UK rap star Central Cee confirms his conversion to Islam, opening a new personal chapter while continuing his rise as one of Britain’s most successful artists.
UK rapper Central Cee during a live appearance shortly after announcing his conversion to Islam (Photo: Social Media)
In an age where an artist is divulging every aspect of their life on the internet, true personal transformation is what truly resounds. UK rap phenom Central Cee recently surprised fans around the world by confirming his conversion to Islam during a live stream and the underlying message was clear-cut, indicating a true personal transformation for one of the UK’s most listened-to artists.
Central Cee revealed his conversion to Islam by opening up about it during his live stream session where he announced his recitation of the Shahada and embracing the religion. The rapper’s move was celebrated quietly rather than with fanfare by his friends in the room as the rapper made the switch to Islam at a relatively young age of 27 years and it seems to be a personal move rather than a publicity stunt from the rapper’s part as he is having a great period in his career.
“I just changed my name and took my shahada, I’m muslim now”
— BASITO (@itzbasito) February 6, 2026
- Central Cee
pic.twitter.com/YoBIIHXeD0
Central Cee is the keystone in the UK’s modern rap scene and he comes from West London’s drill music, but he has changed the game with his catchy hooks and thought-provoking rap. In 2024, he was the most-streamed UK rapper worldwide, charting at number one with billions of streams under his name, a gateway from UK rap to the world beyond.
Born as Oakley Neil Caesar-Su on the 4th of June, 1998 and he is affiliated with the Ladbroke Grove neighborhood, from where he later relocated to the Shepherd’s Bush neighborhood while growing up, he was mostly taken care of by his mom, who separated from his father. He had intimated that he could be taking a different stage name following his personal conversion, though he has kept this a secret.
Before the announcement, Central Cee had never spoken publicly about religious identity and growing up in a culturally blended home, he steered clear of naming his beliefs. His conversion to Islam stands as the first unmistakable articulation of his faith, reframing how the public understands his personal journey rather than altering what came before.
Central Cee dropped out of school at 16-not from a lack of drive but from a restlessness that wouldn't quit. A teen in search of his lane, he had been jotting down lyrics and lines of poetry for some time with submersed in American hip-hop, Caribbean vibes and the raw energy of UK street life, he learned more from these kinds of sounds than he ever could have in any classroom, really setting in both how he speaks as an artist and how he handles business.
As of 2025, Central Cee’s net worth is valued at approximately $5 million and he earns money from streaming rights, world tours, endorsements and his clothing label Syna World. Central Cee is different from his peers because his work begins from the beginning with total creative control, ensuring maximum profit and creative ownership.
Central Cee has been dating social media influencer Madeline Argy for a very long period of time before the two went their separate ways in mid-2024 while after the breakup, Central Cee has not discussed his love life, choosing to maintain silence rather than engaging the public in unnecessary conversations.
The comments made by Central Cee come as Burna Boy opens up about his spiritual journey who was brought up in the Christian faith, revealed that his perspective on his faith had developed from his experiences. Although these rappers experiences may be vastly different, they both hail from an emerging trend in music, as artists open up about belief as part of who they, as artists, are.
