The Ne-Yo Connection: Unpacking The Viral 'Truth In The Lies' Central Cee Sample

The melodic, melancholic piano riff anchoring Central Cee's 2025 hit "Truth in the Lies" is more than just a beat; it is a meticulously crafted piece of nostalgia that immediately hooks listeners. Released as a standout track from his debut album, CAN'T RUSH GREATNESS, the song—which features Chicago heavyweight Lil Durk—has become a viral sensation, largely due to its brilliant use of a classic R&B sample. This deep dive, updated for December 2025, reveals the source of the sample, the production genius behind the flip, and the cultural significance of blending mid-2000s heartbreak with modern UK Drill and Trap.

The track’s producer, Harley Arsenault, successfully bridged two distinct eras and genres, creating a sound that is both fresh and deeply familiar. By taking a massive R&B anthem and twisting its emotional core into a backdrop for Central Cee's introspective bars about trust and deception, "Truth in the Lies" sets a new benchmark for sample-based production in contemporary hip-hop.

The Shocking Source: Unmasking the "So Sick" Sample

For millions of fans, the instrumental’s main loop instantly felt recognizable, yet slightly out of reach. The secret weapon in the production of "Truth in the Lies" is a direct sample from the 2006 R&B mega-hit, "So Sick," originally performed by Ne-Yo.

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Ne-Yo's "So Sick": The Original Blueprint

• Original Song Title: "So Sick"
• Artist: Ne-Yo (Shaffer Smith)
• Album: In My Own Words (2006)
• Original Producers: Stargate (Mikkel S. Eriksen & Tor Erik Hermansen)
• Key Element Sampled: The iconic, mournful, and slightly detuned piano loop that forms the main melody.
• Genre: Mid-2000s R&B, Pop-Soul.

The original "So Sick" was a global phenomenon, topping charts in both the US and the UK. It is a quintessential heartbreak anthem, dealing with the emotional exhaustion of hearing love songs after a devastating breakup. The genius of the original track, produced by the legendary Norwegian duo Stargate, was its simplicity: a crisp, head-nodding beat paired with that unforgettable, melancholic synth/piano line. This melancholic core is precisely what producer Harley Arsenault extracted and repurposed for Central Cee’s track.

Harley Arsenault's Masterful Sample Flip and Production Technique

The difference between a lazy sample and a masterful flip lies in how the producer transforms the source material. Harley Arsenault, a producer known for his work with Central Cee, Lil Durk, and other high-profile artists, didn't just loop the Ne-Yo track; he re-contextualized it.

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From R&B Ballad to Drill/Trap Anthem

Arsenault’s technique was a classic example of genre fusion. He took the "So Sick" piano—a clean, emotionally charged element—and layered it with the hard-hitting percussion characteristic of UK Drill and modern Trap music.

• Pitch and Tempo Manipulation: While the core melody remains, the sample appears subtly pitched down and possibly sped up slightly, giving it a grittier, more urgent feel that suits the tempo of a Drill track. This adds a layer of sonic distance from the smooth R&B original.
• Percussion and Rhythm: The biggest transformation comes from the drums. Arsenault replaced the clean, pop-oriented drums of Stargate's original with a darker, more complex rhythm section. This includes heavy, booming 808 bass, sharp, syncopated hi-hats (a staple of Trap and Drill), and a powerful snare/clap combination. The 808s in particular inject a menacing, street-ready energy that contrasts sharply with the R&B melody.
• Mood Shift: In Ne-Yo’s hands, the melody conveyed sadness and longing. In "Truth in the Lies," it becomes a backdrop for introspection and distrust. Central Cee and Lil Durk use the somber mood to reflect on the complexities of relationships, fame, and authenticity—the "truth in the lies" they navigate in their lives.

The result is a hybrid sound: a melancholic, almost cinematic melody that tugs at the heartstrings, sitting atop a menacing, rhythmic foundation designed for the streets. This duality is what makes the beat so compelling and memorable, satisfying both the nostalgic R&B fan and the modern hip-hop enthusiast.

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The Cultural Significance: Why the Sample Works Now

The use of mid-2000s R&B samples in modern hip-hop is not a new trend, but "Truth in the Lies" is a prime example of its current cultural relevance. This phenomenon is driven by several key factors:

Nostalgia and the 2000s Revival

The generation that grew up listening to Ne-Yo, Usher, and T-Pain is now the primary demographic for artists like Central Cee. Sampling a track like "So Sick" taps directly into a powerful vein of 2000s nostalgia, instantly granting the new song a sense of familiarity and emotional weight. This strategy is a proven method for cross-generational appeal, ensuring the track resonates with both older listeners and younger fans discovering the melody for the first time.

The Power of Melodic Rap

The collaboration with Lil Durk is also critical to the track's success and its use of the R&B sample. Lil Durk, a pioneer of the melodic Trap subgenre, is known for blending emotional, auto-tuned vocals with hard lyrics. The "So Sick" sample provides the perfect canvas for this style, allowing both Central Cee and Durk to explore themes of vulnerability, heartbreak, and the difficulty of finding genuine connection in their high-stakes world. The melodic nature of the beat complements Durk's signature flow, creating a seamless fusion of UK and Chicago street rap styles.

Topical Authority and Key Entities

The successful clearance and use of a major pop sample like "So Sick" highlights the increasing sophistication and budget behind contemporary UK rap projects. The track's inclusion on the album CAN'T RUSH GREATNESS—released through Columbia Records and Sony Music—underscores its commercial importance. The production team, including Harley Arsenault, and the co-writers, such as Central Cee (Oakley Caesar-Su) and Lil Durk (Durk Banks), are all entities whose reputations are enhanced by the track's viral success and critical acclaim. This strategic use of a high-profile sample elevates the track from a simple album cut to a cultural talking point, generating significant topical authority for Central Cee and his sound.

The Legacy: A New Standard for Sample-Driven Hits

In the landscape of modern music, where samples are often used as fleeting references, "Truth in the Lies" stands out for its deep integration of the source material. It is a testament to the enduring quality of Ne-Yo’s original melody and the innovative vision of producer Harley Arsenault.

The track’s success solidifies Central Cee's position as a global artist capable of bridging cultural and sonic divides. By grounding his UK Drill/Trap narrative in the universally understood language of R&B heartbreak, he has created a powerful, commercially successful, and critically appreciated piece of music. "Truth in the Lies" is more than just a hit; it’s a brilliant case study in how to leverage musical history to create something entirely new and relevant for the current generation, proving that the truth in the music often lies in the quality of the sample.