate back into society. 

Speaking to the BBC about the workshop program, one inmate said: “It’s gave me something to look forward to, and it’s something I’m going to follow up on when I’m out. It’s came at the right time. It’s gave me a chance.” Projects like these are few and far between but hopefully the success of Jill’s work in Barlinnie will inspire other facilities to take a leaf out of her book. 

Announcing the news on Instagram, Lord Apex said, “happy to announce my 3rd headline tour <3 / uk & euro tings a gwarn / tickets go on sale friday / go tell a friend to tell a friend / link gone be in bio / let’s go”

Shaeem Santino Wright, most likely known by his stage name Lord Apex, grew up in White City, London, United Kingdom. His music incorporates different types of genres, however, more specifically UK hip-hop and lo-fi hip hop.

He released his first track in 2014 and since then, he has been nominated for a UK Music Video Award in the Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Video Newcomer category for his video with KAM-BU’s song “Different”.

Watch the music video for “Different” below:

Complex UK also included him in an article where they said “Lord Apex is perfectly positioned to rise to the top” as he is a rapper to look out for.

Not only has he been releasing solo music, but he often collaborates with other British musicians. Lord Apex recently featured, along with Erick The Architect, on Catching Flies’ song “True Colours (Part 2)” which was released on the 17th of May 2023.

The official lyric video can be seen below:

Lord Apex’s latest video for his single “Stars In Their Eyes” takes place in central London at night, while he raps in various places including the Southbank Centre. It was directed by Joel Stagg who also directed his other video for “INEEDAPOUNDOFGUSHERS”.

Watch his video for “Stars In Their Eyes” below:

The West London rapper has featured on other songs including “FUCK IT” by lyrical rapper Benny Mails which also features Cesta. The music video was shot in Brixton, London and was dropped on the 19th of April 2023. It has 2.6k views on YouTube and  you can listen to it on Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music.

Since announcing his tour dates, the locations where he is set to perform have also been announcing his performance dates on Twitter. This includes the O2 Institute in Birmingham. In a tweet from them, they said, “West London rapper @SENSEIAPEX heads to Brum – Saturday 28 October. Tickets on sale”

West London rapper @SENSEIAPEX heads to Brum – Saturday 28 October. Tickets on sale – https://t.co/XPkimUE13L pic.twitter.com/fndXYi6PiN

— O2 Institute Birmingham (@O2InstituteBham) June 2, 2023

Lord Apex UK and Ireland tour:

23/10/2023 – 24 Kitchen Street – Liverpool
24/10 – The Button Factory – Dublin
25/10 – The Garage – Glasgow
27/10 – Canvas – Manchester
28/10 – O2 Institute – Birmingham
29/10 – Thekla – Bristol
31/10 – Patterns – Brighton
01/11 – KOKO – London

Lord Apex Europe Tour:

03/11/2023 – Bitterzoet – Amsterdam
04/11 – Botanique – Brussels
06/11 – Krøsset – Oslo
07/11 – Bar Brooklyn – Stockholm
08/11 – Loppen – Copenhagen
10/11 – Turmzimmer – Hamburg
12/11 – Hydrozagadka – Warsaw
13/11 – Kantine Am Berghain – Berlin
14/11 – Das Werk – Vienna
15/11 – Circolo Magnolia – Milan
16/11 – Komplex – Zurich
18/11 – Le FAT – Strasbourg
19/11 – L’Aeronef – Lille
20/11 – La Place – Paris
22/11 – Le Connexion – Toulouse
25/11 – Café Berlin – Madrid
26/11 – Razzmatazz – Barcelona

All tickets for Lord Apex’s 2023 tour are available to purchase here.