Sprinter (song)

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

"Sprinter"
Single by Dave and Central Cee
from the EP Split Decision
Released1 June 2023 (2023-06-01)
Recorded2023
Genre
Length3:49
Label
  • Neighbourhood
  • Live Yours
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jonny Leslie
  • Jo Caleb
  • Santan
  • Jim Legxacy
  • TR
  • Kyle Evans
Dave singles chronology
"My 24th Birthday"
(2022) 		"Sprinter"
(2023)
Central Cee singles chronology
"Me & You"
(2023) 		"Sprinter"
(2023) 		"On the Radar Freestyle"
(2023)
Music video
"Sprinter" on YouTube

"Sprinter" is a song by British rappers Dave and Central Cee. The single was released 1 June 2023 through record labels Neighbourhood and Live Yours, and was included on the artist's collaborative EP Split Decision, released four days later. The song's instrumental has been characterized as a "guitar-led, subtle drill" beat with Latin influence.[2][3]

Sprinter debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart, becoming Dave's third number-one single and Central Cee's first. The single became the longest-running number-one rap song in the UK, holding the position for 10 weeks.[4] It also topped the charts in Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Switzerland. Sprinter was ultimately the most streamed song on Spotify in the United Kingdom in 2023.[5]

Background[edit]

The song was first teased by Cee on his Instagram stories on 18 March 2023, revealing that Dave had just sent him an audio file.[6] They were also spotted in the studio together on 10 May.[7]

Sprinter marks only the second time the two have teamed up on a song, the last one being a remix of "Spirit Bomb" (2016) by AJ Tracey.[8] Additionally, Dave helped produce the song "End of the Beginning" on the 23 mixtape in 2022.[9]

Composition[edit]

"Sprinter" sees the rappers trading "laid-back" verses over a "Latin-tinged, summer-ready"[3] beat characterised by "chopped-up acoustic guitars and wordless operatic vocals".[10]

David Renshaw of The Fader thought the track was distinguished by "bright wordplay and good vibes", while the lyrics talk about the "age-old problem" of partying with too many girls that a whole van is needed to transport them.[11] Robin Murray of Clash opined that the song "sits somewhere between drill and broader UK rap flavours" and allows the rappers "to do their thing".[12]

Music video[edit]

The music video, released on 2 June, switches between London and South France. Scenes in Monaco were filmed in late May 2023.[13] The video features a cameo by Nigerian artist Slawn.[6] The rappers are seen showcasing the perks of their lifestyle, showing off diamonds and other valuables.[14]

Commercial performance[edit]

United Kingdom[edit]

"Sprinter" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, marking the biggest opening week of the year.[15] The track opened with 108,200 chart units in its first tracking week alongside 13.4 million streams, the biggest week of streams for a rap single ever in UK history.[15][16][17] By December 2023, Sprinter had received over 500 million streams on Spotify.[18]

The track peaked at number one in Australia after selling 13,000 units in its first tracking week.[19][20] The track also peaked at number one in Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Switzerland. In the United Arab Emirates, the song peaked at number 11.[21]

In the United States, the song peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Global 200 and the U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[22] In Canada, "Sprinter" debuted at number five on the Canadian Hot 100 on 17 June 2023, becoming the highest peaking British hip hop single of all-time, surpassing M.I.A.'s 2008 song, "Paper Planes" which reached number seven.

Reception and legacy[edit]

The song was declared "song of the summer" for 2023 by UK Charts.[23] In August 2023, a video of American rapper J. Cole rapping along to Sprinter at record producer T-Minus' wedding went viral on social media.[24] Former U.S. President Barack Obama included the song on his annual playlist, which was released in December 2023.[25] At the MOBO Awards 2024, "Sprinter" won the award for best song.[26] At the 2024 Global Awards "Sprinter" was nominated for Best Song.[27]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

‹See Tfd›
Certifications for "Sprinter"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[78] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Belgium (BEA)[79] Platinum 40,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[80] Gold 40,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[81] Platinum 90,000‡
France (SNEP)[82] Gold 100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[83] Gold 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[84] 2× Platinum 60,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[85] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[86] 2× Platinum 20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[87] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[88] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[89] Gold 500,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[90] 2× Platinum 4,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dave And Central Cee’s ‘Sprinter’ Takes the Lead In U.K. Chart Race Billboard
  2. ^ Rouhani, Neena; Lee, Cydney (5 June 2023). "R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Dave, Toosii, CHIKA & More". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b Stickler, Jon (2 June 2023). "Dave And Central Cee Team Up For New Single Sprinter". Stereoboard. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  4. ^ Brandle, Lars (7 August 2023). "Dave and Central Cee's 'Sprinter' Snags U.K. Chart Record". Billboard. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. ^ "In 2023, "Sprinter" was the UK's biggest and best export". British GQ. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b A., Aron (2 June 2023). "Central Cee & Dave's Highly Anticipated Single "Sprinter" Is Here". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  7. ^ Keith, James (1 June 2023). "Dave & Central Cee Reveal Hotly-Anticipated Visuals For "Sprinter"". Complex. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Dave & Central Cee 'Sprinter' lyrics meaning revealed". Capital Xtra. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Dave and Central Cee have too much of a good thing on "Sprinter"". The FADER. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  10. ^ Breihan, Tom (2 June 2023). "Central Cee & Dave – "Sprinter"". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  11. ^ Renshaw, David (2 June 2023). "Dave and Central Cee have too much of a good thing on "Sprinter"". The Fader. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  12. ^ Murray, Robin (2 June 2023). "It's Here! Central Cee, Dave Spar On 'Sprinter'". Clash. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  13. ^ A., Aron (2 June 2023). "Central Cee & Dave's Highly Anticipated Single "Sprinter" Is Here". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  14. ^ Okon, Wongo (1 June 2023). "Dave And Central Cee's Opulent 'Sprinter' Video Weighs The Pros And Cons Of Their Playboy Lifestyles". Uproxx. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Record Breaker! Dave & Central Cee debut at Number 1 with Sprinter: Duo land biggest streaming week for any rap song in UK chart history". Official Charts Company. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Dave and Central Cee: Sprinter scores a record-breaking number one". BBC News. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Dave And Central Cee Sprint to U.K. Chart Title, Set Streaming Record". Billboard. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  18. ^ Coste, Jonathan (7 December 2023). "Taylor Swift announced as the most streamed artist of 2023 by Spotify". Birmingham Eastside. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Dave & Central Cee Spend Second Week At #1 With 'Sprinter'". The Music. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Kerser, Dave & Central Cee Lead Australia's Charts". Billboard. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  21. ^ a b "This Week's Official MENA Chart Top 20: from 15/09/2023 to 21/09/2023". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 15 September 2023. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Stormzy & Fredo eye highest new entry on the Official Singles Chart, Dave & Central Cee sprinting for full month at Number 1". Official Charts Company. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  23. ^ Glynn, Paul (8 September 2023). "Dave and Central Cee track Sprinter named UK song of summer 2023". Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  24. ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (14 August 2023). "J. Cole Turns Up To Nicki Minaj & Central Cee At T-Minus' Wedding". HipHopDX. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Dave, Central Cee and Victoria Monét Make It Onto Barack Obama's 2023 Playlist". Hypebeast. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  26. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben; Vinter, Robyn (7 February 2024). "Mobo awards 2024: Central Cee tops winners thanks to megahit Sprinter". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  27. ^ "The Global Awards 2024: Full list of nominees & how to vote". Capital XTRA. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  28. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  29. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  30. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  31. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  33. ^ "Dave Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  34. ^ "Dave Chart History (Croatia Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  35. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202330 into search. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  36. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". Tracklisten. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Dave, Central Cee: Sprinter" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Top Singles (Week 35, 2023)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  39. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Dave Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  42. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  43. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  44. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 30" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  45. ^ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 30. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LAIPA. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  46. ^ "The Official Lebanese Top 20 – Dave". The Official Lebanese Top 20. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  47. ^ "2023 30-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  48. ^ "Dave Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  49. ^ "This Week's Official MENA Chart Top 20: from 16/06/2023 to 22/06/2023". theofficialmenachart.com. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 27 June 2023. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  50. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  51. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  52. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  53. ^ "Singel 2023 uke 24". VG-lista. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  54. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 21.07.2023–27.07.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  55. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  56. ^ "Dave Chart History (Romania Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  57. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202330 into search. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  58. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  59. ^ "Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  60. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  61. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  62. ^ "Dave Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  63. ^ "Dave Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  64. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  65. ^ "Ö3 Austria Top40 Jahrescharts 2023: Singles". Ö3 Austria Top 40. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  66. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  67. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  68. ^ "Track Top-100 2023". Hitlisten. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  69. ^ "Jahrescharts 2023" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  70. ^ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  71. ^ "Single Top 100 - digitális és fizikai értékesítés alapján - 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  72. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2023". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  73. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2023". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  74. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 2023". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  75. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2023". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  76. ^ Griffiths, George (29 December 2023). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Songs of 2023". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  77. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  78. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  79. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2023". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  80. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Central Cee, Dave – Sprinter". Music Canada. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  81. ^ "Danish single certifications – Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  82. ^ "French single certifications – Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  83. ^ "Italian single certifications – Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  84. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Dave and Central Cee – Sprinter". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  85. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 October 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Sprinter in the search box.
  86. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  87. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Dave / Central Cee – Sprinter". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  88. ^ "British single certifications – Dave & Central Cee – Sprinter". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  89. ^ "American single certifications – Dave, Central Cee – Sprinter". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  90. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 40/2023" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sprinter_(song)&oldid=1217448555"