23 (mixtape) explained

23
Type:mixtape
Artist:Central Cee
Cover:Central Cee - 23.png
Genre:UK drill
Length:40:18
Label:ADA
Producer:
  • Young Chencs
  • 3Lackondabeat
  • AyeTM
  • Chris Rich
  • Chucks
  • Dan Diggas
  • Flem
  • BKH Beats
  • Joe Stanley
  • Levi Lennox
    • Lovelife
  • Mura Masa
  • Nastylgia
  • Nko
  • Nick French
  • PinkPantheress
  • Roddy Beatz
  • Santan Dave
Prev Title:Wild West
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:No More Leaks
Next Year:2022

23 is the second mixtape by British rapper Central Cee, released independently on 25 February 2022. It was preceded by the release of the singles "Obsessed with You", "Retail Therapy", "Cold Shoulder" and "Khabib". On 4 March 2022, it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. It features guest appearances from his little brother, credited as Lil Bro, as well as Rondodasosa, Baby Gang, A2anti, Morad, Beny Jr, Ashe 22, and Freeze Corleone, all on the same track "Eurovision"

Critical reception

PJ Somervelle of The Line of Best Fit called the mixtape's "subject matter and approach [...] largely consistent with Wild West", summarising it as "rapid bursts of tracks, many lasting only a couple of minutes [...], it's clear that this is fast music for the TikTok/streaming generation". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian complimented Central Cee's "powerful flow" and ability to "turn a phrase", as well as "how good [he] is at the business of making records, not just writing" with "really strong musical ideas on display". Reviewing the album for the Evening Standard, David Smyth found the mixtape to have the "murky, rumbling bass of drill music" but that Central Cee's "crisp, rhythmic lyrics are less dense with slang than the standards of the genre and he's more likely to brag about a vibrant sex life than a violent past".

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[1] 32
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[2] 79

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[3] 199
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[4] 157
UK Albums (OCC)[5] 49

Notes and References

  1. Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of March 12, 2022. Billboard. 8 March 2022.
  2. Web site: 2022 9-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. 4 March 2022. 7 March 2022.
  3. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2022. Ultratop. nl. 13 January 2023.
  4. Web site: Rapports annuels 2022. Ultratop. fr. 13 January 2023.
  5. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2022. Official Charts Company. 4 January 2023.