British rapper Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, known professionally as Central Cee, has publicly confirmed that he has converted to Islam.
The announcement was made during a livestream, where he told viewers, “I just changed my name and took my shahada, I am a Muslim now.”
The 27-year-old artist also revealed that he has changed his first name from Oakley to Aqeel as part of his conversion. He took the Shahada – the Islamic declaration of faith – during the stream, marking his formal entry into Islam.
The revelation signals a profound personal transformation for the rapper, who has captured the attention of millions with his distinctive sound and relatable lyrics. Friends present during the livestream quietly congratulated him, though he did not offer extended commentary on his religious journey.
Prior to this announcement, Central Cee had not publicly discussed his religious beliefs, although fans had speculated based on previous social media posts featuring Arabic captions.
Born on 4 June 1998 in London, Central Cee began his music career in 2014. Since then, he has risen to become one of the defining figures in the UK drill and rap scene.
Originating from West London, he has skillfully blended a range of musical influences, achieving global success and becoming the most-streamed UK rapper in 2024, with billions of streams across platforms.
His career has been marked by major milestones, including a breakout moment in 2020, a mixtape that reached No. 2 on the UK charts in 2021, and a 2022 album that topped the UK Albums Chart. His collaboration with Dave dominated the charts for ten consecutive weeks in 2023, while by 2025 he became the first UK rapper to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, further cementing his superstar status.