UK Rap sensation Central Cee took another stride on the global stage this weekend by joining Lil Baby on stage at Rolling Loud Miami 2024.
Rolling Loud, held at Hard Rock Stadium, celebrated its 10th anniversary as one of the world’s largest Hip-Hop festivals. Founded in Miami in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif, the festival has grown from a single-day event into a global phenomenon, with multiple editions hosted in cities across the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Rotterdam, and Lisbon.
TODAY IS THE DAY
10 YEARS OF ROLLING LOUD
GATES OPEN AT 3PM!
SEE YOU THERE #RL10Years pic.twitter.com/SS304iaLk7
— Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) December 13, 2024
Unlike other festivals, Rolling Loud features only Hip-Hop and Rap artists, making it a unique and definitive event for fans of the genre. This has attracted some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop to its stages and its reputation continued this year with headliners including FUTURE, Travis Scott, and Playboi Carti. While its star-studded lineup draws massive attention, the festival maintains its tradition of giving rising artists a platform alongside rap’s biggest names.
Beyond the music, the event is renowned for its electrifying performances and signature viral moments. This year was no different with Owen Wilson joining Travis Scott during his performance of viral ‘FEIN’ and YG Marley performing alongside his parents, Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley.
#OwenWilson and #TravisScott @RollingLoud pic.twitter.com/Wi4Me30C3l — #REW (@R3W_1ND) December 15, 2024
Adding to these 2024 highlights, Lil Baby, a pivotal figure in modern Hip-Hop and advocate for social justice, invited Central Cee onstage to perform their collaborative hit ‘BAND4BAND’ for the first time this weekend. Released in May 2024, the track exemplifies a unique fusion of UK Drill and Atlanta Rap, and surrounds themes of loyalty, power, and success. As with many of Cench’s releases, the single went viral on TikTok.
Lil Baby brought out Central Cee at Rolling Loud Miami last night
Cench continues to represent the UK on the biggest stages… pic.twitter.com/r4yhKwkyDN
— UK Rap Daily (@UKRapDaily) December 16, 2024
Along with ‘BAND4BAND’, Cench has become a streaming giant on Spotify and TikTok with singles like ‘Obsessed With You’ and ‘Retail Therapy’ solidifying his role as a pioneer in bringing UK Drill to mainstream audiences. The release of ‘Doja’ in 2022 sparked his international attention for its catchy hook and cheeky lyricism. Acquiring over 500 million posts on TikTok, the track earned a Platinum Certification in multiple countries.
The London rapper has consistently expanded his musical style and pushed boundaries from viral hits like ‘Doja’ attaining over 750 million streams to record-breaking collaborations with Dave on ‘Sprinter’. The latter won Best Song at the MOBO Awards in 2024 and highlights Cench as a leading voice in the industry. We can expect his debut album ‘Don’t Rush Greatness’, releasing in January 2025, see similar success for the rapper, propelling him to higher heights. From Shepherd’s Bush to international stages, he has become one of the most prominent UK Drill and Rap artists.
Although the performance received some online criticism due to a perceived lack of energy from the crowd, it was significant in reinforcing Rolling Loud’s reputation as a hub for diverse voices in Hip-Hop. Lil Baby’s inclusion of Central Cee showcased the increasing recognition of UK rap within broader Hip-Hop culture and Rolling Loud’s pivotal role in shaping the global Hip-Hop landscape. The performance marked another milestone in Cench’s career, emphasising his role in bridging the gap between UK and global rap and solidifying his impact on the international rap scene in preparation for his new album.
