Central Cee is tipping his hat to a Jay-Z classic on his upcoming release.
On Wednesday (Feb. 18), the UK rapper shared an Instagram reel previewing his take on “Dead Presidents II,” Jay-Z’s 1996 standout from Reasonable Doubt. The track famously samples “A Garden of Peace” by Lonnie Liston Smith, originally released in 1983 — a soulful loop that’s since appeared in songs by Mary J. Blige, Meek Mill, Fabolous, and Jeezy after being made iconic through Jay-Z’s version.
In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Central Cee — also known as Cench — named the 25-time Grammy winner among the artists he studied closely early in his career.
“J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar: I had to go and listen to these people for the first time,” he said. “Even Jay-Z. So that was a fun time, because everything was clicking. I just remember lightbulbs.”
Central Cee’s latest preview arrives just days after he released “Slaughter” featuring J Hus, along with “Iceman Freestyle” — a nod to Drake’s forthcoming ninth album, Iceman, which was first teased during Drizzy’s livestream.
The two artists have built a steady working relationship, previously linking up for a 2023 episode of On the Radar.
Cench’s forthcoming EP, All Roads Lead Home, is set to arrive on March 19. The project comes on the heels of his debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness, which was released last January.
