Sprinter (song)

"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.

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. 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.

The work won the PRS for Music Most Performed Work Ivor Novello Award on Thursday 23 May 2024.

Background
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. They were also spotted in the studio together on 10 May.

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. Additionally, Dave helped produce the song "End of the Beginning" on the 23 mixtape in 2022.

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

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. 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".

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

United Kingdom
"Sprinter" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, marking the biggest opening week of the year. 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. By December 2023, Sprinter had received over 500 million streams on Spotify.

The track peaked at number one in Australia after selling 13,000 units in its first tracking week. 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.

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. 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
The song was declared "song of the summer" for 2023 by UK Charts. 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. Former U.S. President Barack Obama included the song on his annual playlist, which was released in December 2023. At the MOBO Awards 2024, "Sprinter" won the award for best song. At the 2024 Global Awards "Sprinter" was nominated for Best Song.