nineteen97 turns retirement rumours into cinema with the ‘CUDDABEENA*’ visuals!

Earlier this year, nineteen97 left fans with plenty to think about when he unveiled his five-track EP CUDDABEENA* - a release wrapped in uncertainty, reflection and the very real suggestion that it could mark the end of his music career. With no unreleased music waiting in the wings and no concrete plans to return to the studio, the project felt like both a statement and a question mark hanging over his future.

Around the EP’s release, CGuk sat down with the elusive creative for our 'Breaking Kayfabe with nineteen97' cover story, unpacking the unconventional way he approaches artistry, identity and narrative. Even then, it was clear there was no one else quite like him in the UK.

Now, almost two months on, nineteen97 has re-entered the conversation with a striking new music video tied to CUDDABEENA* - and it’s nothing short of cinematic. The visual plays out like a surreal press run for his own retirement, opening with a press conference before moving through a radio interview on CHROME FM, where he casually discusses post-music plans like chess and five-a-side football. The storyline then shifts into a raw, intimate barbershop scene, where a blunt local critic offers unfiltered commentary on the rapper’s career and choices.

Interwoven with these narrative moments are crisp, stylised performance shots that bring together three of the five tracks from the EP, turning the video into a layered, living extension of the project itself. Rather than shutting down the retirement speculation, nineteen97 leans fully into it - blurring truth and performance in a way that feels deliberately provocative and deeply on brand.

True to form, the video is packed with subtle details for those paying close attention. The radio station being CHROME FM, the newspaper titled 'All Day News', and even the sporting references to his beloved Arsenal FC and Coventry City FC woven into the background all act as callbacks to his wider universe and personal world - from boyhood football loyalties to longstanding creative motifs tied to his identity.

Once again, nineteen97 proves that his work lives far beyond standard release cycles. The 'CUDDABEENA*' visual doesn’t just accompany the music - it expands it, challenges the viewer, and deepens the mythology around one of the UK’s most boundary-pushing artists. If this truly is the closing chapter, he’s bowing out with a piece of art that reinforces just how singular his legacy already is.